Contract scams

pta1902

29-04-2006

My girlfriend had a 12 month contract with Orange which recently ran out. Since then she's had a number of calls from companies trying to flog her a new contract. One of them has now sent her a new phone and sim in the post completely out of the blue and apparently her current number and sim will soon be disconnected and she'll be moved onto an 18 month contract. The culprits are The Mobile Phone Co who operate out of a business park in Blackpool who seem to have got Orange to go along with this action despite her having never agreed to anything at all...

Does anyone have any advice or experience of a similar situation? Would Trading Standards be any use?

Cheers in advance,
Pat

dawson

29-04-2006

Wow, someone sent her a new phone without her agreeing. Is she absolutely certain she did not agree?

If so, the phone would be classed as unsolicited goods.

Quote:
“As the law stands now, you have no obligation to return unsolicited items or to pay for them and can treat them as your property on receipt. Under the Unconditional Goods and Services Act 1971, as amended, it is an offence for anyone to send unsolicited goods and then to demand payment for them,”

Source: http://www.ringroselaw.co.uk/view-news-item.php?id=1981

Hope she enjoys her present!

However, I'm a very surprised they sent her a new contact (if not the phone itself) - how will the company receive payment. If your girlfriend never requested one, then the company would not have details or authority to debit her credit/debit card or bank account. Of course as your gf has never agreed to a contract she is not bound by it anyway.

As for them claiming her current Orange contract will be terminated shortly, it maybe wise for her to contact Orange directly and seek their assurance it won't be. Even if someone has requested it to be terminated, if the contract is still in operation Orange should reverse/ignore that notice to terminate.

Finglonga

29-04-2006

Originally Posted by dawson:
“As for them claiming her current Orange contract will be terminated shortly, it maybe wise for her to contact Orange directly and seek their assurance it won't be. Even if someone has requested it to be terminated, if the contract is still in operation Orange should reverse/ignore that notice to terminate.”

Very true also...

They couldn't terminate it as Orange would ask for her password before any changes could be made.

Sounds like she may have given them too much information and agreed to the new contract.

Also, remember you have 7 days to cancel any internet agreement anyway.

topcat2

29-04-2006

Originally Posted by Finglonga:
“Very true also...

They couldn't terminate it as Orange would ask for her password before any changes could be made.

Sounds like she may have given them too much information and agreed to the new contract.

Also, remember you have 7 days to cancel any internet agreement anyway.”

I'd get her to ring up orange and find out what the heck is going on

pta1902

30-04-2006

Now been cut off, she's gonna call up Orange today to try and get the original sim reconnected. She's adamant she didn't agree to anything or give away any information. Yet surely they shouldn't be able to get her cut off without any sort of agreement...

All smells a bit fishy to me.

bingledee

01-05-2006

Originally Posted by pta1902:
“Now been cut off, she's gonna call up Orange today to try and get the original sim reconnected. She's adamant she didn't agree to anything or give away any information. Yet surely they shouldn't be able to get her cut off without any sort of agreement...

All smells a bit fishy to me.”

got any contact details for The Mobile Phone Co? ring them up and ask for a recording of the call... odds are they'll say they dont have one, but check anyway!

Also, ask your OH to think back, as if she did give bank details etc over the phone then they will claim she supplied them in line with the new contract.....definitely sneaky if they did.