What can be done? I am being ripped off by Cowboy company and in tears

[cryingohbabygirl]

Are they breaking any laws here? Can anyone even slightly in the know advise me?

In a nutshell, replacement SIM from my network provider has never worked.

It has been 4 weeks. I have contacted their customer services daily (they’re a joke, and read from a script). Their local branch manager has suppose to have been sharing this with the regional manager to push it through. It’s never happened.

I have reached out in Twitter. No response in public reply option. Rude, unhelpful ‘we don’t know’ staff via direct message.

I have emailed the CEO. The person below the CEO. Their media team to say I’ll go public with their negligence. Nothing. Nothing!

I have just got another letter through the door to say I didn’t respond to a call and text offering my daughter more treatment via hospital :(

A Great Ormond Street slot was missed because nobody could contact me.

I have updated every department that’s involved with DC that I can think of - Loads of them, being the NHS, don’t seem to log things properly. As a result, I’ve just got another letter through the door to say I’ve missed an appointment they text about!

I am at my wits end here. I am paying out every single month and getting nothing. I am paying for another SIM with another company because of their service being non existent.

I go into store, and another store. I am told time and time again it ‘has to be sorted by the back team and manually activated’. Yet nothing gets done. Ever. They can’t contact the back team directly. Cos they’re IT.

The regional manager needs to raise this with the area manager. But so far this hasn’t happened. I am let down, no response. Ignored.

if I stop paying, it’ll impact my credit rating. Their customer services don’t care and their end of service/leaving us team don’t care when I say I’m leaving. They know it’s contacted. They say I’m still obliged to pay despite no working SIM

This is causing me so much stress, I have cried at the amount of admin it’s given me. The trips to my bank because two step verification doesn’t work so I had to show ID. Trip to my GP to prove myself and my new contact details.

And even after all that, loads of things don’t seem to update properly with my new number.

Honestly, what can I do here? Can they really do this in plain sight? Surely they’re stealing from me?

I can’t take it to the Ombudsman until the start of Week 8. But that isn’t going to do much as there is a Facebook group dedicated to this dreadful company. And people have been waiting 6 months and over. The ombudsman has apparently been very unhelpful to them.

I just want to scream. How can a regulated company take my money like cowboys?

It’s O2, of course.

The in years part is because my daughter was on the waiting list for over 18 months for this particularly department

I will call on Monday and explain. But I am just so burnt out fighting for this. I can’t believe I am being treated this way by a popular, regulated company. How can this daylight robbery happen in the UK?

is this also your thread @cryingohbabygirl?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5135774-someone-please-tell-me-this-is-not-right-customer-service-and-tell-me-what-to-do-to-get-what-i-need?reply=137340824

Sorry to see it's still an ongoing saga for you.

What I would have done in that situation is cancel the DD and got a new SIM from another provider.

Cut off their direct debit?
There's a communications ombudsman
https://www.commsombudsman.org/how-we-can-help

If I do that, it’ll impact my credit score. The ombudsman won’t get involved until week 8 passes

I currently do have another SIM from another provider but it’s been a horror show getting it all changed over to the new number

You can’t just stop paying them

Why can't you stop paying them if they're not providing a service? Did you contact citizens advice consumer advice? What does the contract say?

Can you somehow forward your number onto your new SIM, does your old SIM with that number work?

Alternatively, ring and ask for a PAC code, that department may well be able to expedite your issue.

I can’t see. I can’t even access O2 online because the number isn’t right and you can’t login without the phone connected to the account

I requested a paper copy. That was 3 weeks ago. It’s like banging your head against a brick wall every time you speak to them

I get a round about same answer, ‘oh sorry, we will send this’. They never have.

You can’t stop paying them if they stop providing the service because it’ll impact you credit score. It’ll be shown on your file. It’s hard to fight. There’s no ‘oh this poor customer has been fighting O2, scratch that’

I am worried about debt and having to fight again to prove I very rightfully didn’t continue paying

I don’t have access to my old SIM - that phone was stolen.

You can’t get a PAC code if the number you want it from isn’t activated.

Is your credit score important right now?

Are you going for a loan or mortgage in the very near future?

If not, stop paying, go to one of the papers money experts, I dont recall which one but someone will.

If yes, dont stop paying but still go to one of the papers experts.

I don’t know if this would help, but have you looked on consumer forums for advice?
moneysavingexpert is one.
It’s frustrating, I know.

Can you ask them to activate an e-sim?

Can you speak to Trading Standards?

Call Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline. You have internet access now so can check the contract online or ask them to email it to you.

I haven’t tried Citizen Advice so I’ll try them. Thank you

No, e-SIM won’t work either. Number needs activating

Try this:

www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-9614

It’s not clear from your post what the actual issue is.

When you email CEO explain succinctly what the issue is. Don’t go into back story.

So- my SIM won’t work because it hasn’t been activated.
This has now been ongoing for 6 weeks without resolution.
Please would you activate my SIM asap.

so it’s clear what the issue is, and what you want them to do.

Just stop paying. Genuinely stop paying. This will force them into contacting you at least