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[Jay w]

I contacted my phone network on thurs to arrange a replacement phone, during the call there was no security carried out in order to establish who i was aside from confirming my phone number and serial number of the phone, they did tell me where i lived and my home tel number as well, this was done as part of the delivery confirmation
I have written to the company concerned as i feel this is a breach of DPA, i have a feeling they will try and wriggle this one, i have not asked for anything aside from an explanation and possibly and apology, anyone want to take a guess how this will turn out?

[Markjay]

We have our company mobile phones with ******* (mobile phone service provider).

One of the guys had his handset stolen (a rather expensive Blackberry Pearl that was nicked when he placed it next to him on the table in the pub). I phoned the provider's 24h number, and a sleepy receptionist asked for the telephone number of the stolen mobile, then said the simcard will be deactivated and that I should call our account manager in the morning and ask for a replacement simcard to be sent to us.

I was quite surprised as no security questions were asked... in fact no questions were asked at all other than the telephone number of the stolen phone. I asked the receptionist if he can see the number of the handset that I am calling from , and he could see that it was associated with the same account as the number I was asking to bar? he said, no, it's completely different computer systems and he has no access to customers' data, all he can do is put a bar on the number I give him, and repeated that I will need to call our account manager in the morning etc etc.

I told him I am not interested in any account details, all I am asking is how come he accepts instructions from me to bar this number? I could be a prankster trying to bar someone else's number as a practical joke? He kept repeating that he is baring the number because I just reported it stolen, and did not seem to understand the point I was trying to make. So I gave up and left it at that.

The following day I called the guy who had the mobile stolen and asked him if he wanted to simcard delivered to him home address or to the office. No need, he said, I walked into a ***** store (the provider's own store chain) this morning and they gave me a new simcard on the spot. How's that, I asked, the account is registered to the company, and your name is not on the system anywhere... don't know, he said, they asked me to confirm the company's name and address and then issues a new simcard....

 :-?

[Danny]

is the replacement phone free of charge to replace a damaged one?

IIRC they should ask for your name, house number and postcode, and phone number of the line in which the current phone is connected, they then confirm the address from the postcode you gave, obviously all before sorting out delivery of handset

they'll probably not admit to any actual error but apologise for your concerns

[Markie]

if they attemp to wriggle out you need to be speaking with their DPA officer and OTELO, Two methods of verification are required minimum, one being your mobile number the other.....postcode, password...

Think you have their nuts in a sling there.....

ps wasnt mine was it  

[Danny]

I was quite surprised as no security questions were asked.. in fact no questions were asked at all other than the telephone number of the stolen phone. I asked the receptionist if he can see the number of the handset that i am calling from , and he could see that it was associated with the same account as the number i was asking to bar? he said, no, it's completely different computer system and he has no access to customers data, all he can do is put a bar on the number I give him, and repeated that I will need to call our account manager in the morning etc etc.

I told him I am not interested in any account details, all I am asking is how come he accepts instructions from me to bar this number? I could be a prankster trying to bar someone else's number as a practical joke? He kept repeating that he is baring the number because I just reported it stolen, and did not seem to understand the point I was trying to make. So I gave up and left it at that

I found myself in an almost identical situation tho not involving a stolen phone, but i reported a phone as being lost after getting prank calls from it, and they cut it off, no questions asked! i gave them the mobile number, they didnt even ask my name, serial number, nothing!

[Danny]

if they attemp to wriggle out you need to be speaking with their DPA officer and OTELO, Two methods of verification are required minimum, one being your mobile number the other.....postcode, password...

Think you have their nuts in a sling there.....

ps wasnt mine was it  

they shouldnt really ask for passwords..

[Markie]

if they attemp to wriggle out you need to be speaking with their DPA officer and OTELO, Two methods of verification are required minimum, one being your mobile number the other.....postcode, password...

Think you have their nuts in a sling there.....

ps wasnt mine was it  

they shouldnt really ask for passwords..

password being wrong terminology - passwords 2 letters, memorable word is what we use.

[sir moanalot]

dpa is crazy though, while i am at a customers, my office can only speak to the named customer not their spouse even though the customer can hand the phone to their son who pretends to be the hubby!!!
its mad these days....................

[Jay w]

if they attemp to wriggle out you need to be speaking with their DPA officer and OTELO, Two methods of verification are required minimum, one being your mobile number the other.....postcode, password...

Think you have their nuts in a sling there.....

ps wasnt mine was it  

no it wasnt yours  

they didnt even ask to confirm phone no. they asked me if the number i was on 07********* was the number i was having difficulties with

[STMO123]

I could tell you exactly what you should do about this. But I'm not allowed to under the Data Protection Act.

[Jay w]

I could tell you exactly what you should do about this. But I'm not allowed to under the Data Protection Act.

 

[Markie]

if they attemp to wriggle out you need to be speaking with their DPA officer and OTELO, Two methods of verification are required minimum, one being your mobile number the other.....postcode, password...

Think you have their nuts in a sling there.....

ps wasnt mine was it  

no it wasnt yours  

they didnt even ask to confirm phone no. they asked me if the number i was on 07********* was the number i was having difficulties with

you have them then.....i would expect the call is also recorded.

That sort of thing can potentially close a company down - of course the chances of that are rare..

[Jay w]

well we are getting on for a fortnight now and i have heard..................





Nothing, absolutly diddly  

So i think it is time to go to OFCOM and let them handle it, i am tired of waiting.........

Will be interesting to see how this pans out now

[Markie]

well we are getting on for a fortnight now and i have heard..................





Nothing, absolutly diddly  

So i think it is time to go to OFCOM and let them handle it, i am tired of waiting.........

Will be interesting to see how this pans out now

And in conjunction with this ask (your network) for a subject access request...may be a small charge and you may need to write to DPA officer...but delivers full notes on your transactions/ dealings with them including footprint for that day.

[Jay w]

did the service access request last night, when i asked for the address i was quizzed as to why i want it, i told the operator, within an hour i had someone who claimed to be a call centre manager contacting me in order to establish details.

his first question was 'what can we do to assist you in this matter'

just for a laugh i gave him a whole host of requests, one of which was to take me out of contract, he agreed to most of them there and then.

the last couple he is calling me about today