Public Mobile gave my number away

[ksjones]

Not sure if anyone else has run into this - I set up a Public Mobile account for my daughter, who is 13.  She started getting texts for another person, and then her number stopped working - when we could call it, it would be answered by this other person that was named in the texts. I confirmed at a Koodo booth that the number was no longer attached to our account, and they had no explanation as to why this happened.  I have removed autopay a couple of times as she wasn't using the phone over the summer, but only for a month at a time, and never past the 90 days.  The number was actually ported out to someone else when the plan was active.  I opened a ticket but they simply stated that the number was active and attached to our account.  I have left Public Mobile for another company - mentioning this in case anyone else runs into the same issue.

[darlicious]

@softech

Unfortunately it's the CSA that really dropped the ball here. Whether or not they were a new hire I am trying to see how they allowed the OP to walk away without resolving the issue or troubleshooting or investigating it further. I don't know if this was poor training or supervision but @J_PM  should look into how and why this customer support issue was punted away rather than taken in for the Try?

[softech]

---

@esjliv wrote:

---

EDIT: this other guy may have entered his own number incorrectly in Whats App, or other places...I wonder?

This has happened to me with email, some used my email in error on a social media platform to set up an account, not fraudulent, just error.

---

@esjliv I double that is the case.  If he entered the number wrong on Whatsapp only, he could have taken the Whatspp away but he wouldn't take over the number (voice calls part) as well.   It really sound like any mix up on the Telus side for giving out assigned number to new users, except this time, the new users got the calls directed to him in the end and "stole" the number

[softech]

---

@ksjones wrote:

Thanks to all for the replies.  Just to clarify - I spoke to the Koodo booth at my local mall as I was told that they oversee the Public Mobile accounts. 

---

you shouldn't go to the Koodo stores in the local mall for help.  they likely just authorized agent and have some access but not all.

It's too late now, but you should have come here and posted your question and open ticket with PM agent and you likely could have saved your number.  Sadly it's too late.

i was browsing around, look like the "drama" of giving out currently assigned number to new users is a thing "exclusive" to Telus system only.  Not sure why they will mess up this so frequently and still no fix in place

[dabr]

@ksjones   I agree with @esjliv if you've had that number first and for a while it seems, even if the number was inadvertently given to someone else, PM customer support should have rectified their error and assigned back the number to your daughter and this other person should have received a new number.  Sounds like PM customer support didn't do their due diligence when you contacted them for help.  Very unfortunate and PM lost a customer in the process.

[esjliv]

---

@ksjones wrote:

Thanks to all for the replies.  Just to clarify - I spoke to the Koodo booth at my local mall as I was told that they oversee the Public Mobile accounts.  I created this PM account maybe a year ago (and set up the number at that point, it was a new number for us), no issues up until about a month ago - then started getting texts and WhatsApp messages for this other guy, then eventually phone calls began being directed to him as well.  He was friendly enough about it - university student who didn't know what happened either.  At any rate I switched to Freedom and will see how that goes!  Thanks again for the helpful replies, and the validation that I'm not the first person that this has happened to...

---

@ksjones  Oh my Goodness! I guess the Subject Line of your Post said it all then!

So, in this case, you had the number first - THEN, this other guy sounds like was given your same number as well.

Public Mobile should have been able to fix this for you, I would think.

If you (or family members/friends) ever come back to Public Mobile, remember to poke in around here. OR, be diligent with the Customer Support Agents, sometimes they DO need to be poked.

Very unfortunate.

EDIT: this other guy may have entered his own number incorrectly in Whats App, or other places...I wonder?

This has happened to me with email, some used my email in error on a social media platform to set up an account, not fraudulent, just error.

[ksjones]

Thanks to all for the replies.  Just to clarify - I spoke to the Koodo booth at my local mall as I was told that they oversee the Public Mobile accounts.  I created this PM account maybe a year ago (and set up the number at that point, it was a new number for us), no issues up until about a month ago - then started getting texts and WhatsApp messages for this other guy, then eventually phone calls began being directed to him as well.  He was friendly enough about it - university student who didn't know what happened either.  At any rate I switched to Freedom and will see how that goes!  Thanks again for the helpful replies, and the validation that I'm not the first person that this has happened to...

[softech]

@ksjones   thanks for coming back and warn us with the issue even you have left PM

It's an unfortunate situation.  We heard that Telus/Koodo/PM occasionally give out existing number to new users but what we know was that new user never able to keep the numbers and the numbers stay with the rightful owner.  It does sound like a similar situation for you.   I understand you left, you should have insist them to do something to give you back the number.    

Again, thanks for coming back and let us know your experience.  Hope you enjoy your new service. 

[Anonymous]

 @ksjones : It _is_ a weird experience. I had this when I first joined. Picked a new number. Suddenly started getting calls and texts for some guy. I think he was into some nefarious activities. I just told the callers that they had the wrong number. Or replied back to texts saying they have the wrong guy. I simply didn't know any better or differently.

They stopped eventually. But I also could have just picked a different number.

[darlicious]

@ksjones 

As mentioned telus/koodo/pm very occasionally has this issue where an already assigned number is somehow released into the available number pool and subsequently chosen or assigned to a new account. The newest customer gets very limited services and the original customer will retain services albeit with "extras" like texts intended for the new customer.

It's unfortunate that when you contacted customer support neither you or the CSA were able to get your point across to one another.  The number did stay assigned to your daughters account. The CSA should have contacted koodo to assign a new number to their customers new account. You retained "ownership" of the phone number.

Edit:

48 hours is the worst case scenario....most customer contact via private messaging is less than an hour in average wait time.

[Dunkman]

@ksjones 

Sorry to hear about your troubles.  Did your daughter get a new number from PM when she first activated?  Or did you guys port your own number from another mobile company?

It has been reported that some new customers have been given an assigned number when they first activated the new account.  The solution is to pick a new phone number via your self service account or contacting customer service agent (CSA).  

Hopefully, the  CSA will get back to you.  Most tickets should be responded within 48 hours.  CSA have access to your accounts.  

[esjliv]

---

@ksjones wrote:

Not sure if anyone else has run into this - I set up a Public Mobile account for my daughter, who is 13.  She started getting texts for another person, and then her number stopped working - when we could call it, it would be answered by this other person that was named in the texts. I confirmed at a Koodo booth that the number was no longer attached to our account, and they had no explanation as to why this happened.  I have removed autopay a couple of times as she wasn't using the phone over the summer, but only for a month at a time, and never past the 90 days.  The number was actually ported out when the plan was active.  I submitted 2 tickets and had no reply.  I have left Public Mobile for another company - mentioning this in case anyone else runs into the same issue.

---

@ksjones 

Oh gosh, sorry to hear of this experience.

Are you saying you ported from Koodo into PM, and this started happening?

If so, that sounds like a failed port.

It can happen when you activate a new SIM card with Public Mobile that it may be assigned to someone else in error. To fix this you need to pick a number number with Public Mobile.

OR, are you saying you ported out of PM to Koodo, after having these issues?

Something was just not right with the phone number and account on this one.

If Customer Support never contacted you back from the tickets you submitted I would inquire about submitting another one, maybe it got automatically closed. 

Your daughter isn't with PM any longer, but I would still contact them to let them know your experience.