I have been scammed (twice)........bank fraud office involved.

[Dave7]

Before I get slated..........going through cancer treatment plus family worries.........I have not checked my internet banking for some months.
I will explain scam 'one' then ask for advice on scam 'two'.
Our 2 mobiles plus TV/internet are with Virgin.
In November someone phoned Virgin and managed to convince them it was me.........I (he) had forgotten my password and prompt-word..........but still they believed it was me.
He ordered an iPhone 7 plus sim on a contract. (We...Virgin and me) assume he must have told them "deliver it on X day between X hours............then been sat outside to take delivery.
Virgin have, since then, been taking £47 per month DD out of my account.
Bank fraud office are sorting it out between them and Virgin.
Case closed apart from me trying to find out how Virgin could allow their security to be breached so easily.

Scam 'two' with advice needed.
This week-end I found out Virgin were charging me £30 per month EXTRA on my mobile.
Now I am a complete technophobe..............I did not know my texts had a "spam box"
Each week I have had had texts from 60077 (prizeHook.com) and they have gone to my text/spam (which I didn't know I had).
I have been charged £4.50 for each text received EVEN THOUGH I HAVEN'T OPENED THEM.
Virgin are telling me it is legal and showed me how to stop them.......done now.
Anyone know if this IS legal?
Can I claim against anyone ?
Any knowledgeable advice gratefully accepted

 

[classic33]

Scam Two will involve you getting in touch with Virgin and altering account details.

You want to be taken of any list that they "pass onto selected third parties". As given in the small print.

 

[MichaelO]

I had something similar with some premium text service a few months back. I called EE and told them I had never signed up to it, but had been charged - they refunded the payments they'd taken to date (and blocked the service), without any fuss.
It's also worth looking at http://psauthority.org.uk/

 

[fossyant]

Play Mary hell with Virgin and threaten to leave and take them to court.

I'd have no confidence if that happened. Could have been the fake you who created the charge. Ask for some compensation too.

 

[Drago]

In the first instance, 'you' have not been scammed at all. The victim is Virgin. If the situation is as described they must reimburse your account.

In the second, they're again responsible unless they can prove you've signed up for these text messages, or that you've been negligent in somehow giving someone else sufficient information that they could sign you up. Its not good enough for them to say "well, you must have done", they need to actually prove it. Again, until that time Virgin are the victim, not you.

 

[User6179]

Does not help you now but you can set your credit limit with Virgin, my tariff is £6 and my credit limit is £10 so I cant get charged anymore than £10 in a single month ,worth setting up so you don't get scammed again in the future .

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Sorry to hear of this, utter scumbags

 

[Dave7]

In the first instance, 'you' have not been scammed at all. The victim is Virgin. If the situation is as described they must reimburse your account.

In the second, they're again responsible unless they can prove you've signed up for these text messages, or that you've been negligent in somehow giving someone else sufficient information that they could sign you up. Its not good enough for them to say "well, you must have done", they need to actually prove it. Again, until that time Virgin are the victim, not you.

To some extent I agree with you.............however, (scam one) I think I am the victim as the money has been taken out of my account by DD.
The bank fraud team will speak with Virgin and "get back to me". They have promised me full refund whatever the result.
Scam 'two'..............I will certainly by chasing it up but its difficult when you only get to a call centre in India and they just tell you "its your problem".
Don't get me wrong........I am not rolling over.......I just see this as a long process.

 

[mark st1]

In the first instance, 'you' have not been scammed at all. The victim is Virgin. If the situation is as described they must reimburse your account.

In the second, they're again responsible unless they can prove you've signed up for these text messages, or that you've been negligent in somehow giving someone else sufficient information that they could sign you up. Its not good enough for them to say "well, you must have done", they need to actually prove it. Again, until that time Virgin are the victim, not you.

Not sure about the second point my daughter entered a competition on itv on the breakfast show. In the t&c's it entitled them to send her a "selected promotional text" every Friday at £2.50 a pop so £10 a month. She never received any texts but the amount was added to her bill every week. She had to send a free NO to the original text she received to opt out but that bit was hidden on page 1947 of the t&c's the crafty buggers. She went into EE to say she hadn't been receiving these weekly texts and they were very uninterested tbh.

 

[keithmac]

Nearly all the competition texts have it in the small print, that's how they make their money.

The fraudsters did well to get around Virgin Media phone security as I have a hard enough time as a genuine customer!.

 

[Dave7]

The fraudsters did well to get around Virgin Media phone security as I have a hard enough time as a genuine customer!.

That is my number one concern. Any time I phone them I have jump through hoops...........so how did their security allow a scammer through ??

 

[keithmac]

Do you get VM through email?, has he hacked your email account?.

Could have intercepted one of your bank statements as I'm sure one of the questions is how much was your last bill?.

Not good, they should have the phone call recorded so worth asking to listen to it.

 

[mark st1]

Out of interest what phone do you have as I've also never heard of a spam filter for text messages ?

 

[Dave7]

Out of interest what phone do you have as I've also never heard of a spam filter for text messages ?

Its a Samsung Galaxy Ace.
I had never heard of a spam box..........that is my hope of a claim but I am not holding my breath.

 

[keithmac]

Must be an Android thing, you can block numbers from ringing or texting..