cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Vodafone internal fraudulent upgrade and gross misconduct

User2212
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

This is a brilliant one.

 

I used Vodafone's webchat to enquire about a Galaxy S8 upgrade. The agent (Alice) answered throughout the chat and when she felt the time was right, copy & pasted the (new contract) T's & C's for me to read. She asked me to reply with "I AGREE". I did not do this -because I was only making an enquiry. I clicked the button to be sent a transcript of the webchat and have it on file. Not once did I authorise the upgrade and that's in black and white. Webchat attached for all the haters.

 

A few hours later I start getting texts from Vodafone telling me the delivery is on its way.  

 

I call Vodafone, who tell me that an upgrade was done OVER THE PHONE in an inbound (as they called it). I told them the webchat story (I hadn't once called Vodafone). Vodafone then try telling me that if I didn't make the inbound then my account has been compromised, because they have an inbound logged. And it's probably one of my friends or family.

 

OK, so someone compromised the account, at the exact same time I was on a wbchat, to request the exact same phone, to my delivery address? It's obvious what's happened. The agent has acted too swiftly and logged it as an inbound upgrade to cover herself. Vodafone say they need to liten to the call. I'm laughing because I know it doesn't exist -fraud team is involved (which is a joke. The FRAUD IS INTERNAL!!). And they suggest blame is my friends and family?! Rep tells me it would be 'gross misconduct' to send an upgrade logged as inbound if I didn't make it.

 

Vodafone say they'll cancel the order, but I can see in MyVodafone that it's not (I'm on this new unrequested tarriff. Lower data, higher monthly charge).

 

In the meantime courier attempts delivery. We're not in. Then I get more texts telling me the phone is dropped at a collection point. I have not collected it to date.

 

They go away and listen to this phantom inbound call. They tell me they'll call me back in 3 days. They do not. I call them. They tell me yes you were right (so confirming gross misconduct...!) sorry £40 max compensation, but then they change their mind and say that they have to wait to get the phone (which they sent without me asking for it ) back -this is the fraud team kicking in again! They want their phone back which I don't even request before they give me my money and stop charging me!?

 

Then Vodafone tell me to take the phone to a Vodafone shop. I tell them (again and again) I don't have it -never accepted delivery. Then they tell me the order will auto cancel if I don't collect the phone (so confirming that they never did cancel the order as the first useless rep had said she would)

 

However my bill is now £38 (up from the £31 it should be) because Vodafone are charging me for the new contract, and my data has fallen from 9GB allowance to 4GB (per the contract they've unlawfuly put me on). The money is coming out via direct debit in a few days. 

 

Reps are telling me order will auto cancel you won't be charged extra even though your direct debit is in a few days.

Fraud team are saying wait a week for us to get the phone back before thye do anything?!

 

Contradictory! Beware internal fraud against their own customers at this joke customer service company called Vodafone.

 

 

TIMELINE:

 

Sunday 17th
Web chat asking for S8 prices.
Did not type "I agree".
Have transcript
Then got text saying order on its way.
Called Vodafone 13:04 told they would cancel order and call me back in 3 days after investigating "inbound call" (which I did not make)

Monday 18th
Got text saying could not deliver order
Then got a text saying Secure Net activated on account
Then got a text saying an S8 was being delivered to Tequila Off License (collection point)
Rang Vodafone 19:57. They said to ignore and order would cancel itself. Should expect call back

Tuesday 19th
Noticed on My Vodafone that my data has been cut to 4GB from 9GB
Next bill is £38 instead of £31

Thursday 21st
Told my bill would be £28.00 and offered £40 compensation.

Told to wait another week for Fraud Team to recover phone

Friday 22nd

Bill still at £38 for coming direct debit and no credits posted to the account

 

10 REPLIES 10

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

I agree this sounds like a mess ! :Sad_face:

I think we all understand that things can sometimes go wrong and mistakes are made. But then its crucial how this is put right to instill confidence back in the service and product. 

We do have a Vodafone Social Media Team here who help where they can although this looks to be going through Vodafones various systems to try and resolve this. 

I wish you all the best with this situation. 

 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

redpages
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

It sounds like you've got your side well covered with a log of everything that happened, timeline etc. If you're being passed around the houses dealing with multiple reps, or getting mixed information, then I'd personally submit it as a complaint via their complaints form (detail the timeline of events and also give them a clear indication as to what you expect as a resolution).

 

Alternatively, as bandofbrothers says, the Social Media team on here are very good at taking ownership of problems and resolving. Wait for one of their reps to get in touch on this thread and they'll be able to help. 

Vodafone customer since 2004. Attempting to help where I can on the Community

Colleen
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@User2212 This is very disappointing to hear and we really want to look into this for you. 

I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch with us. Once you've followed the steps, we'll be able to contact you, access your account and make sure a resolution is reached. 

Friday 22nd
MyVodafone still reporting next bill as £38 and with only a 4GB data allowance
Raised online complaint at 09:12
Thanks for submitting your complaint form
One of our advisers in the Customer Relations team will be working on your complaint
and will respond to you within 48 hours.
We'll complete a full investigation and aim to resolve your issue within 5 working days.
If it does take longer, we'll contact you with clear timescales that shouldn't
exceed 8 weeks.

 

 

Saturday 23rd
Got text saying Vodafone Social Media team were going to contact me. They sent an email, text,
phone message but left no contact detail to get back to them on. This guy works for a communications company...?! Here is his email:

 

Hi Toby,

Thank you for writing to Vodafone Social Media team.

I apologise for the inconvenience you are having due to the upgrade related concern.
I tried to reach you today and managed to leave a voicemail.

If you would like to discuss this further, kindly reply us with a One Time Authorization Code, sent through text for security purpose.

Thanks,

Yudhveer (removed)
Customer Service Agent (Social Media)

Vodafone Limited
Vodafone HQ, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2FN
Registered in England No 1471587

 

How do I get back to him?! The text came though on the standard Vodafone number, the same all the other texts and notifications come from.

 

Tuesday 27th
CS rep said they don't know how to reach Social Media Team. It took them 25 minutes to tell me this.

My Bill is still going out at £38 as I knew it would. No ammendment.

 

So, nobody bothered to come back after the formal complaint was raised (48 hours as per Saturday update)HOW DO I GET THIS RESOLVED? You are charging me for goods and services I HAVE NOT ASKED FOR and you are offering NO remedy.

 

MOD EDIT: This post has been edited to remove personal information please see Community Guidelines]

 

 

donnyguy
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

OK so firsty, reply to the email. It has a routing code in the subject field so it'll route to the correct team. Include the one time authorisation code in your reply and you're good to go.

Although what does jump out to me is the language used in the email would indicate that the Social Media Team is offshore as the English isn't British English. Not only the way it's written but also the spelling of authorisation.

If Vodafone have now moved the social media / forum team offshore as well then it's a sad state of affairs.

Can someone from the forum team let the guys on here know if issues raised via the forum are being sent offshore?

I did reply to the email just incase that intelligence was in the system somehow (as you suggest). Nothing back (not even a mail bounce) so far. The system here won't let me post the name of the mailbox, though it began with "eforum".

Getafix
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

@donnyguy wrote:

 

Can someone from the forum team let the guys on here know if issues raised via the forum are being sent offshore?


There has been an offshore Forum support team for several years now.

 

Op, just reply to the email with the code that was texted to you. 

I did mail back and to be fair they did keep trying to call me, though I missed the calls (3 of them).

 

They ended up sending an email as below. It contradicts some of what the reps had told me (compensation value etc) but it will have to do. Thanks everyone for their suggestions on this thread and to Colleen for picking it up.

 

 

-----

Thank you for confirming with the one-time code. I tried to call you today at 10:40am; as I didn't manage to reach you, I've left a voicemail.

 

I regret the level of service you received as this is not the way Vodafone believes in serving its customers. The incident you’ve highlighted will not only assist us in improving the service we provide in the future but it’ll also be used to further develop and improve our ongoing training program.

 

As per our recent update, the handset is sent back to our warehouse on 28/12/2017. I’ve revert back your commitment date to 02/03/2016 - 02/03/2018 and added the credit of £33.94. Hence, you’ll be charged £33.94 in your next bill for the upgrade; however, the credit of £33.94 would cover the charges. Also, a credit of £10 was applied on 22/12/2017 as a goodwill gesture, which has been adjusted against the bill dated 19/12/2017.

 

Your priceplan is as per the new upgrade and can only be reverted back once we’ve received the handset in our warehouse.

 

We appreciate your patience in the meantime.

GOOD NEWS -Social Media team have reverted back to my original tarrif.

BAD NEWS -I'm back on hold (with the TECHNICAL team this time) because they've managed to kill my mobile data stone cold dead. 

 

WHAT A COMPANY!