To think my elderly DM is being scammed via O2?

[head2toeinuniqlo]

DM is in the UK and I am overseas. We normally talk for free over WhatsApp. She was in hospital a couple of months ago and couldn't get anyone to help her connect to the internet, so she was using her normal mobile phone service with O2 to call me and send texts. This left her with a bill of £1,700 for the 2 weeks she was in hospital.

Since she has been out of hospital, she has been using WhatsApp again. However, she just received another O2 bill for £4,200!

We can't get through to anyone to help. Mum doesn't have an online account so the phone is the only way to contact them, but no one is answering.

She is also randomly getting bills from Talk Talk, who she doesn't have an account with. My only thought is that they have bought out Shell Energy who she used to have her internet with, but I can't confirm this.

Something is up and I need to get to the bottom of it. Mum is getting so distressed about it all. I think she is being scammed as none of this makes sense. AIBU and can anybody help? Thanks.

Yes

1st pic shows me on WiFi
2nd pic I've turned WiFi off

Is there someone who could pop in and check her phone and call o2 from it. It's free and they answer quickly

I'm with o2

Def tweet. A £4k bill is horrendous and tbh their end should have clicked something was wrong

Mum needs a contract phone. Can get them for £10 or so for lots of data and unlimited calls /texts

My mum was in hospital for a long while this year, and she did burn through data faster than ever before just using whatsapp. I added data boosts to her account before she could run out. She was on the hospital WiFi for a little while but it blocked some apps so had to use data.

@Fluffyelephant I think the carer is arranged through Age Concern. We are not paying for it yet, but will be soon. I think this is the third or fourth one she's had, but none of them speak English.

Is she under contract? If not i would switch to someone like giffgaff where you load the package monthly (can start early if a heavy use month) and you load credit for extras so you can't overspend

That's only 41 hours tho? Over 14 days is only 3 hrs a day.

Not saying the charges are right but they could be accurate iyswim?

What phone does she have? Can she get Google assistant or Siri to turn the WiFi on for her?

Also, I switched my parents to 1p mobile.

If OP isn't on the account it won't matter because they won't speak to her anyway.

I hope you get things figured out. It must feel very helpless.

Yes. I always click on to nhs free WiFi

But obv I know how to do it

Mum sounds like she doesn't and been using data or maybe they sent a text saying run out an top up and think it's 100/500mb is £3 or so and lasts minutes

On holiday I always add the large bolt data on as it rolls over next month and cheapest way of doing it if I run out

It is possible for it to be that much.

For example there are certain mobile plans that include a certain amount of call minutes.

If she makes calls once her allowed minutes are used up, she will be charges at a much higher rate.

If you go outside your allowance you are charged at a higher rate.

You vitally need to check what plan she is on

You use to be able to change plan on O2 by text. But could you make her an online account on O2 and use her number but your email. So you can see her account?
I know if I forget when I’m out to turn off my data. My phone uses the best signal.
If she is on pay as you go, online you can change her to a PAYG unlimited data.

It sounds like your mom has been using her data rather than Wi-Fi so the costs would soon add up .

What phone does she have someone might be able to give simple steps to reconnect her to Wi-Fi

I know your immediate worry is the phone but honestly that’s not acceptable at all

you should complain about that

If the home WiFi has changed from shell to talktalk she may need a new password to reconnect. Without WiFi she could be burning through a lot of mobile data.

Might be worth also contacting talktalk and seeing if they can help to get her reconnected?

Are you able to create a My O2 account and check via that.
There's an app and the online account - it gives you a breakdown of usage and bill. You will also be able to speak to someone via the chat on the app/site.

Most plans offer unlimited data these days and it sounds like she hasn’t switched back to WiFi after hospital stay. You could try to appeal to 02s better nature as she is vulnerable and could have been on a better data plan. (unfortunately they may not speak to you)

I would set up the online account yourself and manage it. You may need her to receive and pass on a code to you in the set up process.

Most contracts have a cap so they don’t allow you to spend over a certain amount. I was with O2 for years and they told me legally they have to set a low spend cap and can only raise it if you ask them

Some plans maybe.

But I know my friend was charged a huge amount after going outside of the set minutes of her plan.

In pretty sure that when I moved to O2 I had to specifically ask for a cap and choose the amount, I don't think it was automatic

Do they? Has this changed recently, when I was sorting out a contract for my youngest child we considered how much data would be needed before deciding, they certainly weren't mostly unlimited, I need to look at changing if that's the case now, even the cheaper monthly ones?

It's probably accurate, my boyfriend ran up a bill of £300 in just a few hours of data usage once when he had a work emergency. It was also 02 and a terrible plan he was on where he got massively overcharged once he went out of regular rates.

As it's overseas calling she's doing, if she's using data for that then yes it will cost an absolute fortune.

I agree she must still be using her mobile data rather than wi-fi.

Switch her to giffgaff, they use 02 and that way you can pay for a plan and when it's out of data it's out of data rather than them charging more.

They aren't going to warn you about what you're spending, you signed a contract and agreed to their terms. They have no clue whether someone has dementia or not, and it's not their responsibility to manage people's finances for them.

I think they ask a lot of people to set the cap themselves?

O2, as a reputable company, would not scam a customer per se. But she might be on an expensive tariff. Of greater concern is the mobile number you are calling ostensibly to contact O2. Is that actually O2, and are the bills actually coming from O2?

I would contact SS if she has dementia, they may need to protect her. Or ring help the aged.someone needs to see her f2f.

Age UK in some areas have digital help workers. Might be worth contacting the national Age uk number in the morning to see if they have anyone local.
Do you have POA set up for your mum? If not it would be a good idea to get it sorted ASAP

I'm on o2 the data is capped you can't go over your allowance so it's not that. You can also put a spend cap on your account.

Google o2 access for all, there's some info on there about vulnerable customers and a WhatsApp number you or your mum can use to contact someone. I've used it before for an elderly neighbour and they were really helpful