Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Hi
I have a statement by VIRGIN MEDIA to BT WHOLESALE that reads the following:

"We suspect all are artificially inflating traffic by compromising Virgin Media equipment"

This statement was submitted by Virgin Media to BT Wholesale to avoid paying for calls to certain numbers in July 2009

Virgin has also been submitting these claims over the last few years.

I have proof as I am in the industry.

They are then charging end users for these calls, So they are disputing them in the industry and then charging residential customers for these calls. I HAVE PROOF.

I Have been in the telecoms industry for 15 years. I am a MD for several telecoms companies.

Virgin are billing claiming in the industry that their equipment has been compromised. If this is true then every customer on Virgin Media needs to question their bill over the last 10 years.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Thats a bold first post m8. Welcome, by the way.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Thanks, jsut getting fed up with the response I get within the industry. Any proof or evidence I have it. Virgin Media are claiming on a monthly basis that their equipment has been compromised and so are getting out of paying other networks but they dont tell the end user this and so massive profits.

---------- Post added at 01:16 ---------- Previous post was at 01:13 ----------

But if their equipment is being compromised on a monthly basis then everybody on Virgin media needs to demand a review of their bill. All the residential customers bills must be incorrect. I have proof and documentation that has been submitted to BT Wholesale.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Go on then, show us

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I will post a video tomorrow. this is all true. The reason Im posting this is Im fed up with running services and not getting paid for them because of Virgin media putting in AIT retention claims every month. The excuse is the same every month that their service is being compromised. BUT they wont tell then end user this.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

A couple of things

1) Since when do companies claim or make disputes via Video? Surely it would be text documentation?

2) If you don't work for Virgin Media how do you know that the disputed calls are being charged to customers?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

All will be explained in my videos.
let me just expalin some facts here.


I am the managing director of 3 Telecoms companies. We run Premium rate services.
We advertise these services accross a wide variety of print and online media.

Over the last 4 months we have not been paid for calls to our services from Virgin Media lines. In July alone we had olver 2000 pounds worth of calls made from Virgin Media lines. Virgin media keep putting in AIT retention notices every month.

Whats AIT?

AIT is Artificially Inflated Traffic.

In other words Virgin Media claim that the 2000 pounds was artificially inflated. the reason for this claim is as follows:

"we suspect all are artificially inflating traffic by compromising Virgin Media equipment"

That is the claim by Virgin Media and so they dont pay the bill.

But hang on a second, do they tell the end user that? NO

I have those numbers on my residential bill and I have called Virgin Media and they have denied any such statement. They have told me as a residential customer that this would never happen and Virgin media would never say this.

So, on the one hand they wont pay my telecoms company for the calls to my numbers but on the other hand they insist on me paying for them on my residential biil.

Im taking this to court through my company and also taking them to court as a residential customer.

I have proof and statements from Virgin saying that their system has been compromised in more than 15 towns

---------- Post added at 02:04 ---------- Previous post was at 01:54 ----------

I have a list of over 15 towns in whch they say "Virgin media equipment has been compromised"
In other words all you Virgin Media customers need to question your bills as Virgin media are making statements saying that all of your bills are incorrect.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

"Premium services."

Dialer software perhaps?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Any "MD" that posts on an open forum like this making accusations really needs to think about their position.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

My point is that Virgin Media are not telling the end users ie residential customers that the network is being compromised they are still collecting the revenue which is fraudulant.

Paul - Thanks for the advice, Im posting here to hopefully get a response from somebody as im being ignored month in month out. Im only a small company but Virgin now owes us in the region of twenty thousand pounds.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

If as you state VM owe your company thousands, go through the small claims court, it's reasonably inexpensive, informal, if VM are found against then they pay your costs and the court makes an order against VM.
The proof you have can also be shown to the judge at the time, showing it here may not get you the thousands you claim they owe your company.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I am dubious about this. If you are in the industry and have proof, why not initiate Legal action? At the very least, report it to OFCOM.

If Virgin are doing this, it is fraud on a massive scale.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

It could be a wind up from a disgruntled Customer, but if it is as serious as the person states they should report to OFCOM aswell as go through the small claims court to recover their money.
I am sure the NOTW would love a leader like that!
Time will tell.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

If it's a wind up then it stops now - I will not allow people to use this forum for that sort of thing.

If it's genuine - and I'm keeping an open mind on this - then action needs to be taken to deal with it.

My offer to pass all this on to our high level contacts in VM stands, if it's genuine then it's possible those at the top might not be aware of it.

Adam - send me a PM if you want me to pass it on, all information will be treated in confidence.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

This is why I am dubious.. If the OP is in the industry (and I am not saying he is not, I don't know), then he should know (or at least be able to find out) the correct procedures to follow or who to complain to.

He certainly wouldn't open himself to potential legal action by stating on a public forum that a company is committing fraud on a massive scale.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Russ B I have sent you a private message. Please put me in contact with your contacts at Virgin Media.

Thanks

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Mine won't be, as I pay £9 a month for 200 mins of talk time to any phone, anywhere (including mobiles in other countries) so as such I don't get billed for the calls unless I go over the 200 mins, which I don't.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

and learn to spell

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Im still waiting for these Virgin contacts.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

It's the weekend Adam....

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Ok no worries. Thanks

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

An update:

I've been informed by Virgin Media that their activity in this is completely legal and done to protect their business.

I'm not party to the actual discussion between them and Adam, I'm sure he'll post any further information about this should he feel inclined.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I personally think, this is a wind up, sounds like somebody is miffed with Virgin's National Service and is trying to "cause" issues. Can this be closed, as there is nothing official from Virgin on this subject. Unless somebody can confirm this please?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I don't see any reason to close this thread. I've had official confirmation from one of our high level contacts at VM that what they are doing is ethical and legal. If Adam or anybody else wanted to challenge that then there avenues they can persue.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I would expect if it is confirmed that any calls have been made due to tampering any affected customer who had been incorrectly billed would have the calls refunded to them

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Hi
Update:
Ive spoken to a representative at Virgin Media and he tells me that the Compromising of equipment is most probably Mux hacks. This is an ongoing problem for them month in month out.
Ok
I am fighting the AIT retentions for my companies as Virgin is still collecting the revenue for these numbers whether there is a "Mux Hack" or not. I can proove that Virgin is collectiong these revenues as I have paid my bills that have these very numbers that Virgin is claiming to be called via compromised equipment. I ahve been told that as a customer I would have to individually contest calls to those numbers and then go through a complaints procedure to get some sort of compensation.

I called Virgin Media as a residential customer on 09/09/09 and was told that I would have to write a letter to an address in Swansea to contest my bill. I questioned the numbers tha Virgin themselves have said in a statement to the industry:

"We suspect all are artificially inflating traffic by compromising Virgin Media equipment"

That is their own statement to BT Wholesale in defence of not paying their bill.

BUT I have these numbers on my residential bill and I have paid my bill. Agian I am told to go through the official complaints procedure in writing. So if I dont (and some people wont bother or give up) then Virgin pockets the revenue 100% profit.

This cant be legal. Virgin collecting revenue on calls that it claims are a result of compromised equipment.

After my initial enquiry as a residential customer on 09/09/09 the only way foreward is to write a letter to the Swanse address and see what happens.

Today 15/09/09 I have spkent to a Virgin Media cheif executive about this, I was told again that each individual must complain individually about numbers they dont recognise on their bill.

Hang on, not 100% of these customers will complain or follow it up, again big big profits for Virgin who dont automatically credit the accounts in question over calls they claim are a result of compromised equipment.

later today approx 3.00pm my entire home residential Virgin Media account was suspended. Broadband, TV and phone all suspened. I called customer services to find out what had happened. They told me

"Your account has been suspended as you made a statement to us that you are reufusing to pay us"

I couldnt believe what I was hearing, so if you make a complaint or dispute thats what happens. Account suspended.

I called the chief exec again at Virgin, he looked into the account and came back to me his explanation was different he told me it was a result of my bank payment not going through and they needed payment. I asked him why customer services had told me differently to which he told me that they didnt read the account notes properly. I paid him for services he said I owed to Virgin Media and he said he would lift the suspension.

That payment included ONCE AGAIN a payment for numbers on my bill which Virgin media keep saying are a result of compromised equipment. So once again even the contact at Virgin Media whch was given here is also happy to take payment for calls that have been made to numbers via compromised equipment.

So Virgin are still collection thousands of pounds on calls that they are disputing in the trade.

This cant be legal. I have received no credit for these calls and I suspect hundreds of other customers havnt either.

The call I made to Virgin on 09/09/09 I have recorded and will put on youtube as evidence that Virgin deny any knowledge of equipment being compromised but then in the industry get out of paying their bills by saying it does go on.

This must be an OFCOM matter surely?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

You will be breaking the law if you put a recorded call on YouTube, if you haven't gained the other party's permission (ie, you asked them at the beginning of the conversation was it all right for the call to be recorded).

Ofcom
Hope this helps.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

You probably know this anyway but if you do upload the recording to youtube be sure the agent's name and any identifying information is removed.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Do I need to ask permission? When I called Virgin Media they say at the begining "Calls my be recorded" So I recorded it.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

You still need permission of that individual agent unless you remove any identifying information from the recording.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Russ, are you sure about it being legal with the removal of the person's identifying info?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Then why don't you speak to OFCOM then?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

So, Adam B, have you raised with VM the issue about these numbers appearing on your bill that you have no recollection of making, and what are they going to do about it?

Just for the record, threatening to or actually withholding payment of any service places you in risk of credit default, which can result in other credit related services such as a credit card from being withdrawn, or having your agreement altered, such as increasing the monthly interest rate.

You can make yourself a cause célèbre if you wish, but it could hurt you in the long run.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Toto I have raised the issue of calls on my bill with VM and they told me that I have to write in. I mentioned their claims of the equipment being compromised but they say that they would never make such a claim and the claim isnt true. I will post the recordings later.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Not interested in the recording, as most are speculative given that one agent within a company cannot speak for the organization it represents on things it knows nothing about - or has not been told about.

You also need to remember that this clause option may not be known in part or whole by every VM employee, particularly front line staff.

So, you've written to them by now, and they are looking into these billing charges - good.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

If you're the MD of 3 telecoms companies why don't you know the rules and regulations surrounding telephone calls, what you can and can't do with them? Why don't you already know when it's time to call OFCOM?
I surely can't the only person wondering about this.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I certainly wouldn't go on a 3rd party forum that's not connected to VM in any way to complain about not getting paid for calls as part of my business?!

I also find the dual complaint about VM odd. They would seem to be mutually exclusive

If the calls have been made from the line then the calls are being claimed back incorrectly and then his business would need to take that up with the appropriate regulators

If however the calls haven't been made then the claimback is correct and then the refund of calls to his personal Virgin Media account is the issue which would need to be escalated within VM as per the standard process that customers have to make.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Recordings mean nothing and can't be used unless you have told they person, you are recording the call at the very start of the phone call.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Adam, PM me about this.

I've been watching this thread and had to make comment.

We had £250k's worth of July's revenue withheld on an 'AIT retention'. To be fair O8 are fighting it for us - but not holding our breath.
We had quite a lump in February as well, plus a whole number range barred from the network to add insult to injury.

Like yourself we've been in the business for quite a few years and this can certainly hurt - especially the smaller start-ups who are putting a load into advertisng etc..

Glad someone has had the balls to speak out about it - maybe a few more SP's will come out now and we can launch some sort of class action lawsuit after comparing notes ? :mad:

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

We have had approx 100+ numbers barred from Virgin Network. Loss of revenue lawsuit is a must I think.

---------- Post added at 02:13 ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 ----------

the thing is as I keep telling people here, The end users are still being billed and are paying for these numbers???

What a scam

---------- Post added at 02:27 ---------- Previous post was at 02:13 ----------

Barry we must talk

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

This is getting stranger by the minute - is it me, or am I seeing the same person speaking to himself?

Bottom line - any MD worth his salt would know how to deal with this properly and professionally - using the appropriate channels. Listing these so-called AIT's in this manner just smacks of attention seeking.

It would seem then that if VM are not paying revenues to the companies involved, that would suggest they have had complaints from their customers about said telephone numbers, and they have upheld those complaints

Perhaps Adam and Barry would be willing to be forthcoming as to what businesses they are running, as full disclosure may give some credibility to their claims.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

10/10 Toto.

Of course it's attention seeking ! If you're not in the game then you can't expect to understand how it works.
'Using the appropriate channels' - WTF ! - This is the Premium Rate industry we're talking about here !!

One of the points the OP has made is that VM has withheld ALL revenue on the basis that ALL calls made were AIT.
This is clearly bul***it as the OP made calls to his own Premium Rate numbers (as do we - it's called a line test) and not been paid out for them.

Another point, and Adam will back me up on this - VM always round up calls to a full minute - yet they only pay over the exact amount of seconds made to BT wholesale. Again this is going on with every single call made on their network - a seperate issue I know and maybe a topic for another thread but I thought it important to mention.

Adam, we've been down the route of OFCOM and they are only interested in protecting the consumer - this is internal within the industry and rests mainly on the shoulders of BT Wholesale to address.

The point is, VM are sitting on £millions of unpaid revenue and some would perceive (ourselves included) that in itself to be fraudulently obtained.

Mux hacks are way off the mark and we had that excuse from VM. Adam, you will not get anywhere with the 'Cheif Exec', if it is who I think it is. The real VM players don't want to talk - you hit a brick wall.


So how do VM explain an 09 being promoted solely on National Television with perfectly natural organic traffic as being legit - the answer ? - they don't. They stick an AIT claim into BTW and hope to get away with it. FACT.

If there were legit customer complaints then BT, Voda, o2 etc. would all be banging in an AIT retention on the same number range - they don't, only VM.

Speaks for itself really..

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

OK, points made that can't really be corroborated, but I don't have a problem with that, its not my issue because I don't use premium rate services.

So again, are you and Adam prepared to divulge what your "telecoms" business is, something that can be checked as legitimate?

Oh,sorry forgot this bit:

Do your respective premium rate services charge by the second, no rounding up to the nearest 30 seconds or minute?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Virgin have just put yet another AIT retention into BT Wholesale for August.

And yes, Virgin are still billing the customers for the calls.

This is mass fraud.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Hi Adam, can you explain to us why Virgin are still billing their customers for your service when you state in post #41 that they have barred over a 100 of your premium numbers?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

They have barred them now, they never used to be barred. Every month the submit an AIT retention claim they then barr access to those numbers.

The thing is I dont believe there is any hacking. Virgin are doing this to get out of paying us but then bill the customers. Massive profits for Virgin.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

So from this point on, or when you noticed your numbers were barred, there will be no further charges to VM customers?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I dont know, Virgin will probably still bill customers.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I doubt that.

So, what services are VM customers being denied since they started blocking your numbers?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I don't think it matters what sort of service Adam is providing. VM have stated their position so repeating the same points here over and over won't do any good. If someone feels they have a legal case then let them have their day in court.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I think 1000s of customers should have their day in court for being charged calls that Virgin state are being made via compromised equipment.

Of course I say again I dont believe any equipment has been compromised but Virgin keep making that statement month in month out to get out of paying their bills.

If and I say IF Virgin Media equipment was being compromised then each and every one of you Virgin customers needs to question your bill. Also as I say again If Virgin Media equipment is being compromised then why are customers still being billed for calls? I repeat I have been billed for calls that Virgin are claiming are a result of compromised equipment so here we go again, Virgin are collecting revenue from THOUSANDS of customers while making statement about THOSE VERY CALLS to the industry stating that they are calls made via compromised equipment. Its all a big scam.

An update, Ive managed to get an AIT retention by Virgin for June reversed. Virgin couldnt substaintiate their claims. Of course they couldnt.

Virgin are scamming the industry or the end user or both.

I have detailed information from the networks of all the calls made to my numbers. Im going to call all the customers and see if they paid the phone bill and ask them if they made the calls.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty sure that would break the Data Protection Act

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Sorry, there are some elements of this discussion that are not ringing true here, but I'll not bring myself into a protracted argument and leave it at that.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

This is all true

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Adam, DO NOT CALL THE CUSTOMERS.

Are you looking at an EFO.? (will understand if you don't answer either way).

For the people who are wondering what an EFO is. It is an internal VM 'Extended Format Output' datafield that details Switch Code, Start Date of call, Start Time of Call, End Date of Call, End Time, Duration (in seconds !!), Originating Number, Terminating Number, Answer Detect (Y/N), Valid Staus, Valid Code, Billing Number, Divert Detect, Sequence Number, Input Filename and CDR Type.

If you are privy to this information (and not many outside VM are) then it should in theory be an open and shut 'no argument' case.
Certainly in our case (and possibly many many others) this is not the case at all.

VM just don't pay - stating 'AIT'.

Yes Adam, it would appear we are lookning at wholesale fraud here on the part of VM. :shocked:

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Die you know Barry Issell is an anagram of Barr sly lies.? ;)

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Re Barry, forum members may find this of interest.

Saynoto0870.com thread

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Thanks for the link foreverwar. That thread provides a very interesting read.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

The simple solution is for all these money grabbing "services" to be banned!!

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

:clap:

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

You mean like this

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09...egulator_acts/

The premium rate phone regulator has moved to stamp out charges levied by operators for information provided elsewhere for free. It also objected to operators promoting premium-rate services on websites with the .org suffix.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

:clap:

I'll second that!

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

*Begin rant*

FFS!

All of a sudden the "pack mentality" closes in.
Internet forums really DO bring out the best in people, dont they?

How would you all feel if VM WERE shafting you all like he says?
Sounds as though theres a possibility he's right?

Who cares what business he's in? Who knows what it is...does it actually matter?
Is it relevant to this thread?

The Guy seems to be raising a fair point which might affect us all.

After reading this I'm asking VM to list my call charges individuallyon my bill.

*end of rant*


There, that feels beter. :)

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Out to Gazjam

Finally somebody has got it!!!

I know you guys on here dont care wether I get paid for my premium rate calls or not. I know you guys may hate premium rate guys like myself but Im tryng to tell you Virgin media is screwing each and every customer EVERY month and I have PROOF.

Virgin Ive had enough. i still havnt been paid the thousands of pounds revenue you owe my company and I expect thousands if not millions you owe other companies.

Ive put massive pressure on every telco I can over this. BT Wholesale for one and Ive had enough. Im taking the lot of you to court for MASSIVE fraud against my company and each and every Virgin media customer.

Ive called Virgin media yet again over my personal home phone bill and guess what I HAVE TO PAY IT on the very numbers that Virgin wont pay revenue to network providers.

VIRGIN YOU SCAMMERS.

Im also in talks with the BBC and their Watchdog program.

Once again I know you dont care about the thousands Im owed butI think you might care when yourealise Virgin media are scamming you month in month out. I ahve evidence in the industry to PROVE this.

---------- Post added at 04:35 ---------- Previous post was at 04:32 ----------

Im going to post videos with evidence and a vlog following this story. Im sorry Virgin Ive had enough.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

See, this is why comments like this are met with some incredulity. It has nothing to do with the so called forum "pack mentality" Gazjam

I do not use premium rate numbers, so where does your statement stand now? How are Virgin Media ripping me off?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I see a lot of people jumping on this guys back thinking it is a wind up and disbelieving what he is saying when VM themselves have as good as admitted it to an independant party

That is an admittance. So Adam is telling the truth otherwise VM would have given a denial to Russ unless all you jumping on Adams back wish also to jump on Russ's and besmirch his character also

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Not necessarily. Virgin did not say to Russ what they had done, merely that what they had done was legal. We only know what Adam says they did, which could be quite different to what they did.

It's also worth noting that even if they were to admit to doing something wrong, it is unlikely that they would do so to a member of the team of a public forum, especially one that is not only not owned by Virgin, but is actually considered by some of the management to be a pain in the proverbial.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

This is a great thread. I've got to tell all my friends! :group::hyper::hyper:

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Then what will you do after you have rung both of them?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Oh come on VM are not a clean company

Russ said to Adam that he would pass information on. So if this happened the details went through Russ they then replied to Russ with what I see as an admittal of doing something along the lines of the accusation. If they were clean and innocent they would have replied with an outright denial

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Please tell me where I said that. I said that they haven't said what they did, I also said that what they did may be different to what Adam says. They were the ones who said what they did was legal. I did not say that what they did was either legal or "clean".

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I have 3. one more than you by the sounds of it :D

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

As far as I am aware, they did not pass details on to Russ about what they had done, merely that it was legal.

They certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to say anything that could be considered admission of doing anything wrong in a public forum. I am not discussing whether what they did was right or wrong as I don't know whether it was. I am merely pointing out that only Adam and Virgin know what was discussed, and we only have Adam's word to go on.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

As usual, your post is based on assumptions and lack of knowledge. ;)

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Didnt Russ pass on information then? as the offer was made near the start of this thread?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Seriously now, you need to stop reading things in to matters you have no knowledge of - such as what was discussed in my communication with them about this.

VM have told me that their involvement in this issue (ie their version of the story, not necessarily Adam's) is completely legal and above board.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

No, Russ said
Now, I don't know if VM did discuss details of this with Russ, but I suspect they wouldn't as we are an outside party. As such, they probably wouldn't risk telling us details in case of legal action.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

They obviously know about the thread?
what I don't get (be it legal in their eyes) is the taking of our money and not passing it on. to the normal person that will look like fraud.
they're billing you for calls, and then them very same calls they are disputing over and not paying the third party.
money floating around, it's not being disputed and given back as a result.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

How do you know that if they have claimed any money back that they haven't refunded the customers? You are working off the OP statements that they haven't

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

From what has been said, they don't pay the bill, and each individual must complain individually about numbers they dont recognise on their bill.

The conspiracy is that they stopped itemising the calls, making it much harder to dispute a call that may well have been caused through their compromised equipment.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

That's what has been said by one person. Virgin have not specifically addressesed the allegations that the OP has made.

As for itemisation there has been no change on itemisation. You have always had to request full itemisation. In fact it used to cost £1 a month, it is now free

I have no idea whether the OP allegations are true or not (And if they are I would not defend Virgin in any way), but personally I find the very fact that rather than take it up with OFCOM or address it through the courts, the OP makes unsubstanciated allegations on a public forum a bit iffy.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I've always had full itemisation and have never had any premium rate call charges I didn't make, I do however have £30 in call charges to an 0845 number, being SAAS and over an hour on each call.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Which will all work against him in a court

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

The complainant, or, complainants, because it is apparently more than one individual, can take this up through the legal system, seeing as now VM seem to have denied any wrong doing.
It is a pain free process which involves the paying of a court fee and a local District Judge will decide on the case.
It is very informal and can even be applied for online.
Just a question, if these accusations turned out to be true, what has happened to the money that has been charged to customers but part of which was not allegedly passed on to the complainants company?
We can only hope that it does end up in court so we find out, but it is no good the complainant only taking out their frustrations, warranted or not, on here, I do not think VM are going to back down on these boards when they feel they have done nothing wrong.
Another point, if the complainants are so concerned about the customer, get in touch with watchdog, they would love a story like this.
Also, if VM management think this Forum is a pain in the backside, why carry a VM logo ? are the Forum getting a fee for doing so?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

We most certainly do not get a fee for doing so. The logo is used purely to make the cable forums more easily identifiable. You'll notice we also carry Sky logos.

As for the the statement about being a pain in the backside, I have heard this from various staff members. Officially, they are co-operating. Unofficially a lot of managers consider us to be a bad thing.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

so you know the truth and are obviously not prepared to divulge the information. Meaning only you and Adam know whats happened here and everyone else is reading things into matters we have no knowledge of

---------- Post added at 10:39 ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 ----------

Russ just said in the post above yours ;)

On the whole with all the secrets and everything else thats been going on with VM policy at this juncture I would tend to side on not trusting VM as far as I could throw them and seeing as they are a corperation and have big buildings its nowhere lol

By the way at what they said to Russ about not doing anything illegal there is a difference between Legal and Moral isnt there. There are lots of things I can legally do but they are not all gonna be Just

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Stuart, I was not having a pop at anyone.
Why would the logo make this forum " more easily identifiable " ?
If I google " Cable Forum " the first result I get is this Forum.
But thanks for clarifying things, just that if I felt that someone thought that the service I give was a pain in the proverbial I would not give them free advertsing, be they VM or SKY.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Very true. legal and moral, don't always go together.
especially when you're VM :)

Seriously, if this is true then someone needs to look into it. the OP says that he has had talks with the CEO and others, so they know what he's talking about, and are aware of what he's claiming. and I'm sure the mods have done some detective work on his IP.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I really shouldn't have to clarify this sort of thing as I have no agenda for or against VM. I'm not going to post the contents of the email as I have not been given permission from the person who sent it (there's no law involved but of courtesy I'd want to give permission if it was my email being discussed) but the gist was "what VM are going in this matter is legal and ethical". Whether what VM say they are doing is what Adam says they're doing is a different matter and the answer to which I just don't know.

Now feel free to make up your minds.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

I already have. We do not know the full truth but for VM imo to respond to you how they have instead of a stright denial leads me to believe something has gone on.

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Gary L You have got it.

Virgin Media get out of paying their phone bills by saying that their equipment has been compromised.
They then bill their own end users for that same traffic.

Mass profits for Virgin

Mass FRAUD

Videos will come next Ive had it.

Adam B

Virgin Media Massive Scam and Lies
 

Ok
Im not giving up on this. Virgin Media are liars.
Im posting regular videos to PROVE that Virgin Media bill customers for phone calls and then LIE about them and then dont pay network providers.

Virgin Media are a bunch of scammers.

Virgin pay the networks what you owe and stop scamming the end user.

---------- Post added at 02:28 ---------- Previous post was at 02:27 ----------

And stop scamming the networks

Re: Virgin Media Massive Scam and Lies
 

and where r the videos?

Re: Virgin Media Massive Scam and Lies
 

All videos posted over the next ferw days

---------- Post added at 04:05 ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 ----------

Part one introduction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqsHPWL8z8

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

This is part one introduction to Virgin Scamming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqsHPWL8z8

Re: Virgin Media Massive Scam and Lies
 

Some of those premium numbers are calls to explicit sex lines.

Re: Virgin Media Massive Scam and Lies
 

Did this really need another thread?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

Something smells fishy about that. Who on earth has that many premium rate numbers on their bill without being sure whether or not they were actually called? The first thing I'd do is google the numbers and see if it came up with any company I'd be likely to call.

In any case Adam you've been going on about this for 2 months now - when's the court date?

Re: Virgin Media Equipment has Been Compromised
 

LOL, he can't even remember calling those numbers, but he may have called them?????

Fishier than Bilingsgate market.