Double billing

[ricky121]

hello,

I have been a Public Mobile subscriber since they started and have always paid my plan by voucher which I purchase at  the convenience store.Now i have just found out that Telus,which owns PublicMobile,has somehow without my approval set up pre paid payments which they withdraw from my bank account ,$37.00 dollars per month,and they have been doing this 

since June 2023.What does this$37.00 pay since i have no services with Telus,it certainly doesn't pay my mobile account because if i dont purchase my voucher my phone gets cut off and to my knowledge iam apublic mobile customer not telus.I called telus they have no account under my name or phone number.I went o my bank and they are investigating.I respectfully  ask  Telus to stop billing me $37.00  dollars per month for a service idont have with you and return the $296.00 dollar you took from me since June 2023.Thank you if anyone can help me with this I have tried to open a ticket with public but it doesn't seem to let me open the ticket.

Thanks to all,

Ricky

[Sansan]

Hopefully you will be able to get a better understanding of what the charges are for. 

[ricky121]

Hi,

Iam home now I checked the merchant name is Telus Comm then the bank code for the type of bank transaction.Payments are always taken between the 6 th and 13 th of the month and no more information .I hope my bank can get more info.iam going to call Telus again tomorrow  a be more aggressive with them and tell them what you suggested.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

You are absolutely correct that Telus is not handling this correctly. When you talk to them tomorrow if they dont start investigating the charges in an urgent manner tell them you will also be filing a complaints with the CCTS, BBB and the Consumer Protection Branch. That should light a🔥under their 🫏.

[ricky121]

Hi,

I will never change banks I get exceptional services from them ihave been with them forever they are truly fantastic. I blame Telus for this they should do more to help me but my bank has opened an inquest and are doing their best to help me.Maybe  they will need to open new bank accounts but that is problematic and will be a last resource if necessary.

[ricky121]

Hi,

I do not have tv package from Telus or Bell they bill me $37.00 cdn on the 8 th other month a d have been doing so since June 2023,but I just found out lat week.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

Yes so no point in contacting support here but I would be raising heck with Telus. Now you know the likely services department the charges are coming from.

[ricky121]

Hi ,

Yes debit credit I did get a new card new numbers coz old one was kind of dilapidated.Yes they are preauthorized payments.i did tell them they are Investigating but the withdrawals are coming from  Telus.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

Please see my edit to my last post.

[ricky121]

Hi,

My PM account was opened when PM first appeared on the scene more than 10years ago.My original plan was not $37.00  I do t think so.

[Sansan]

Sounds good

[ricky121]

Hi,

When I get home later in about 1 1/2  hrs will try to open a ticket I tried earlier I could not.Yes they did a name and phone check turned up nothing.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

Telus Communications is home internet and/or Optik TV services.

Edit: Are you being billed $36.75 per month ? That's a basic TV package and PVR rental ($25+$10=$35+gst=$36.75). Likely from an Alberta address.

[Sansan]

I'm 😞 that this is happening to you.  The only way for it to stop, is the monthy charges needs to stop from wherever they are originated from. One more thing, when you sign onto you PM account, does it say you are subscribed? If so, is there a number there?

[ricky121]

Hi,

I'm not home right now but as I can remember it says Telus Communications when I get home I will check to be sure.It will be late I don't k ow if you guys will still be here.

[RavingRaven]

 @ricky121 

Telus does accept pre-authorized payments from debit cards. Make sure your bank has set up a refusal of payment when Telus seeks automatic payment. additionally you should be able to put your card on hold and only remove the hold when you need to use your debit card. This should prevent future billing til these fraudulent transactions can be tracked.

However Telus is being complacent regarding these fraudulent charges and should be actively engaging in helping both you and your bank track down the fraudster account.

Financial institutions for some reason prefer not to change client card #'s further exasperating fraud charges. You may want to close your accounts and reopen new ones to get around this ( if not change banks?!!)

[ricky121]

Hi,

Yes that's what bank told me.At this point i would be happy if the $37.00  withdrawals stop because it's paying nothing.What I lost is lost if I can get it back it would be great  but what I want is the withdrawls to stop.

[Sansan]

The problem is that changing card numbers does not guaranteed that the charges will stop. This is a myth that most people believe. Not always through. 

It all depends on how the merchant post the transaction each month. They bill to the old number and the charges  will just transfer to the new account without them knowing even that the number has changed. 

I'm glad that the bank is working with you and giving you back some of the funds so far.

[ricky121]

Hi,

As isaid I did contact Telus and clearly outlined the situation they suggested I go to my bank which I did and they opened an investigation .the payments are debited from debit card whch is obviously linked to my chequing account.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

What is the merchant name/number as it appears on your account statement?

Edit: For example: KOODO TOP UP REAPPROV

[Sansan]

I don't use debit card for my account, so I cannot confirm what is said about not being able to use debit card for automatic payments. You said you did provide your debit card info around the time the charges in question started to PM. 

Yes I know it is frustrating when you can't speak to a live agent. However,  they all operate independently and separately from each other, so just because you are with PM, Telus will not have your information or vise versa. 

But if you want to submit a ticket for PM, the link is below. Hopefully they can shed some light on it for you. You said you called Telus and they couldn't help you as they had no info? They did a phone number search? Name, email?

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

How long ago did you activate your PM account? Did your original plan amount equal $37?

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

To clarify:

Do you have a debit/credit card?

Are the charges set up within your bank account or are they pre-authorized payments?

Call your bank and cancel your card citing fraudulent charges. Ensure the new card has an entirely new number on it. (The card # change will only occur if it's debit/credit card.)

[ricky121]

Hi ,

actually idid change my my passwords and even my debit card but payments are still beingtaken by Telus. I went to my bank and they did put  back what was taken this month and did open an investigation they know the situation with Telus and PM and their relationship.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

Public Mobile does not accept automatic payments set up through your bank account. You need to contact Telus with the billing info in your bank account for the automatic payments. Again I strongly suggest you strengthen your bank account security and talk to their fraud department.

[hairbag1]

@ricky121 

log in to your account using your laptop and see if there's $$ sitting in Available Funds. Then also look in your payment history. I wonder if you may have a Telus tv account or a landline that you've forgotten to deactivate maybe.

[ricky121]

Hi Sansan,

I did not set up another line unless they did or think they are billing me for my mobile account whchi I pay by voucher.I can stop paying by voucher but then my phone gets cut offandthe $37.00 keep getting charged but it pays nothing .No one even remotely knows my account information with PM.I did provide PM my debit card info around the time the payments started I June 2023,at that time my account had been suspended with PM because I had not paid on time and could not get 611 on the phone to enter my voucher information.This is what happens when you cannot speak to someone live a d when a company is various separate companies  independent of each other creating confusion.Otherwise I never had problems with PM andi have bee with them since the beginning 

[Sansan]

Even though PM is owned by Telus, PM  and Telus are operating independently.  You would not be charged by Telus and it being reflected as Public Mobile. Verify that you did not set up another line or that someone that you know is using your account.

[RavingRaven]

@ricky121 

It is not possible to set up payments for Public Mobile through your bank account. If you have not set this up in your bank account for a Telus service then they are fraudulent charges. I suggest you immediately change your passwords  to your bank accounts and temporarily suspend your telephone and online banking. Arrange with your bank to require two pieces of ID for in branch services.

Otherwise this has nothing to do with Public Mobile.

Edit: It should be pretty simple to see whose account with Telus is being paid through your bank account?