Unpaid bill text despite direct debit.

[markbloke]

This is a heads up for anyone else who gets the same message. I received a text message from Vodafone today telling me that I was late paying a bill. As the account is paid by direct debit from a well funded account and has been for some time I was a bit suspicious.
Unfortunately this wasn't a scammer, this was Vodafone themselves trying to charge me £5 late payment for their own ineptitude. I confirmed this over chat from my vodafone account page after I checked my bill and bank account, spending nearly an hour in total putting things right for them. They gave me £5 when I asked about compensation. I requested this be escalated as I'm responsible for three accounts for my family and I don't want to end up with a wrecked credit score and having to work for Vodafone for £5 an hour.

[BandOfBrothers]

Something has definitely gone wrong with Vodafone's automated messaging system or the message for some reason was sent before the direct debit took place.

In regards to a late payment marker or default this is only typically applied if Vodafone feel they've exhausted means of collecting payment @markbloke 

Fortunately this wasn't a scam.

I hope all goes OK from this point onwards.

[markbloke]

The system may have flagged that it had exhausted attempts to obtain a payment by direct debit, but in this case the failure was on the part of Vodafone (chat admitted this). The system then jumps to blaming the customer and adding £5 late payment fine to their account. My associated bank account has been in credit throughout.

[BandOfBrothers]

Ok @markbloke 

It might also be beneficial to check your Credit File too just to make sure nothing negative has been applied. 

[markbloke]

Yes I made sure I raised that with the chat agent but as you say, given my experience it's a case of trust but verify.

[Sedat]

it is a scam as it does not say it is late payment charge. it just says service charge? you would not know why you have paid 5 pound more from the bill?

[AnnS]

Hi @markbloke 

I hope you are sure this wasn't a scammer, there has been a text doing the rounds just like the one you mention.  There is further information  here: Phishing 

Yu don't mention the number the text came from, the numbers Vodafone use are here: Look Up Tool - Numbers Vodafone use  

Where a direct debit is concerned, if for any reason the direct debit fails, Vodafone will make two further attempts to take the money, you wouldn't have been sent a late payment warning until the final attempt had been made.  

Thankfully you contact Vodafone directly after receiving the message.

[markbloke]

Yes as I said I made contact from my own account page, not from a link in the text message. The text message was also sent from the same number all previous vodafone text messages came from. I made absolutely sure that my vodafone account page warned of the unpaid bill. Phoning vodafone customer service wouldn't let me talk to an agent until I paid so I went to chat to get to the bottom of things.
The fact remains that Vodafone failed to obtain payment via direct debit due to a failure of its own systems (this was admitted over chat) but they then elected to charge me for late payment. There is clearly a procedural failure at work here.

[Sedat]

Hi Markbloke,

I have had the same issue but it seems like it is scam to me. I have used the app to pay my bill. The bill was not ready on the payment date and few days later, the bill is 5pound more and magically it is ready to see on app. I am looking for people whi had similar issue.

[Gemma]

Hi @Sedat - we'd like to look into this from our side. So that we can check your account, please message us on Social Media and explain what's happened.