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Query unitemised bill

pete-thepete
Tuning in

I am trying to work out why I have been charged over £50 for 342 unitemised calls that I am pretty certain that I haven't made.  Generally I don't use the landline, and I doubt that I have made 342 phone calls in my life, no matter the last period.

I called VirginMedia and the first person was unable to tell me more than what it said on my bill summary and even then struggled to get that right, quoting something as hours rather than minutes...

He then passed me to another department who said it was the wrong department and again couldn't tell me anything.

Is there a secret to get to speak to someone in Virgin that can help?

Is there a way to get straight to complaints?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

The topic of phantom charges crops up on the forums about 3 or 4 times per month on average.

Often the pattern of calls seems to be the same number being dialled repeatedly through the day and night for a short duration call or the charges are generated by multiple calls to a random selection of numbers which have no association with the customer.

Two recent examples here

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Phone-line-dead-but-getting-call-charges-on-my-accou...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Calls-i-have-not-made/td-p/4770171

VM's method for investigating is explained in the first link for a 'crossed line' (doesn't apply to a phone connection from the VM hub).

Usually the quantity of calls and/or the times of day or call durations are enough to see the issue is a technical fault and VM should refund. Unfortunately this kind of topic usually goes of to private message very quickly and no explanation or outcome ever works its way back to the public forum.

Apart from your phone, do you happen to have any other equipment connected to the line which might be dialling out without you knowing about it (things like security or personal alarms, health monitors, AV or computer equipment, other telecoms devices such as call blockers)? On a past topic, a call blocker device was unexpectedly dialling out and running up call charges. Doubt this would apply in your case though given the large number of phantom calls.

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

9 REPLIES 9

Zach_R
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hi @pete-thepete,

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

I am really sorry to hear you have a discrepancy on your bill and that you're unsure of what the disputed charges are in relation to. If any chargeable calls outside of your landline phone package have been made then these should be detailed on your bill. We detail how and where these are displayed via our Bill Explainer.

What does it state exactly that the additional charges are for?

Thanks,
 


Zach - Forum Team
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This is all I get to see, it's the 342 calls that make absolutely no sense, I use the phone about 5 times a month

 

I have hidden the phone numbers

 

Itemised calls for bill date 29 July 2021 Back to bill
Calls made from 0208xxxxxxxx. £52.79

To see the detail of your non-itemised calls, please contact us .

Calls below £0.50 - or your selected itemisation limit £52.16
Number of callsDurationCost £ (ex VAT)
34275:48£52.16
Calls above £0.50 - or your selected itemisation limit, change itemisation limit £0.63Date Time Destination Number Duration Cost £ (ex VAT)
Mon 05 Jul19:04LONDON0208xxxxxxxxxx3:00£0.63

The topic of phantom charges crops up on the forums about 3 or 4 times per month on average.

Often the pattern of calls seems to be the same number being dialled repeatedly through the day and night for a short duration call or the charges are generated by multiple calls to a random selection of numbers which have no association with the customer.

Two recent examples here

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Phone-line-dead-but-getting-call-charges-on-my-accou...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Calls-i-have-not-made/td-p/4770171

VM's method for investigating is explained in the first link for a 'crossed line' (doesn't apply to a phone connection from the VM hub).

Usually the quantity of calls and/or the times of day or call durations are enough to see the issue is a technical fault and VM should refund. Unfortunately this kind of topic usually goes of to private message very quickly and no explanation or outcome ever works its way back to the public forum.

Apart from your phone, do you happen to have any other equipment connected to the line which might be dialling out without you knowing about it (things like security or personal alarms, health monitors, AV or computer equipment, other telecoms devices such as call blockers)? On a past topic, a call blocker device was unexpectedly dialling out and running up call charges. Doubt this would apply in your case though given the large number of phantom calls.

Alex_RM
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hi pete-thepete,

 

Thanks for getting back to us,

 

So I can take a closer at the billing I've popped you over a private message to get a few more details (purple envelope, top right hand corner)

 

Alex_Rm

I moved to the house a few months ago and it does have an alarm, I haven't used the alarm and don't think it is connected to the phone line.  Though it is worth double checking, I will see if I can figure that out

thanks for your help

Worth a quick look to be sure but, for the large volume of calls your bill shows, it is more likely to be a connection or billing fault IMO.

BTW I am waiting to see what these numbers are that have been called, the VM person private messaged me to get the itemisation, but there is no sign yet that anyone at VM has acknowledged that this is an error or that they will investigate properly

 

Just to update that VM sent an engineer, identified a fault, and have now refunded me the money.

It wasn't the alarm system, but it was a good shout to investigate - thanks!

 

 

Hayley_S
Forum Team (Retired)
Forum Team (Retired)

Hello @pete-thepete.

 

Thank you for the update!

 

I am glad this helped resolved the issue.

 

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Hayley
Forum Team



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