Something weird happening on Three

Bob Paisley · 05-06-2016, 15:50

Has anyone else had a problem like this?

I'm a pay-as-you-go customer and transferred to Three a few weeks ago. I joined them because of their really good value 3-2-1 service. Over the last few days my credit has been disappearing - yet I've not made any calls, sent any texts or downloaded any data. Three tell me I've made around thirty calls in the last few days - but I haven't made any. No one's got access to my phone other than me and I hardly use it. Three say they're investigating - but it's all really weird.

Thine Wonk · 05-06-2016, 16:14

Have you installed a bad app maybe? Could you be dialling in your pocket, I keep getting calls all the time from a friend because he's accidentally called my by pushing buttons from his pocket.

Do calls show in your call history on the phone?

Bob Paisley · 05-06-2016, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

Have you installed a bad app maybe? Could you be dialling in your pocket, I keep getting calls all the time from a friend because he's accidentally called my by pushing buttons from his pocket.

Do calls show in your call history on the phone?

No, nothing like that. I haven't installed any apps. The phone has a pin code and a case, so I'm not accidentally making calls. Three says I've made around thirty calls in the last couple of days - but I haven't made one. There were a couple of occasions where they said the phone was being used, when in fact I was asleep and the phone was switched off! Clearly there's some technical issue - someone is making calls and I'm paying for them - but Three say their systems are never wrong. Well, they are this time. Their 'customer excellence' team has opened an investigation and will get back to me in the next 48 hours, they say.

blueacid · 06-06-2016, 00:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Paisley

No, nothing like that. I haven't installed any apps. The phone has a pin code and a case, so I'm not accidentally making calls. Three says I've made around thirty calls in the last couple of days - but I haven't made one. There were a couple of occasions where they said the phone was being used, when in fact I was asleep and the phone was switched off! Clearly there's some technical issue - someone is making calls and I'm paying for them - but Three say their systems are never wrong. Well, they are this time. Their 'customer excellence' team has opened an investigation and will get back to me in the next 48 hours, they say.

Can you ask them for the telephone number of a number that's been called often?

Bob Paisley · 06-06-2016, 01:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueacid

Can you ask them for the telephone number of a number that's been called often?

I'll see what they say when they call me back, following their 'investigation'. I absolutely, definitely, certainly didn't make any calls. I've checked my phone's call history and I haven't made any chargeable calls in the last week. It's clearly a technical problem at Three's end - but they keep insisting that can't happen.

Gigabit · 06-06-2016, 06:31

Sounds like the scam that I posted a few weeks ago. I imagine your SIM has been cloned.

samuel79 · 06-06-2016, 11:50

The likely hood is they will find nothing wrong I would suggest that you ask for a PAC code again and re port out your number to x network then keep it there or then re port it back to three that way if your sim has been cloned it will be a different sim

Giffgaff is a cheap network for calls if that is what your after

Thine Wonk · 06-06-2016, 13:29

Where did you get your SIM card from? Fleabay or directly from Three?

It does sound like a SIM card clone or something, billing events don't usually just happen on fairly mature platforms unless there's some kind of fraud going on because of a sim clone or mallicious app.

Thine Wonk · 06-06-2016, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by samuel79

The likely hood is they will find nothing wrong I would suggest that you ask for a PAC code again and re port out your number to x network then keep it there or then re port it back to three that way if your sim has been cloned it will be a different sim

Giffgaff is a cheap network for calls if that is what your after

Why recommend going through all that Haslle when Three could just send a replacement sim? + giffgaff is a horrendous data network and flaky in terms of the amount of incidents the have etc.

Also in the event something happens like this you can't even speak to anyone on the phone, you're stuck contacting "agents" and waiting for replies back and forth as they don't even have a phone number to call.

Also giffgaff's rate isn't 1,2 or 3p is it, it's like 10 or 12p per minute.

Bob Paisley · 06-06-2016, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

Where did you get your SIM card from? Fleabay or directly from Three?

It does sound like a SIM card clone or something, billing events don't usually just happen on fairly mature platforms unless there's some kind of fraud going on because of a sim clone or mallicious app.

No, I got it directly from Three. The idea that it's been cloned sounds the most plausible - although god knows how it happened. I don't think it'll be a malicious app. The only apps on the phone are the ones already on it (Facebook, Twitter etc). I haven't downloaded any apps.

moox · 06-06-2016, 14:03

I thought the idea of SIM cloning died out long ago - since modern SIMs are designed to self-destruct if something attempts to brute-force the Ki keys etc.

Bob Paisley · 06-06-2016, 14:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

I thought the idea of SIM cloning died out long ago - since modern SIMs are designed to self-destruct if something attempts to brute-force the Ki keys etc.

I don't know, you're pushing at the boundaries of my knowledge on this subject. All I know is I've lost nearly ten quid of credit in the last two days, without making a single call, sending a single text or downloading a single megabyte of data, and Three don't seem to have any idea what's going on. Suffice it to say, if this isn't wrapped up pretty sharpish, Three will not be my network provider for much longer.

Thine Wonk · 06-06-2016, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Paisley

No, I got it directly from Three. The idea that it's been cloned sounds the most plausible - although god knows how it happened. I don't think it'll be a malicious app. The only apps on the phone are the ones already on it (Facebook, Twitter etc). I haven't downloaded any apps.

What phone is it? It would be interesting to know what numbers are being called.

Bob Paisley · 06-06-2016, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

What phone is it? It would be interesting to know what numbers are being called.

A Huawei Y3. I doubt it would be a problem with the phone, it's a network problem surely?

AxeVictim · 06-06-2016, 21:53

I would be logging into your Three account online and check where the credit has been spent.Either calls or data.I suspect its probably data possibly facebook.

Thine Wonk · 06-06-2016, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxeVictim

I would be logging into your Three account online and check where the credit has been spent.Either calls or data.I suspect its probably data possibly facebook.

The OP says it's 30 calls, but we don't have the details yet about what kind of calls and whether they are to geographical numbers of premium rate or 0845, whether they are all to the same number, same time of day or any pattern.

There was a scam reported in the media in the last few weeks about phone call hacks, but it has gone very quiet and nobody seems to have the details of what causes it, but it has happened on multiple networks.

AxeVictim · 06-06-2016, 22:12

Ah never noticed it was calls,just as well its only a payg sim then or it could have been much worse.

Bob Paisley · 06-06-2016, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxeVictim

Ah never noticed it was calls,just as well its only a payg sim then or it could have been much worse.

There's a bit of data being downloaded as well. It's been happening gradually over the last few days - which suggests it's someone just using their phone normally - and me having to pay for it. I'll know more once Three get back to me about their investigation. It's only ten quid - but it's the principle that counts.

Bob Paisley · 07-06-2016, 18:22

There is an upside. Despite the fact my balance is now zero, I can still make calls. I wonder if someone else is paying for my phone's activity.

DavidGover · 07-06-2016, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Paisley

There is an upside. Despite the fact my balance is now zero, I can still make calls. I wonder if someone else is paying for my phone's activity.

Are you now wishing you didn't say anything?

In all seriousness, a few months back I noticed my balance wasn't reducing when making calls on Three PAYG. i have no idea whether it was account specific or a general problem but there definitely are (or were) some gremlins in their billing system.

Bob Paisley · 07-06-2016, 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidGover

Are you now wishing you didn't say anything?

In all seriousness, a few months back I noticed my balance wasn't reducing when making calls on Three PAYG. i have no idea whether it was account specific or a general problem but there definitely are (or were) some gremlins in their billing system.

The frustrating thing is Three insist nothing's happening. Their systems say everything's fine, no matter what I tell them.

Bob Paisley · 22-06-2016, 21:36

It got weirder. Not only could I make calls, despite not having any credit, but Three had no record of me making any of the calls I did make. They had records of the calls/data that I didn't make - but had no record of any calls I actually DID make. Eventually, I took the phone into a Three store - so I could at least prove what I said was happening WAS actually happening (I had basically been called a liar by the people in the call centre). They've changed my sim and I'm going to keep an eye on it. But since they changed the sim, the bars that show signal strength have changed colour from white to orange. Does this signify anything?

05-06-2016, 15:50	#1
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Something weird happening on Three Has anyone else had a problem like this? I'm a pay-as-you-go customer and transferred to Three a few weeks ago. I joined them because of their really good value 3-2-1 service. Over the last few days my credit has been disappearing - yet I've not made any calls, sent any texts or downloaded any data. Three tell me I've made around thirty calls in the last few days - but I haven't made any. No one's got access to my phone other than me and I hardly use it. Three say they're investigating - but it's all really weird.

05-06-2016, 16:14	#2
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	Have you installed a bad app maybe? Could you be dialling in your pocket, I keep getting calls all the time from a friend because he's accidentally called my by pushing buttons from his pocket. Do calls show in your call history on the phone?

05-06-2016, 17:37	#3
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by Thine Wonk Have you installed a bad app maybe? Could you be dialling in your pocket, I keep getting calls all the time from a friend because he's accidentally called my by pushing buttons from his pocket. Do calls show in your call history on the phone? No, nothing like that. I haven't installed any apps. The phone has a pin code and a case, so I'm not accidentally making calls. Three says I've made around thirty calls in the last couple of days - but I haven't made one. There were a couple of occasions where they said the phone was being used, when in fact I was asleep and the phone was switched off! Clearly there's some technical issue - someone is making calls and I'm paying for them - but Three say their systems are never wrong. Well, they are this time. Their 'customer excellence' team has opened an investigation and will get back to me in the next 48 hours, they say.

06-06-2016, 00:50	#4
blueacid Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,536	Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Paisley No, nothing like that. I haven't installed any apps. The phone has a pin code and a case, so I'm not accidentally making calls. Three says I've made around thirty calls in the last couple of days - but I haven't made one. There were a couple of occasions where they said the phone was being used, when in fact I was asleep and the phone was switched off! Clearly there's some technical issue - someone is making calls and I'm paying for them - but Three say their systems are never wrong. Well, they are this time. Their 'customer excellence' team has opened an investigation and will get back to me in the next 48 hours, they say. Can you ask them for the telephone number of a number that's been called often?

06-06-2016, 01:42	#5
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by blueacid Can you ask them for the telephone number of a number that's been called often? I'll see what they say when they call me back, following their 'investigation'. I absolutely, definitely, certainly didn't make any calls. I've checked my phone's call history and I haven't made any chargeable calls in the last week. It's clearly a technical problem at Three's end - but they keep insisting that can't happen.

06-06-2016, 06:31	#6
Gigabit Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2,887	Sounds like the scam that I posted a few weeks ago. I imagine your SIM has been cloned.

06-06-2016, 11:50	#7
samuel79 Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 87	The likely hood is they will find nothing wrong I would suggest that you ask for a PAC code again and re port out your number to x network then keep it there or then re port it back to three that way if your sim has been cloned it will be a different sim Giffgaff is a cheap network for calls if that is what your after

06-06-2016, 13:29	#8
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	Where did you get your SIM card from? Fleabay or directly from Three? It does sound like a SIM card clone or something, billing events don't usually just happen on fairly mature platforms unless there's some kind of fraud going on because of a sim clone or mallicious app.

06-06-2016, 13:33	#9
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	Quote: Originally Posted by samuel79 The likely hood is they will find nothing wrong I would suggest that you ask for a PAC code again and re port out your number to x network then keep it there or then re port it back to three that way if your sim has been cloned it will be a different sim Giffgaff is a cheap network for calls if that is what your after Why recommend going through all that Haslle when Three could just send a replacement sim? + giffgaff is a horrendous data network and flaky in terms of the amount of incidents the have etc. Also in the event something happens like this you can't even speak to anyone on the phone, you're stuck contacting "agents" and waiting for replies back and forth as they don't even have a phone number to call. Also giffgaff's rate isn't 1,2 or 3p is it, it's like 10 or 12p per minute.

06-06-2016, 14:01	#10
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by Thine Wonk Where did you get your SIM card from? Fleabay or directly from Three? It does sound like a SIM card clone or something, billing events don't usually just happen on fairly mature platforms unless there's some kind of fraud going on because of a sim clone or mallicious app. No, I got it directly from Three. The idea that it's been cloned sounds the most plausible - although god knows how it happened. I don't think it'll be a malicious app. The only apps on the phone are the ones already on it (Facebook, Twitter etc). I haven't downloaded any apps.

06-06-2016, 14:03	#11
moox Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 14,645	I thought the idea of SIM cloning died out long ago - since modern SIMs are designed to self-destruct if something attempts to brute-force the Ki keys etc.

06-06-2016, 14:41	#12
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by moox I thought the idea of SIM cloning died out long ago - since modern SIMs are designed to self-destruct if something attempts to brute-force the Ki keys etc. I don't know, you're pushing at the boundaries of my knowledge on this subject. All I know is I've lost nearly ten quid of credit in the last two days, without making a single call, sending a single text or downloading a single megabyte of data, and Three don't seem to have any idea what's going on. Suffice it to say, if this isn't wrapped up pretty sharpish, Three will not be my network provider for much longer.

06-06-2016, 21:00	#13
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Paisley No, I got it directly from Three. The idea that it's been cloned sounds the most plausible - although god knows how it happened. I don't think it'll be a malicious app. The only apps on the phone are the ones already on it (Facebook, Twitter etc). I haven't downloaded any apps. What phone is it? It would be interesting to know what numbers are being called.

06-06-2016, 21:26	#14
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by Thine Wonk What phone is it? It would be interesting to know what numbers are being called. A Huawei Y3. I doubt it would be a problem with the phone, it's a network problem surely?

06-06-2016, 21:53	#15
AxeVictim Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 2,644	I would be logging into your Three account online and check where the credit has been spent.Either calls or data.I suspect its probably data possibly facebook.

06-06-2016, 22:05	#16
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	Quote: Originally Posted by AxeVictim I would be logging into your Three account online and check where the credit has been spent.Either calls or data.I suspect its probably data possibly facebook. The OP says it's 30 calls, but we don't have the details yet about what kind of calls and whether they are to geographical numbers of premium rate or 0845, whether they are all to the same number, same time of day or any pattern. There was a scam reported in the media in the last few weeks about phone call hacks, but it has gone very quiet and nobody seems to have the details of what causes it, but it has happened on multiple networks.

06-06-2016, 22:12	#17
AxeVictim Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 2,644	Ah never noticed it was calls,just as well its only a payg sim then or it could have been much worse.

06-06-2016, 23:51	#18
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by AxeVictim Ah never noticed it was calls,just as well its only a payg sim then or it could have been much worse. There's a bit of data being downloaded as well. It's been happening gradually over the last few days - which suggests it's someone just using their phone normally - and me having to pay for it. I'll know more once Three get back to me about their investigation. It's only ten quid - but it's the principle that counts.

07-06-2016, 18:22	#19
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	There is an upside. Despite the fact my balance is now zero, I can still make calls. I wonder if someone else is paying for my phone's activity.

07-06-2016, 19:35	#20
DavidGover Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 74	Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Paisley There is an upside. Despite the fact my balance is now zero, I can still make calls. I wonder if someone else is paying for my phone's activity. Are you now wishing you didn't say anything? In all seriousness, a few months back I noticed my balance wasn't reducing when making calls on Three PAYG. i have no idea whether it was account specific or a general problem but there definitely are (or were) some gremlins in their billing system.

07-06-2016, 21:02	#21
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	Quote: Originally Posted by DavidGover Are you now wishing you didn't say anything? In all seriousness, a few months back I noticed my balance wasn't reducing when making calls on Three PAYG. i have no idea whether it was account specific or a general problem but there definitely are (or were) some gremlins in their billing system. The frustrating thing is Three insist nothing's happening. Their systems say everything's fine, no matter what I tell them.

DS Forums

Something weird happening on Three

22-06-2016, 21:36	#22
Bob Paisley Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,892	It got weirder. Not only could I make calls, despite not having any credit, but Three had no record of me making any of the calls I did make. They had records of the calls/data that I didn't make - but had no record of any calls I actually DID make. Eventually, I took the phone into a Three store - so I could at least prove what I said was happening WAS actually happening (I had basically been called a liar by the people in the call centre). They've changed my sim and I'm going to keep an eye on it. But since they changed the sim, the bars that show signal strength have changed colour from white to orange. Does this signify anything?