ALL my data gone, 800 tests used and 140 minutes!!

[ColinRoberts]

Im 70 years old... i use 60 odd texts per month, maybe 50 minutes and I have 5 GB data I dont even scrath it!

I got a text saying all my datas been used up and would i like to buy more? When I got to vodafone page I find ALL my 5 GB has gone, 809 texts used and 150 minutes used plus 1GB used on EU Roaming and iver NEVER been out of the UK!!

The lady at vodafone said I must have used it all up cos vodafone "Sorts out" problem with hackers, and it must be all my apps reviewing etc etc... IM 70 !! I dont have lots of apps and games..and she said all I could do was switch phone off and turn it on when I need to then switch off again!!  For heavens sake.   Can anyone help please, Ive been with vodafone 8 years and this is the first problem..thanksn

[BandOfBrothers]

@ColinRoberts 

I appreciate what your saying about your usage habits and how this has come at a shock and left you bewildered as to how this has occured.

Even the older generations are now embracing technology which is fantastic and using lots of apps and features so nowadays age is just a number

Your phone should hopefully have an inbuilt data monitor that can show you what's been used by what and how much.

Vodafone can only see what's been used but not what for.

Is it possible someone has used your hotspot feature on your phone to latch their device to so they can use your Vodafone data allowance. i.e. tethering.

Smartphones nowadays use mobile data quite a lot on what the user is accessing and what the phone is doing quietly in the background such as updating its firmware and apps and updating location based apps such as weather etc. I appreciate your saying you don't have lots of apps.

A person can curb how a smartphones uses mobile data in a few ways.

Turn Mobile Data Off in the phones settings and use wifi.

Use any data monitor level in the phones settings to alert you of usage.

Use your myvodafone to set a data cap.

This is a guide I put together.

Using-more-Mobile-Data-than-usual-My-Guide.

[chistery]

The EU roaming one is interesting. Vodafone should be able to tell you which country they think you were in and some more details. Assuming you don;t live somewhere like the South coast and could potentially pick up another network, if they claim you were in another country and you know you weren't, raise an official complaint and get someone to look at it in more detail.

Data use in the UK is always a hard one to prove though, the EU roaming one is likely to be easier to find out more about.

[AnnS]

Hi @ColinRoberts 

The first question to ask : Would there be any possibility that someone has borrowed your phone or SIM card?

Vodafone billing is robust and all chargeable activity is logged against the IMEI number of the phone and SIM.

As far as your calls and texts are concerned, the first place to look will be your online account, this will give itemisation and the numbers for calls and text messages.  

I would add the data cap from this link, at least this will prevent you going over allowance:  Data Capping

There is also official information for managing and controlling data use from Vodafone here:  Managing your data usage

The only explanation for the EU roaming would be if someone has taken your phone or SIM out of the country for a short period or used the phone where it accidentally picked up an overseas network (as mentioned by @chistery )

If you are only using a small amount of calls and texts, it may also be worth looking at PAYG, this may also work out cheaper for you.

[hrym]

Data usage can be tricky one, although your phone should have its own usage counter which you can check.   Minutes and texts, however, are easier as you'll see them in the call log and messaging app (or not, if this is phantom usage).   I recently had a chargeable call I was sure I couldn't have made but ... there it is.

I wouldn't want to say that line hacking is impossible, but it's not something I've come across before.  If someone was using your account, they'd have had to do a SIM swap and, in the case, the one you have would stop working (I assume it hasn't?)

It's possible that this is simply a reporting error that will sort itself out, but it sounds as though Customer Services may have looked at the account and confirmed usage.

The social media team don't respond via the forum any more, only via Facebook and Twitter.   I'd recommend engaging with them there, as they'll be able to take your details and have a look offline (ie not while you're hanging on the phone).   It should be possible to get to the bottom of this.

A further thought: malicious apps (or even ads) can make calls silently (though I'm pretty sure they appear in the logs), but that still doesn't account for the EU roaming.

[ColinRoberts]

Thank you all for all this kind assistance...ill see what I can do...I cant be out of the country though because im bed bound! hahaha

[chistery]

Please keep us updated ColinRoberts. I'm interested in what Vodafone say about this and how it's resolved.

[AnnS]

Hi @ColinRoberts 

It's a mysterious one for sure.  Hope you manage to get this solved with Vodafone.

The only thing I can possibly think of is someone has somehow managed to use your phone or SIM. It would certainly be worth going through your online account, this will give all the information of the numbers called and texted from your phone.

[ColinRoberts]

thats a good idea..thanks AnnS

[ColinRoberts]

Thing is...I havent let anyone use my sim Ann...I am very alone in this world too..noone really comes in to me