Unexpected monthly telephone charges

[SamD1890]

For the last 2 months in a row, I’ve had telephone charges on my monthly bill of 2.45 (2.94 with VAT). 

it’s exactly the same and all the details it gives are just 7 calls and 7 minutes duration. This is both months. It’s strange because no one has used the phone at all for any outgoing calls as we use our mobiles. 

Have I been set up with a scam or something from a scam call? It’s strange because it’s last 2 months in a row exactly same cost. Can anyone advise? 

[TeeKayDawn]

I’ve just received my first bill and have posted my concerns as they have charged me for the fibre switch over despite everything saying it’s no extra cost. We have also had calls made since this switch even though myself and partner don’t use the landline phone, preferring our mobiles which have free calls unlike Virgin who charge extortionate amounts outside of the package allowance 

[SamD1890]

If a moderator picks this up, it’ll be helpful. I want to know why the charges happened. And I hear something about 50p itemisation, I’d like to get this reduced to the lowest. And I would like to see the numbers I was charged for. This is doing my head in as it’s exact same for last 2 months. It seems like some scam call is reversing charges maybe, I certainly hope not, that’s scary. 

[goslow · Accepted solution]

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@SamD1890 wrote:

For the last 2 months in a row, I’ve had telephone charges on my monthly bill of 2.45 (2.94 with VAT). 

it’s exactly the same and all the details it gives are just 7 calls and 7 minutes duration. This is both months. It’s strange because no one has used the phone at all for any outgoing calls as we use our mobiles. 

Have I been set up with a scam or something from a scam call? It’s strange because it’s last 2 months in a row exactly same cost. Can anyone advise? 

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See this topic from earlier in the week

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Call-charges-for-calls-not-made/td-p/4974917

your situation is quite common on here. Averages out at about 3 or 4 'phantom call' complaints per month.

You need to ask VM for full itemisation on your bill (which should be FOC) and you would then be able to see every chargeable call if the problem persists in the future.

As far as I can tell, the story of answering a scam call which causes charges on your bill is a bit of a conflation of lots of different scam stories and a bit of an urban myth. The most likely explanation is a bit more mundane - a crossed line or a back office billing error. VM probably know a lot more about the causes of this but none of that information/explanation ever makes its way onto the public forum here.

One of the forum team should investigate for you. They normally reply within a day or two.

[goslow]

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@TeeKayDawn wrote:

I’ve just received my first bill and have posted my concerns as they have charged me for the fibre switch over despite everything saying it’s no extra cost. We have also had calls made since this switch even though myself and partner don’t use the landline phone, preferring our mobiles which have free calls unlike Virgin who charge extortionate amounts outside of the package allowance 

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The charge for the 'package change'/phone switchover has been mentioned a few times. See

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/billed-for-nonexistent-package-chan...

A common feature of those experiencing the 'phantom call' costs is that the customer has no phone plugged in, or it is plugged in but never used/tested or they have reported lots of line faults.

A forum team member has replied on your other post so should be able to deal with both issues for you.

[SamD1890]

So I got this checked out. It seems like my Virgin media telephone is calling my own landline number automated with a zero in front. Let me explain… 

my number is 019xx 3xxxxx

the number that we are supposedly calling is 019xx 03xxxxx. So it’s exact same as mine but with a zero in front after the area code. 

is this a new scam going around? Very strange. 

[Beth_G]

Hi SamD1890,

Thank you for your post.

I'm sorry to hear you seem to have been getting strange charges on your bills after switching over to the new landline service. Just to confirm, there is no charge for the home phone switchover.

I'm going to pop you over a PM now so I can take some details and look into this for you.

Please find my message over at the purple envelope

[Kath_F]

Hi SamD1890, 

I just wanted to pop a post on the Community thread for other people who may be following. 

As mentioned in my PM, I copied across the wrong number by mistake. Our systems show the number that's been dialled as well as the number it's been dialled from for each call and I mistakenly copied your number across so please rest assured, this isn't a new scam that's about. I have sent you a private message with the correct number that's being dialled 🙂 

Many thanks, 

[SamD1890]

Thanks Kath for clearing that up. 

[Kath_F]

Hi SamD1890. 

Thanks for sticking with me via private message. 

I'm glad things are resolved for now but if you do have further issues then pop back here and we can help investigate things further 🙂

Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

Thanks,