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Last week, I had my ID mobile number, the number which I have had for years with various mobile phone companies, ported without my knowledge or consent to Vodafone by an obtained PAC code. This closed my ID account which had the potential to leave me vunerable to early termination fees. Additionally, the obtained number and port was used to verify a one time passcode sent to it for the illegal wire transfer of monies from my credit card.

As you can imagine this has been a stressful time taking days to sort out…...not with the bank but with ID mobile. The bank had everything done and sorted fortunately within 2 days and even more fortunately the card was refunded in full and everthing changed as expected.

ID mobile has been a different story. I lost my phone signal and data and the sim came up not provisioned on Wednesday last week and I contacted ID by online chat and they informed me that the SIM was faulty and to get a replacement from Currys and they would activate it. This was done and the signal restored that evening. The following day Thursday, around 12-1pm, the signal and phone went again with the same message not provisioned. It then said not registered on network. Contacting ID chat again this time they noticed that the SIM had been appropriated and sim swapped leading to the other problems with credit card although at this stage I was lead to believe it was to another mobile sim but not another carrier.. 

From here I was told that the technical team was onto it and be in touch in due course. Between then and Tuesday this week unless I contacted ID mobile chat I recieved no updates…..nothing…..nil. When I spoke with chat most of the time, and despite I presume having access to my account, they seemed to have no clue or idea what had transpired or what was happening until I recounted the story. However, I was advised, after I asked the question if my number had been blocked or stopped to prevent anymore fraud, that it had and my account frozen which I was relieved at. However, during a chat a day later when I needed to give some new details to ID, it was then revealed my number had been ported to Vodafone and when I queried the number blocking again was then informed that it hadn’t been and they couldn’t do it. With this in mind, with no communication directly to me and due to the breach of security on my sim, I made a complaint and received a complaint number and was told someone would be in touch within 3 days.

I, at this stage, was concerned that a contract with Vodafone had been set up with my details, and, losing faith that ID had actually told Vodafone about the fraud, I contacted them directly and raised this with their fraud department. They knew nothing of this when I phoned even tough ID told me it was Vodafone it had been ported to.

This has cumulated in that yesterday, Tuesday, 5 days after the start of this, I contacted ID again by chat to find out 1/ what was going on 2/ how they could get the sim changed over to firstly another phone not mine and then port to Vodafone 3/ why no communication and why no-one had called about my complaint. This was even more surprising chat. The number had been recovered and a new account set up and I would be back online at 6pm. When I asked when I was going to be told this very important information no answer was given save another apology (one in a long line). I was then told that I needed to set up a new access on the ID mobile app and online. When I asked about the number it then came into convesation that I needed another new sim. All this information was never communicated or emailed. I asked about my complaint and just got the “they are dealing with it” kind of answer. At this stage I demanded to speak verbally with someone which lead to me being given the complaints number which I duly phoned immediately. Having then spoke with them about all my issues and asking about my complaint I was then informed that it had been three days and someone would phone me that afternoon……...guess what nothing.

Then today I received an email congratulating me for joining ID mobile and setting up the direct debit but the phone number on it was not mine which of course I was very concerned at. Another chat with an advisor on the live chat. This time they believed I was a new customer and had ported over from Vodafone which again I had to explain whats happened again. They checked and then confirmed that the correct number was on the account and the number on the email had been a temporary one. I didn’t even know they had given a temporary number in the first place. Could I have used this while all this was going on instead of having no phone for 5 days? If so again why no communciation at all to relay all of this. I was at this stage angry. Angry that at no stage, other my own volition, no one bothered to keep me in the loop, tell me that I had a new account and temporary number or what even was going on. Then to top it all when I asked about the complaint, and the fact someone told me someone would call yesterday as it had been 3 days since my original complaint, the advisor said that there was no complaint registered. When I gave them the reference number by magic they found it but then told me it they would be in touch within 3 days. 3 DAYS. IT WAS 3 DAYS 4 DAYS AGO. At this stage another apology, sorry for the inconvenience blah balh blah and end of chat.

What the hell is going on here. I appreciate the fact that I have my number back of course but I have questions and complaints that seem to be conveniently 3 days away.

As an aside the security is not that good when it comes to SIM swapping or porting. I won’t go into details here for obvious reasons but suffice to say I was able to have potentially changed certain things without as much as a bat of an eyelid or by correctly knowing the first check thats is done when contacting ID. The first you know about it is your phone goes dead.

If, god forbid, this happens to anyone reading this then don’t expect anything to much in the way of updates or communication and you may find that your number and account have been set up way before you might actually be told.

Hi @Neil Byrne,

I’m very sorry to hear that you have fallen victim to fraud.

I can completely understand your frustration with the PAC fraud with your number due to the issues that it can cause. When a customer is a victim of PAC fraud we do our best to try and reverse the port so that we can get the number back as soon as possible. Unfortunately in most cases we need to set up a new account and port the number back into iD Mobile as the old account is disconnected.

Regarding your complaint we can check what is going on and pass on any feedback that you have.

We’ll shortly send you a Private Message to your Community account so we can discuss your issue further.

To access your messages, click your profile picture in the top right hand corner and then click ‘Private Messages’.

Alternatively, if you are currently logged in, you can use the following link: https://community.idmobile.co.uk/inbox/overview

We’ll see you there.

 

Kash


Hi Neil

Sadly, I went through the same experience in June and idmobile process for stopping the fraud port and dealing with the consequences was shockingly poor,

Incredibly, it is happening to me again this week - 2 attempts so far and I have no faith or confidence that my telephone number will not be ported again. Inconsistent responses from live chat and am trying to escalate it. 
 

Their data security must be seriously compromised. 


I am so sorry to hear that.

Fully agree on the security. I impersonated myself and was able to gain access without the security measure by answering some questions. This is how they must of got in. 

Could you change contract to another carrier and use not fit for purpose or security very poor for the reason not to pay any early fees? I was thinking of this TBH or approaching the ombudsman as I find this very disturbing and poor. Not being able to talk to someone directly ie verbally except on the complaints line, where they listen, take details and nothing then seems to happen. I have made a full.complaint on both security and communication aspects and despite having had correspondence to say someone will phone me (from Tuesday this week) still nothing.

I hope you didn't have anything else happen because of this. They used my ported number to verify a credit card wire transfer one time pass code. Fortunately, I spotted quickly and got it resolved with the bank. 

I personally feel that there should be a 2 step verification system using an authenticator which is tied to your phone and not the sim and doesn't require data. Amazon use this system and unless the fraudster has your phone they can't authorise it. Would be a much stricter and secure system.

I feel that the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing and also I have found that when you do speak with and advisor on the online chat and despite supposedly having access to your records they don't seem to have the first cluse what is or has been going on.


I have reported it  to Action Fraud and will be reporting a data breach too.  My telephone number has gone today.  Just so frustrating and inconvenient.  I had to change my number last time and i would rather not have to change again.  I have very little faith in anyone from customer service contacting me, despite reassurances that they will.  


I am so sorry. Not only very annoying but frustrating to. I am starting to wonder whether these instances are due to an inside job. It seems very strange that your number has been changed and still a few months later the same thing happens again.

The thing thats annoying about this as well is the time aspect to sort out. If your at work, and I work as a Field Engineer so I travel to sites across the country, where can I find the time to contact ID mobile by an online chat. I can’t really do it at work as I am infront of customers and analysers, can’t jump on the laptap or phone doing online chats, I need to quickly report it by a phone call. They need dedicated call centre where you can call and vebally speak with people not just the complaints line.

I hope you can get it ported back quickly but mine took 5 days. Fingers crossed yours doesn’t. 

Let me know how things go and I will let you know the outcome of any discussions I have with them…….if they ever call back. 


Hi @Neil Byrne,

Glad to hear that your port has been completed and resolved.

Unfortunately it can take sometime depending on how fast the other network provides us with the PAC to reverse the port.

@Jackys we hope that your port is resolved soon. If you require us to PM you, please let us know.

We don’t have a dedicated telephony Customer Service Team as all our support is online based.

Kash


Hi Neil,

Sorry to hear about your scam/security breach.

I have had the same problem. It all started with a message stating I’d requested a PAC, of course I had not. I got straight onto IDmobile chat bot and was told that if I didn’t do anything the PAC would expire and things would stay as they were. Two days later I was cut off.

I live on a boat and my phone is my only contact to the outside world, so with no phone I decided to go Curry’s where I bought the phone and SIM. After explaining the problem I was told they they have nothing to do with IDmobile other than front their company. Eventually they let me use their phone to contact IDm. Having registered my complaint I was told that I would be contacted within 48 hours. At this point I ask how they would inform me only to be told “By phone”.

“But you have cut my phone off” I said. “How will that work?”

More useless rubbish ensued. Eventually I left with no real resolution having reluctantly given them a friend’s number to notify me by. 48 hours later, you guessed, nothing so I went and acquired a Vodafone PAYG SIM. I also called into my bank to stop any direct debits from IDm as they were intent on charging me £275 for early discontinuation of the contract.

Now in the words of Bob Dylan ‘Now is the time for your tears’. Back on line I found I was locked out of my Google account so I check my online banking and found I was lock out of there too. All this started on the 6th March 24 and hopefully this Sunday I should be back to normal.

I’ve been onto IDm several times and eventually they admitted it was fraud and they managed to stop it

Excerpt from IDm chat

Kindly be advise it was fraud port in someone was trying to have your number but we

manage to catch that and cancel it immediately please note your contract will be active

and continue you will not be be billed any amount besides your line rental.

 

They may have managed to catch it but not before it was too late. We have to ask the question; are IDm procedure robust? And Is IDm security up to scratch?

 

Fortunately for me my bank managed to stop the security breach, well done bank. Google reported that my password was changed but manage to lock whoever it was from my account. All my passwords have been changed and updated and the bank has renewed debit and credit cards. My faith in all this technology has taken a real big blow, and it begs the questions, what other details have they scammed from my phone? And how many other people have fallen for this security breach?

 

OH and IDm have not really apologised for their obvious cock up. Next time if they get a request for a PAC please contact me first before doing anything else.

 

Joolz


Hi @Joolz,

Welcome to the Community!
Sorry to hear that you have been a victim of fraud.

It sounds like someone was able to request a PAC code via your account.

However in most cases the port can be reversed so that you can get your number back.

Have the Complaints Team been in touch to resolve this?

 

Kash


Eventually yes but not after my bank and google had been compromised. Since I have got my number back the signal has been poor to none existent, fortunately I have a PAYG sim from Vodefone which by comparison is excellent. If the signal at DE13 8DZ does not improve I’ll be moving and possibly complaining to OFCOM. Also the my online account will not let me view my plan all I get is “Oops...something went wrong” “Please try again” What is going wrong and where has my post gone??????


Hi @Joolz 

 

Glad to hear the team have been able to get this sorted.

 

Taking a look the area of DE13 8DZ has some generally patchy spots which could affect signal, as well as being subject to congestion, which Three UK are aware of, apologies for any inconvenience this causes.

 

The team are working on some issues with the new app, we hope for these issues to be fixed soon, apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

Tom


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