Wednesday 15 October 2008

Post your complaints with 3 Here for others to see

Right so now you've read my guide and hopefully you'll be well on your way to getting a satisfactory resolution to your complaint.

Post comments here on your issues with you are having with Three. Include any details you like including the problem itself, what 3 have done to resolve the situation what actions you have taken.

Alternatively you can email me on threecomplaints@post.com and I will create a whole post regarding your complaint if it is serious.

Please don't be abusive or rude, I will use this site as my way of highlighting the issues with 3 and their customer services.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

26-10-2008, 12:37 PM
dez_borders
3G Forum Member

Refusal of 3UK CS (India) to process Early Termination & issue a PAC code

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How difficult (illegal?) can H3Gs Termination Team make it to leave H3G?
Copy of letter sent to H3G head office and local Trading Standards...


I wish to formally complain about one of your operators in India: xxxx xxxxxx, ID xxxxx.
This morning, I spent over 60 minutes, repeatedly asking this operator to accept early termination fee and issue a PAC code.
Within the first 5 minutes, I had explained my reasons for wishing to terminate my contract:
1. Workplace coverage issues (no 3G, intermittent 2G @ postcode TD6 xxx)
2. Internet MAX does not work at all in 2G area (i.e. my workplace).
During the next 45 minutes, your operator repeatedly ignored my requests to process my early termination payment of £xx. Eventually I threatened to report 3UK to my local Trading Standards and requested his name and Operator ID.
At that point, the operator agreed to process my payment, during which he incorrectly entered my card details 2 times, then informed me that your ‘payment gateway’ might be down. I offered to use a VISA card, which also failed due to ‘gateway issues’.
I was then informed that my termination could not be processed and that it would not be possible for someone to call me back when the technical issues were resolved.
Under UK law, I have the right to cancel my contract at any time, but Three UK appear to be actively denying my this right and placing obstacles in my way.
Please investigate my complaint and arrange for a UK based 3UK operator to contact me to process the termination request and issue me with a PAC code ate.
N.B. I have contacted my local Trading Standards office and asked them to become involved


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27-10-2008, 09:15 PM
dez_borders
3G Forum Member

Re: Refusal of 3UK CS (India) to process Early Termination & issue a PAC code

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Quote:
Originally Posted by lcharm
Damn! That sounds like a tricky one! And I know how tricky it is to speak with those guys.

Have you spoken with the Citizens Advice Bureau to see what they have to say?

If it gets to 12 weeks with no luck then you can contact Otelo and they can takeover but you're right in getting TS involved too. Get any authorities possible involved because three are screwing us over!


Hi,

Thanks for the comments and advice. I will add my experiences to your website tonight.

I received an email from my local Trading Standards office today, indicating they are willing to contact H3G HQ in Glasgow on my behalf if the problem is not resolved by the end of this week.

Today, I had another go at calling 3-CS and this time got thru to a different person (in India), who gave a completely different story/experience.

After a few minutes explaining why I was leaving early (network coverage issues in my workplace) and that I needed a PAC code, the chap informed me I did not have to pay the termination fee today, but that I would receive a final invoice, including the Early Termination Fee AFTER my new network used the PAC code, and that my account would be automatically closed down at the same time.

2 minutes later, I had my PAC code by SMS and will be passing this to my new network tomorrow.

I still wish to persue my complaint with 3's HQ in Glasgow to identify the nasty individualy who dealt wiht me on Sunday morning, so that hopefully he is re-trained (or sacked) and in either eventuality, hopefully nobody has to suffer the same abuse from CS in the future.

I agree with others who have stated in these forums that unless H3G sort out (or close) their Indian call-centres, they will eventually lose so many customers that their business collapses.

I will never use H3G again unless they only use UK based call centre staff.

James said...

My problem is with 3UK the mobile service, I have cut the message short to save time as the info would go on for ages...
Basically, I tried to cancel my contract on December 12th expecting it to end on January 13th 2009. When I called the operator wouldn't cancel, she just keep repeating "Have two, it's good to have two" and after 40minutes I relented as I was late for work. I was told I'd have 500 free texts and minutes starting Jan 13th
I tried it but on December 31st I rang to cancel, they refused stating it was passed the 14 day cooling off period, I stated I had not been told I only had 14 days but that the contract didn't start until Jan 13th. I was passed onto several operators who all sated the same thing and after 45mins I rang off.
I emailed them and got a reply stating that I was not told I had 14 days to cool off as they had listened to the telephone recording, but that it didn't matter they will not cancel the agreement.
I replied telling them I wasn't happy and would be taking the matter further stating I would not pay Decembers bill until the contract was cancelled.

On Jan 27th an elderly woman living in my area got four calls from 3UK looking for me, each time she told them I didn't live there and on the fourth time they gave her my details so she was able to contact me, which she did. I emailed again and gave my correct phone number but again they rang the other woman asking to speak to me regarding the email I had just sent. So I rang.

When I rang I demanded to know why the other woman was called, they continually blamed me stating I had given that number, they refused to changed the number until I paid for Dec / Jan and Feb. I told them I'd pay for Dec but stated if I paid for Jan and Feb then it would mean I'd be agreeing to the unwanted contract, I was told to just pay it. After speaking to four operators I was eventually able to get the number changed and I gave them my mobile number but I asked for the numbers previously held to be read out to me, these were not my numbers and nothing to do with me, which scares me.

I then received a letter from Mike Reid, demanding payment or else they'd take action, so I wrote giving all details again stating I'd pay for Dec but that's all. I got a reply from someone (non English) stating even though I hadn't been told I had 14 days to cool off they wouldn't cancel and in reply to the elderly woman getting my details they said "sorry about that" They offered to lower the contract repayment to £10 per month telling me to gift it to someone. They also included the telephone numbers they held for me, these were totally wrong and not the one I gave them.

So I sent a letter to their Chief Exec, sent today registered

My problems are these:-
1) Can they hold me to this contract even though they didn't tell me I had 14 days to cool off and have admitted so.
2) I feel I was forced into taking it, so does it still hold as legally binding.
3) I work for the security services which is why my mobile was changed, having my details passed onto another is wrong but the details they hold on me are also wrong, who else's details will be wrong.

Each time I ring all I get is one foreign person after another, when you ask or quote something out of the norm they pass you onto someone else and you go round and round in circles.

So to finish, am I being silly, should I just pay up and keep this contract, to remove the hassle I am close to just doing it but would welcome your advice.

Anonymous said...

Wish to add this to open the eyes of the nation ..H3G are a pathological joke.

I went to three for the first time having previously been using o2 mobile broadband. i found that o2 had made changes which meant i was getting one of the worst deals in the market. The deal for pay as you go SEEMED good so i went to the store in LUTON to have look. One of the store representatives explained to me that i would get a better deal if i went with a rolling pay monthly tariff which is sim only. I considered the cost of £15.99 after vat for 5GB was better than the deal i was getting with o2 pay as you go, So i signed up. Now this was to be the last place i used my CARD DETAILS, as it came to the end of the month i was informed by my bank that someone had obtained my details and i was a victim of fraud as i looked at the receipt only to find purchases made which where unlikely to be that of mine or any of my family members. In short 'FRAUD'.This had never happened to me i was in shock. I called up three explained to them that my card details would be changing do to circumstances so is there another way i can pay my bills, I was told i can either pay a charge of £4 or pay via bank, and the other alternative was to default on the account in order to receive a giro.

It gets worse

I explained that i would pay via the bank but in view of circumstances I'm not linking my accounts to them again.I was then gived the payment details which i then used to pay my bill. The following week i recieve a letter from the bank saying three have attempted to take monies from the account, after having explained the situation and having to also make sure all funds where cleared from the account, after i was told of the fraudulent activities which occurred at the store. I was almost charged for these event had it not been for the bank i would have been up SHIT creek.

I called three to ask them why have you attempted to take monies from the account when i have already paid...they couldn't answer. I also said to them that i will be making my last payments via standing order they said i cant do that. I then repeated to them that i wish not to put my self in such a risk and to have my finances to be made vulnerable to the use of fraudulent staff members. They said that i would have to pay a £4 charge for admin i said to them i manage to pay my previous bill via standing order and not have to pay Admin why are you trying to charge me for Admin and in view of the circumstances i think its despicable as this all happened whilst i was in your store.. i told the 3(indian office-rep) that i would like him to discuss that with his manager and come back to me with a solution as im not paying that sum. He then said that they will hold the direct debits so i don't pay the charges, i replied can i have this all in writing. He refused and said no then he said yes... in short i have not yet received any such letter im online today and i have checked my bill where it appears that i have been charged the admin fee and there had been another attempt to take monies from my previous account. when the bill is'nt even due.

SO i recommend anyone to go with 3monthly broadband in lUTON pay them your bank details and risk being a victim of FRAUD them be CHARGED £4 on top of your bill for refusing to put yourself at risk again.

I'm not surprised why they have the least number of clients. The service is shocking the security is abysmal. When this is settled I'M RUNNING into the Arms of o2 and never looking back.

please do share if you have had a similar experience.

Anonymous said...

messages are not sending the network seems like it is blocking them , sort it out!

Anonymous said...

Hi guys, Just wanna say that 3 have sent me messages saying 'we are currently improving your network coverage in your area' Just wanna say this is horse shit and they havent done anything to improve signal. I cant get signal in any parts of milton keynes, or in some parts of leighton buzzard..Bypasses and motorways don't have anything above 1 bar and most villages have no signal. This is becoming increasingly annoying as I keep getting the signal texts through, but the signal still doesnt change. Rant over.

Anonymous said...

A contract was signed with 3 store in Luton Arndale, on our receipt there was a 14 day return policy linked to my customer / order number.

3 days later after frustration at the lack of coverage inside our house and loosing patience with 3 CS and Tech Services, we requested for the phone to be returned.

I was met by an abnoxious store manager who does not know the meaning of customer care, he would walk away and talk over his shoulder. I eventually cornered him and was aggressively told "Can't you read" we have a no return policy. This was never written down nor was it explained to me and even if it were this is completely illegal as all products have a 7 to 14 day cooling off period to protect the customer. Luckily on our receipt we had an additional apge saying that we could return within 14 days. The Store Manager, who was very coarse, rude, abrupt completely ignored me. I demanded verification of their policy and was told to call 3 Customer Services. Customer Services were rung and they confirmed we could return the phone but the store manager after asking me to ring denied that this is not possible and that customer services have no control over them. Things got very heated and in the end the store manager who refused to disclose his name nor let me speak to a regional manager called the police to have me leave the store.

This is sickening, Iahve never been so humiliated and spoken down to ever in my life.

My advise to anyone is DO NOT SIGN UP TO 3 PHONE CONTRACTS EITHER on STORE or INTERNET.

I have written a complaint and complaint to customer services and heard from friends that nothing will come of this.

Absolute disgrace.

The store manager inside the Arndale centre in Luton needs to be repramanded / disicplined and sacked for such a disgraceful act.

Disgusted, Angry, humiliated and now I have a phone with poor network coverage that I will not use.

Humara said...

I have same problem with them, i an living in hampsted and 3G didnt work at here, last year 2011 they send me without any notice and further agreement iPHONE 3, and told me that i have ordered it. of course irefused so they harresed me.luckly i had a prove and i also requested them to listen my vice on the tape which must be recored for security bases. however i ahve to pay iPHNone 3 money in oreder toavioid all hassels and 3G gave me 12 months contract but again no reception what todo.now it is about the time to finish my contract and 3G told me i have 24 months Contract. They are really liar and cheater.they are putting trap allthe time I dont know what to do.

Anonymous said...

shanna1701

Reviews written: 1
WRITE A REVIEW

Written on: 15/06/2012
Review of 3 Mobile - www.three.co.uk

"Fobbed off all the time!"
Visit www.three.co.uk

In January i got so sick of 3 service /signal that i decided to join my friends on another network. I called 3 and the guy was rude and said i needed to speak to tech department,I said i had spoken before to them and there was a problem in my area. The guy then said i needed to pay £250 rental as my contract finishes in July,i was willing to do this BUT he would not accept this and i was put on to tech department again.He said i may as well pay my monthly amount and wait until July as it would work out £20 cheaper. All this took 45 minutes and i was so frustrated and in tears that in the end i just put down the phone.I have been patient and duly paid for a service i no longer wanted or suited my needs. My contract finished on July 23rd and so in order to make sure i had plenty of time to cancel i called on Tues 12th June to cancel, I got through only to be told to call back later as the system was down. I called back a few minutes later and spoke to someone else who told me to call back on the 16th June, so i made a note of this. I called them again today as i realized that the 16th was a Saturday and could not risk going past the date and having to wait another month to end the contract. I was told that i needed to call after the 20th of June, And was asked why i wanted to leave and that i had been with them for a long time. Again out of frustration i put the phone down. I will call again tomorrow the 16th June,BUT HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO AND A CONTRACT FOR ME???? I really don't think it is ant of their business as to why i wish to end the contract. NO i would not recommend them. The service in certain areas is poor and there is NO customer service/relations. If i am not able to end my contract by the time it runs out next month i shall contact WATCDOG. WHICH MAGAZINE AND THE NATIONAL PRESS! I don't have time to keep calling 3 and being given the run around am really p****d off!!!!!
Just called again to cancel my contract (was told to call 16/6) and have been told that i need a signal boost at my house and to think about it and there special offers and call on the 23rd June.
I am really going to take this further as i DO NOT WISH TO RENEW MY CONTRACT!!!!!

Anonymous said...

was having trouble with getting no signal so after 20 days i called 3 mobile after driving 4 miles to cancel 2 contracts i was told that i has to waiting 10 working days which i waited for then stopped the direct debit. 2 months later i got bills and constant phone call from 3 about he contracts telling me that they had not been cancelled. i stuck with orginal debate of cancelled contract august 18 2012 then i asked for a deadlock letterwhich then a manger got involeved he told me that all would be sorted if i sent the handset back which i have done but it has gone missing in the post. i now am getting phone calls from a debt collecting agency saying that 3 have ask them to reclaim the debt the call centre manager is trying to help but all i am getting are constant bills and no help whats so ever from anywhere else. it is bcoming very frightening for my children who are on their own till i get in from work still no success and it is getting very distressing

Concerned Customer said...

On the 21/1/2013 i attempted to cancel my 3uk monthly broadband package after having it for 3 years due to there being cheaper internet options available. Might I add this was my third attempt at cancelling!. I got through to a member of their Indian cancellations team ( cancellation prevention team) to be told that I was a loyal customer of almost three years and they wished to do a deal. So i listened to a number of offers which the member of staff claimed were only available to loyal customers and that new customers would pay more in the form of an upfront fee for the iPad and a 36 month contract. I was advised that i would not have to pay the upfront price as his manager authorised for it to be waved. After going through a number of "deals" he told me i would get the iPad 2 and 15gb of data for the reduced price of 33.99 I explain that i don't use my 15gb of data, I asked if 3 uk did any other packages with a smaller data bundle as the price was to expensive for me. After 1hr and 10 mins I managed to talk him down to 30.99 and no upfront fee I thought i had done well ( I had only called to cancel so i had not done much research on this). Following the marathon conversation the next day I started checking out offers else where, what I found on on 3 UK's own web site disappointed me!. It appeared that anyone could get this deal and better online, what's more is that the price of 33.99 would have had me paying in and around 100 pounds more over the 24 months. Even the deal at 30. 99 meant that i would only save in and around 20.00 over 24 months. I had insisted on cancelling my contract but he told me a would lose 3 years of bonuses and privileges, there for I didn't want to waste it (little did I know that it amounted to 0.83 p a month savings). To add insult to injury I found out that he had also lied about there being a 36 month contract, it does not exist.

I immediately got on the phone again and explained how disappointed I was with the behaviour of this MIS-salesman. At this point I thought that something would actually be done about this and that my loyalty would finally be rewarded but fool on me. I got passed from department to department for another 40mins. I finally spoke to a supervisor who said she would investigate the claim and would get back to me with a solution. In the intrim i received a call from another member of the 3 India team, she had called to confirm if I wanted to cancel the upgrade, I explained that this was a distinct possibility if they did not provide a suitable resolution to this issue. Her response was "so you are telling me you want to cancel. I was exasperated, it seemed like they didn't want me to cancel but the moment they got caught at there game they couldn't wait to get rid of me. I then got passed to 2 other departments before I gave up. I finally got a call from the supervisor who was trying to get a resolution to this fiasco, I wasn't surprised when she said they will only give me a 15gb credit to make up for the 2-3hrs wasted on the phone (my mobile might I add) and completely side stepped the major issue of mis- selling. I finally brought the conversation to a close as she demanded I send back an iPad I havnt even received yet! I will not use 3uk again and my faith in big business is quickly dwindling, being a loyal customer used to count for something.

Anonymous said...

My 3 Mobile account: ...I have to pay 32p per minute and I cannot afford to phone them again to close this account. I am desperate to close the account and the stress is harming my health. I phoned Vikram Mane Ikrant on 25.02.2013 at 8:30 and he argued with me for 40 minutes, trying to force me to buy another contract. Finally he told me I did not "want to help anyone" by transferring my account to a friend or family member, but said 3 Mobile would close the account and cancel the debit order in February 2013. On 08.03.2013 3 Mobile charged my bank account with £24 debit order. I went into a shop and tried to get them to change my account, but they refused. I have to phone them to communicate about my account, but I cannot afford to because the call centre inflates the call by trying to sell you things that you don't want. I stated clearly I want to close the account and never to do any business with them again. I have equipment I need to return to them but I cannot do so without phoning them. I just want to be rid of 3 Mobile, and I have told them, but they keep on taking money from my bank account without my permission and they have made it impossible for me to contact them to find out why they are taking the money and to tell them that I want to stop doing business with them. If they want money, I will pay them, but I have got to the stage where all I want is to be completely free of them and I will do practically anything to be free of them. When I phoned them to close the account, they kept trying to persuade me to buy things from them and arguing and trying to brainwash me into buying things from them. I am afraid to telephone them again because the experience of arguing with one of their sales personnel and getting nowhere is so unbelievably unpleasant and so expensive as to be unaffordable.
Thank you
Yours sincerely

Anonymous said...

- I changed my contract to £12.90 per month in October/November. My first bill was 13th December

- On 17th December I received the following text message: "Thanks for staying with Three. You've upgraded to Apple iPhone 5 64GB White on the One Plan 2011. This is a 24 month contract at £50.00 a month" - I did none of this. I then received other messages the following day saying my "new phone was being delivered"

- I called three (18th December) and told them I believed I was the victim of fraud as I had not upgraded or ordered a new phone

- Three agreed that this was the case. They said I did not have a password set up on my account (I have never been asked to set one up). They also gave me the address of the place the phone had been ordered to!

- I called the police and reported the crime. They agreed that three should not have given the fraudsters' address out

- I called again two weeks later (New Year's Eve) and asked if my issue had been resolved. I was told I had nothing to be concerned about and the fraud team would be in touch soon. No call.

- 13th January I received a bill for £54.98 (including a Euro upgrade which I didn't order). This has been debited from my account. My bill should have been £12.90. I make this £42.08 in credit for this month.

- On 30th January I called again (4 mins long). I asked to cancel my contract. I was not allowed to do this yet as my account was flagged. Fraud team would "be in touch soon". No call

- On 11th February I called again (26 mins long). I explained I had had enough and wanted to cancel my contract. They said they could not do that as they had not received the iPhone back. I was promised a call back within 48 hours. No call

- On 13th February I received a bill for £50.00. This has been debited from my account. My bill should have been £12.90. I make this £37.10 in credit for this month, and £79.18 in total

- On 19th February I called yet again (19 mins long). This time the lady on the line was fairly helpful, said she would resolve the billing issues, and would call me back in 48 hours. This time I did get a call, and she said she had "credited my account"

- She said she had cancelled my direct debit for me so I would not get any more bills as I was in credit, and as was cancelling my contract, this would not be a problem

- She then put me through to another department who could organise contract cancellation

- However this department then said as they have still not received the iPhone back they could not cancel my contract. They would, however, call me back in 48 hours. No call

- On 26th February I received a letter from three regarding my unauthorised upgrade saying "they had taken steps to rectify this matter" and " I hope I've explained what's happened and the actions we've taken to put it right"

- On 13th March I received a bill in the post for 4p. I am at complete loss as to why I have received this bill - according to my calculations I should be £79.18 in credit. As a result this bill for 4p is still outstanding

- Exasperated still, I called today (10th April) (27 mins long). The guy said after much deliberation that to get my money back, he would have to reinstate my direct debit to give me my money owed. As my account was flagged, he still couldn't cancel my contract. I'd have to call back again once I got my money in my account.

It has been almost four months since I had an Unauthorised Upgrade on my account.
I have been charged more than I should and still don't have my money
I have consistently been let down by the customer services team
I have wasted time calling and have not had my issue resolved
I am not able to cancel my contract which I requested to do ten weeks ago
This has been a very stressful experience and a very poor service from start to finish

Donna said...

I was on the phone with 3 for well over 2 hours trying to cancel my contract that I had for about 6 years. A month later I have just found out that my contract is still active and have been told its because they sent me a pack code and I didn't use it. They said they would investigate and would call me back but didn't. I have tried to call again but after explaining it all to one of their advisors - I was put through to a closed office and my call was terminated. I have filled in the complaint form and hope this get sorted :(

Trish said...

Good luck! I'm currently in dispute with Three.

I took out a contract in 2008, cancelled in 2009 as soon as the fixed term was up (the call was painfully long, but eventually he agreed to cancel it)

Thought nothing more of it, then a few months later, I noticed they were still taking money (I'd moved house by then, so didn't notice any bills coming through)

Now, last week, they send a demand for £56 or they'll turn it over to debt collectors!

I immediately filled out a complaints form. Response:

"There's no note on your account to cancel so you still owe it..."

I emailed straight back to say I definately called to cancel (you don't forget a call like that, it was life draining) and they didn't bother to respond!

I then posted my complaint on their FB page - they said to raise a support ticket. So I did, telling them about how their complaints department fobbed me off, and after a few days, they came back with the same answer!

I challenged them on this, stating I definately called, their agent (wish I had taken his name, but it was four years ago!) must have failed to process it.

They came back with "no, there would be a note...".

I'm furious. Their customer service has failed, and they want me to pay, and they aren't even addressing my complaint. Disgusted.

Anonymous said...

Major security breach...was told not to tell anyone that if you connect to their hotspot you can access their account!!!!

Really need to do something about this 3 network...and fast.

Disclaimer: Please note that we have not affiliation with the Three Mobile network, Hutchison 3G or any of their subsidiaries. This site has not been created to attack the network but to provide a consumer site to assist in resolving issues for Three customers. We welcome any feedback and comments from Three themselves.