Third Party claiming to be from Orange rewards team misold additional phone contract

[romanie.hannah]

Looking for some advice as I am not sure if what has happened is illegal...

 

I have been contracted with Orange for over 2 years now and my latest contract expired in October 2012. Recently I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Orange Rewards team. They offered me an upgrade with an iphone 4, unlimited calls and texts and 1GB for 26 pounds per month. I explained that I wanted to keep my old number and was told that would not be a problem and to place the new sim card in the new phone and call 150 to transfer the old number . I accepted the offer.

 

I had not received any confirmation email or documents but received the new phone last week. Tonight I activated the new phone with the new sim card and called 150. I spoke to a gentleman who explained that in fact Orange had NOT contacted me and that I had in fact been sold a NEW contract via a third party. He would not disclose who this third party was.

 

I am astounded that any company is allowed to do this and that Orange has made arrangements with any third party to sell customers products under the guise that they as Orange representatives when they are in fact not.

 

He has also informed me that it was NOT an upgrade and that a the new phone is now on my account as a new SECOND contract. I was told this was an upgrade so assumed that the contract was amended to bill me 26 pounds per month and that I didnt need to cancel anything as this was an automatic upgrade.

 

I feel that i have been mis-informed about the upgrade/new contract and I would like an explanation and to have my account corrected. I am not prepared to pay for two contracts this month.

 

I would like to know who has sold me this contract and why they claimed to be from orange when they were not.

Does anyone have a similar experiences?

[BazzaS]

Looking for some advice as I am not sure if what has happened is illegal...

 

I have been contracted with Orange for over 2 years now and my latest contract expired in October 2012. Recently I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Orange Rewards team. They offered me an upgrade with an iphone 4, unlimited calls and texts and 1GB for 26 pounds per month. I explained that I wanted to keep my old number and was told that would not be a problem and to place the new sim card in the new phone and call 150 to transfer the old number . I accepted the offer.

 

I had not received any confirmation email or documents but received the new phone last week. Tonight I activated the new phone with the new sim card and called 150. I spoke to a gentleman who explained that in fact Orange had NOT contacted me and that I had in fact been sold a NEW contract via a third party. He would not disclose who this third party was.

 

I am astounded that any company is allowed to do this and that Orange has made arrangements with any third party to sell customers products under the guise that they as Orange representatives when they are in fact not.

 

He has also informed me that it was NOT an upgrade and that a the new phone is now on my account as a new SECOND contract. I was told this was an upgrade so assumed that the contract was amended to bill me 26 pounds per month and that I didnt need to cancel anything as this was an automatic upgrade.

 

I feel that i have been mis-informed about the upgrade/new contract and I would like an explanation and to have my account corrected. I am not prepared to pay for two contracts this month.

 

I would like to know who has sold me this contract and why they claimed to be from orange when they were not.

Does anyone have a similar experiences?

 

It is very common. So much so that when I get such a call, I ask them if they are calling from the network or "on behalf of the network".

If they say "the network" I'll listen to their offer and then call back "Retentions" / "upgrades" to confirm it.

 

Since my number is ported from its original network, the calls I get usually talk about the original network not my current one, so that is always a "heads-up"

 

Did they know your name and details? Or 'just that you were due an upgrade' (from the mobile number they can 'guesstimate' the start date of the contract, and thus approximately the upgrade date!), and then got the details from you by "social engineering".

 

If it is recent and NOT an upgrade, can you cancel it / return it under the DSR's?

 

My favourite story of such practices is when a firm tried it on, pretending to be Orange, guaranteeing "a better tarrif than the one you are on". The person called agreed that sounded wonderful and played along, making sure they got the name of the firm : to the point they were asked for their postcode - which they gave .....

Shortly after the caller realised where the postcode mapped to, and went silent, and the person called said "Yes, I'm one of the senior network engineers at Patchway (Orange in Bristol). ... I get all my calls, texts and data for free : So, how much are you going to give me each month to improve on my current tarrif?"

 

Fully busted ... They hung up.

Edited February 3, 2013 by BazzaS

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome romanie.hannah,

 

I have moved this thread to the appropriate Forum.

 

Regards,

 

Scott.