Just wondered if anyone else on this thread has actually managed to get any kind of response or refund from O2 on this issue.
After a lot of back and forth, the "helpful" person that responded to my post on the topic said I "failled data protection" because I couldn't give them any information about my supposed contract with O2 (because I didn't know it existed!), so I spoke to my bank under the terms of the Direct Debit guarantee and they said they could only refund the previous month's payment (taken in July) and cancel the DD to prevent future payments being taken.
I then received a "notice of disconnection" from O2 in September, threatening me with a credit reference agency for the £10.88 "arrears" on my account (presumably for the July and August DD payments that had been cancelled). This at least contained an account reference number and a phone number that I could call.
I therefore called O2 on 19 September and after over an hour on the phone, they eventually agreed to refund me £50 of the £76.32 owed and close the account, so I wouldn't receive any more threatening letters or requests for payment. They also said I wouldn't be charged an "early termination fee", which would otherwise be due because the alleged contract wasn't due to end until October It then transpired that the £50 refund would in fact be credited to "my O2 account", which they claimed was already in arrears by £10.88, so I would only get £39.12 back. I tried to dispute this (as well as the remaining £26.32) but was told the supervisor was unavailable to take my call and there wasn't anything else they could do.
I then raised a complaint with the Ombudsman, who rejected my claim on the grounds that it hadn't been 8 weeks since I first raised the complaint to O2 on 19 September, even though I actually first tried to speak to them on 3 August and they refused to help me because I couldn't give them any account details. They therefore said I had to either wait until 14 November or get a "deadlock letter" from O2.
I then received an email from O2 (to the correct email address!) telling me I would receive a cheque for £15.94, so I called them again to find out how they had arrived at that amount and they said an "early termination fee" had been applied, even though they had assured me it wouldn't be. After another hour and 15 minutes on the phone, they agreed to send me another cheque for £25 to make up the difference, but that would still leave me £36.32 out of pocket. I therefore asked them for a "deadlock letter" but was told they couldn't escalate my complaint to the complaints team, who would need to issue it, because I "couldn't pass verification" on the grounds that I couldn't receive a verification code to the mobile number associated with my account and I would have to visit an O2 store with proof of identification! I said they could send the verification code to my correct email address, which they evidently have on file because they have recently sent emails to it, but they said they couldn't "make changes to my account" without verification!
The irony that they could set up an account in my name and take money from my bank account without any authorisation from me but require identification to be able to escalate my complaint does not escape me but, apart from that, there is no O2 store in my hometown and I'm 81 and my Daughter doesn't drive, so we have reached an impasse.
According to the Ombudsman's rules, I can resubmit the complaint on 14th November but there cannnot be a break in communication with O2 of more than 28 days, to ensure that I've given them sufficient opportunity to resolve the issue, so I have to call them again within the next 28 days, just to be told the same thing, so that I can take my case to the Ombudsman!!
O2 are obviuosly being obstructive in refusing to issue the deadlock letter, as I can see no reason why they would require "validation" to do so, when they already have my postal address, even if they're refusing to acknolwedge my correct email address. No doubt their staff are targeted on keeping the number of complaint escalations to a minimum, so it isn't in their interest to help, but I don't see why they are being so inflexible over £36.32 which they obviously agree I should not have been charged, or why would they have refunded me £50?
Also just done a search on this forum and it looks like a lot of people are in the same boat. Here's just one of the other threads (now conveniently closed to replies) but there are more https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Direct-Debit-on-my-account-registered-and-taken-because-VM-gave/m-p/5242499
