out of contract but charged early disconnection fee

[Whatarigmarole]

chat bot accessed wrong account but with same name and a/c number as me!

Just switched to another provider. My contract expired in August 2023. Last week,  I contacted VM via 'chat' facility to check that all services would be disconnected and to request final bill (supposed to have been done automatically, but the account was still active). 

I was transferred to an advisor, who wrongly told me I was still in contract and I would be charged until February. She said I had been paying £34 since August 2023 when I had rung to try to change the package. At that time, I was told it was not possible to have broadband only and the package I already had was the cheapest without being locked into a new contract. Since then my bills have been around £71, rising to £78 per month recently. (I didn't want a new contract as this would leave me free to leave VM).

I insisted that I had been paying more than £34, and that she must be looking at a different account. She eventually conceded that she had the wrong account on screen, saying that the account number I provided to the BOT was coincidentally for a person with the same name and account number as me who had started a new contract for £34 per month (I had not given an account number, just clicked the chat button from my online account). I find this astonishing if not impossible!

She then accessed my correct account and agreed that it was out of contract and arranged to close the account with no fees.

After concluding this chat, the BOT automatically started a new conversation as it thought I still wanted to query the charges. It connected me to a second advisor who also accessed the same 'wrong account'. He also said the BOT had given the wrong account details. I tried to pursue the query about the high charges, but he just confirmed the account closure and I gave up at that point.

I am left wondering how the BOT could access the wrong account and how it could have the same name and account number as mine. Is this possible? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

UPDATE 4/11/24

I have received my final bill, which had refunded all the November charges (disconnected 1st Nov). But has also been charged an early disconnection fee of £68.53. Why have I been charged an early disconnection fee when I have been out of contract since August 2023?

I tried to ring the VM complaints number 0345 454111 but it is not working.

Has anyone else had the same experience and is there someone at VM who can help resolve this?

Thanks

[Matthew_ML]

Hey there, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear you are having some billing issues.

Just to confirm does it state on the bill that you are being charged early disconnection fee? 

Does it say early disconnection fee then a price?

Please do remember we do bill right until the day of the disconnection, then we would send you a final payment and once any kit and the bill as we been paid we would send a cheque refund out within 45 days of this. 

We continue to bill you as usual until your disconnection is complete. This helps to make sure your final month of service isn't interrupted. You will therefore probably see charges that go beyond your disconnection date, normally because your cancellation date takes effect mid billing cycle.

[Whatarigmarole]

Thanks for replying. Yes it does state early disconnection fee and £68.53 as an additional charge.

[Alex_RM]

Thanks Whatarigmarole,

So I can take a closer look I've popped you over a private message.

Alex_Rm