Someone has hijacked my mates POT service

Forums › Off topic › Someone has hijacked my mates POT service

nzbsgfan

146 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 45
Inactive user

#167414 12-Mar-2015 19:26

A mate of mine has just rung me and told me that overnight their home phone line has been transferred to another Telco.

Trouble is - they didnt ask for it to be.

Now their old supplier cant tell them who now owns their service - and suggests they call all of the other Telco's to find out.

That sounds a bit ridiculous - surely there must be a way of finding out.

As they havent changed anything recently (including ISP etc) it must have been some error.

Any idea who they can call and sort it out - before getting a bill in the mail?

Cheers

Mark.

nzbsgfan

146 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 45
Inactive user

#1257422 12-Mar-2015 19:49

To clarify.

At the moment his internet is with Orcon - and it's still working with an Orcon IP.

Their phone service was coupled in with their power provider - who says their POTs number is no longer with them

Their phone line is currently dead with no sidetone present.

I've asked him to call their power company again and confirm with another CSR that their number is indeed not with that company (as a double check).

Oblivian

7345 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2117

ID Verified

#1257428 12-Mar-2015 19:54

Err you sure they weren't cold called with an ISP broadband/phone offer and then duped by the 2nd follow up 'are you interested?' call which verifies their acceptance to change ISP and port number?

It's been noted before

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/slingshots-telemarketing-company-fined-almost-170k-misleading-claims-and-slamming-customers-

nzbsgfan

146 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 45
Inactive user

#1257432 12-Mar-2015 20:00

Hmmm

That's why I asked him to check is Public IP address. Currently it's still with Orcon.

To his knowledge he's received no cold calls, emails etc starting service was going to be swapped to another Telco.

Currently he has no POTs service at all, so it's a bit of a mystery

Bizzarre !

yitz

2238 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 594

#1257439 12-Mar-2015 20:14

Did Orcon ever offer to take over their landline?

There were changes earlier in the year for those who had separate landline and broadband providers. I'm not aware of what Orcon's policy was in regard to this.

(More info re changes available on this steve zone blog post: www.geekzone.co.nz/sbiddle/8734)

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1257450 12-Mar-2015 20:23

This is called "slamming" and it's a big NO-NO. Most of the times it's done by telemarketing companies that cold call and using very strange language manage to get someone to say "YES".

If they called and said something like "Just give us your account number and we will check availability" and someone did give the phone number... That's what these scumbags need to start a transfer.

If the account is in your name you can just port the number back to your provider. You only have to deal with the receiving one. Problem is you will need an account number to do it, so might have to wait until the first invoice comes in.

Once it does, port back and make sure to lay a formal complaint with the TCF.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

nzbsgfan

146 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 45
Inactive user

#1257452 12-Mar-2015 20:26

Thanks for all the good advice !

I'll pass it on.

:)

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

CYaBro

4708 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1182

ID Verified

Trusted

#1257461 12-Mar-2015 20:41

But will they get an invoice if the phone line is dead?
Surely if it had been ported to another provider it would be working again?

Sounds more like they have been changed to a naked broadband connection but Orcon would know if that was the case.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1257463 12-Mar-2015 20:45

Good point.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.