Warning for O2 customers to check bills as thousands CHARGED for loyalty discount
The mobile phone operator, which has 25million customers in the UK, accidentally applied a charge for a 'loyalty discount' on bills
CUSTOMERS of O2 are being warned to check bills after thousands may have been accidentally "overcharged".
The mobile phone network, which has 25million customers in the UK, has admitted a mistake on its billing system led to the error.
Instead of applying a "loyalty discount" a number of customers were charged extra on their August phone bill.
O2 claims that it accidentally applied a loyalty discount for an extra month and its billing system automatically applied a charge the following month to claim it back.
It now plans to write to all customers affected by the error to apologise and extend their loyalty discounts for an additional 12 months, as long as they remain on the same tariff.
Customers should check their bills and confirm with O2 that the extra discount will be applied if they were affected by this error.
Loyalty discounts vary depending on the customers tariff and circumstance.
For example, it could be a student discount or a specific promotion offered to the customer at the time of taking out their contract.
The amount of discount and length of time it will be applied to bills also varies.
The error was first reported by but scores of customers have been complaining on social media.
One customer said: "Hey @O2 just wondered why my bill has gone from £21.40 a month to over £50??
"Ever since I signed up for my sim only plan I get a £12.50 loyalty discount off my bill but this month you've added £12.10 loyalty 'discount' to my bill?? Am I paying you for my loyalty??"
Another added: "Thanks @O2 for the loyalty discount... not sure if I should stay loyal if I'm going to be charged for it."
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A spokesperson from 02 said: We’re aware that some customers who’d been receiving a discount for 12 months had received a further discount for one additional month.
"Unfortunately this was a mistake and on the next bill, our billing system automatically applied a charge for the amount that had been mistakenly discounted.
"This had appeared on the itemised bill as ‘Loyalty Discount’ giving the impression we had charged for a discount."
"Once we identified what had happened, it was quickly fixed."
In March, O2 announced a massive shake-up of its tariffs.
New rules being considered by the Ofcom could help mobile phone customers save money.
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