Mobile Phones
Mobile phone users are falling prey to rogue salesmen and women who trick them into buying or switching to expensive long contracts.
In a process known as “slamming”, customers are promised a free phone upgrade or discounts. They think no strings are attached but then discover they have been locked into a new contract.
Ofcom has received a large number of complaints about the practice in recent months and is believed to be working with the Office of Fair Trading to clamp down on slamming.
Mobile phone companies commonly do deals with third party marketing firms to sell their services, with salesmen and women generally making around £90 profit per sale.
The phone firms say the dealers should not try to sell people an expensive or inappropriate new tariff, but should only tell them about new offers.
However, evidence shows they have turned a blind eye to some rogue traders’ sales practices.
Registering your mobile number online with the Telephone Preference Service www.tpsonline.org.uk-which anyone can do –should stop all UK –based telemarketing calls. But due to a technicality, it will not stop text messages.
Pester
Anthony Ball, director of independent mobile comparison service onecompare.com says customers should follow simple rules if rung by a cold-calling sales agent.
Never give your name address or account number, regardless of who they say they are.
Remember without your information they cannot amend your contract. Tell them straight away you are not interested, if you show the slightest interest they will pester you.
“If you are slammed you have seven days to terminate the agreement under OFT regulations.”
Don’t sign to receive a phone sent to you without your agreement and keep a copy of all paper work.
“If the mobile company tries to bully you into paying bills for a contract you did not agree to, stand firm. Call and explain why you are not paying and ensure any direct debits are cancelled. If they threaten debt collectors, do not be intimidated. If it goes to court they will have to prove you agreed to the ‘new contract’, which they will be unable to do.
Ways to spot rogue sellers:
- Ask for a contact number to call them back on. Rogue sellers will often not give you a number to call back on.
- If they claim to be from your network, ask them for something only your network provider would know such as your password or last bill total, etc etc.
- Tell them you will be recording the call- many mobile phones can do this now. This will generally scare them off from trying to slam you or taking the conversation further.
- These companies do not know the details of your contract-to get rid of them tell them you have already switched and transferred your number over to another network a couple of months ago. Therefore you already have a new deal and are not eligible for an upgrade.
