Virgin sim scam

[greekgod]

Over the last couple of months mycare O2 have been demanding money for a mobile account I do not recognise.  I owe, apparently, £56.  I called them and after a lot of investigation by a  very patient guy at the other end, turned out that it was for a couple of months of billing for a sim card I had received with my Virgin broadband package 6 years ago.  Wow, so I thought how come this has been activated only in the last couple of months?  Wrong, Since 2017 Virgin have been charging me for a sim I did not ask for and I did not use that came with my broadband.  I did not ask for the sim.  I did not use the sim.  It is still in my files.  So over 6 years I have been charged £1800 for something I did not use.  I am a pensioner by the way.  I called Virgin and they were very apologetic but said they could do nothing and I should have read the small print.  I wonder how many others have been scammed by Virgin in this way.? I've been with Virgin boroadband/terrestrial phone line for nearly 20 years, but they will lose my account and the rest of my extended families - several families by the way, if they do not do something about  this scandalous rip-off.

[Zach_R · Accepted solution]

Hi @greekgod,

Thank you for your post and welcome to our community forums. We're here to help.

I'm so sorry to hear that there's a disputed Virgin Mobile SIM card and related charges on your account. I'm going to send you a private message in a few moments so that we can take a closer look at things. Please respond to this when you can and we'll go from there.

Thanks,
 

[greekgod]

Hello Zach, looking through my Virgin drawers I have found several other sims that were never requested but came as an apparent 'freebie' with my broadband over many years.  I never used any of them needless to say.  So I suspect that this scam goes back a long time and I was completely oblivious to it.  How many thousands of other customers are equally affected by this?  Major scandal?

[Zach_R]

Hi @greekgod,

We would advise customers of each aspect of their bundle, including SIM cards, and would also recommend that customers keep an eye any expenses if there's any disputed charges so that we can address and correct them ASAP.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've sent you a private message so we can investigate your concerns further. If you'd like some further assistance, please respond to this when you can and we'll proceed from there.

Thanks,
 

[greekgod]

H Zach, so I took a bundle in 2017 over the phone chatting with one of your advisors as I was also switching boxes at the time.  I was reaching pensionable age I was also trying to reduce costs, hence I was negotiating a price.  I was recommended  a 'big oomph bundle' but I was clear that I did not want a sim card as I have a mobile contract with 3.   Anyway, I was surprised when the sim card came in the post and figured it was an error.  Now you would think that a joined-up company like Virgin would notice over 6 years that I did not use the sim card.  A company who cared about their customers might drop me a line and say 'we noticed you don't use your sim card, you can cancel, or you can change bundles...or whatever', but no, they just kept taking the £25 per month from a pensioner.   How terribly disappointing.  I'll send you my details you requested by email.  

[Roger_Gooner]

How can it be a scam when VM has been billing you each month for the mobile since 2017.

[greekgod]

Hi Zach, how do I reply privately to you with my details...not so obvious on this website.....

[greekgod]

the bills on my email do not itemise anything just give a final amount.  I've never looked at the itemised bills.  When I did yesterday and went back some months, it still does not breakdown the bill into what I am paying for.  It's the lack of transparency that bugs me.  I discussed my package on the phone with a VM rep and he suggested this was the best package for me even thiufh I stated that I did not want a sim card.  Nevertheless I got one.  How so after 6 years VM did not notice that I never activated the sim?  They could have sent me a letter offering to cancel the sim or put me on a different package.  That's customer care.  No, they just kept taking the money for 6 years without breaking down the bill  so I could see what I was paying for.

[Roger_Gooner]

I had a look at some of my old bills when I had Virgin Mobile and there was this entry:

Mobile:

+ 5GB Oomph SIM

The mobile is just like the telephone, TV or broadband: you pay a monthly amount even if you make no use of it.

[Alex_RM]

Hi greekgod,

There should be an envelope in the top right, this is where your private messages would be.

Alex_Rm