Charged with extra fees without warning

[GinaKou]

I was calling the customer service line of a company, using my mobile phone. Typically, such service numbers do not incur additional fees, and if there are any, the mobile service provider notifyis its users about the extra charges for the specific number dialed. Apparently the number was outside EU and Vodafone charged me 125€, without any notification, voice message warning prior to the call, or text message informing me after.

[Rikst]

Hi @GinaKou 

I can understand you were not happy to find out this costs on you invoice.  But since you have called different numbers outside EU, these costs are correct. Please find the specific fees on our website. The find out the exact date, time and numbers you have called, please check the invoice specification in My Vodafone. 

[GinaKou]

Hello,

I have called a customer service line and these numbers do not usually have extra fees.

If the number dialed has extra fees, I believe is the obligation of the service provider to inform the customer, that the provider will charge you extra for this cost.

I have a contract with a fixed price per month, because I want to consume the specific MB and call time per month, as agreed. How should I know that the number I am calling has extra fees if Vodafone, as my network provider, is not informing me? Or blocking my call? If we exceed the MB consumption, Vodafone is sending SMS, why I did not receive any notification or voice warning that I am being charged extra?

[Tjeerd85]

Hello, not Nice to hear offcourse, but Vodafone is not responsible For who or what you are calling, you can find al the prices here: https://www.vodafone.nl/support/abonnement-en-rekening/tarieven-en-voorwaarden 

p.s. I’m just a member like you are. 

[Energieboy]

Hi
You indicate that the service provider, I assume you mean Vodafone, must inform you about the costs. That is not true, the owner of the service number must inform you about the costs. Your contract with Vodafone, with unlimited calling, does not cover costs that fall outside this unlimited calling. Of course, Vodafone cannot block your call because you incur high costs. You always have your own responsibility. There are indeed additional costs for calling a customer service number, outside the EU and within the EU. See the rate example below and also see the URLs already given above.

By the way, I do not work for Vodafone, just like you, I am a Vodafone customer. And because I have experienced this problem myself, I can speak from experience. It's annoying and something to pay close attention to next time. *I translate in Google*

[GinaKou]

Thank you both for the comments.

I am aware that my contract is not covering calls outside EU, however service numbers most of the times are free of charge, as support lines. I was expecting the service provider to inform with a voice message or a notification SMS that this call occurs extra charges.

I guess that this extra mile in Service level has not reached Vodafone NL yet, but please take it as an improvement measure to avoid situations like this. 

[Energieboy]

It's not just Vodafone that doesn't do this, no provider does this. The person who owns the number must inform the caller what rate applies. It may be a toll-free number in that country, but not from Vodafone, which is stated in the general terms and conditions (price and rate information).

Of course it would be nice if Vodafone could also report this, but then there is so much administration behind it. I don't think this is possible for a provider. Perhaps a tip for Vodafone: notify customers who call outside their bundle that this call costs money and that it is outside the bundle. That might be an idea 😉😁

*sorry, translation from Google translate*

[GinaKou]

I have also seen the below message, in a similar company on the market, so it is an idea and it is implemented from many providers already, it was my mistake that I thought Vodafone would provide the same service, as it is one of the biggest telephone companies:

"receive a text notification to inform you when your unbilled account balance becomes higher than usual, due to premium-rated voice, data, or international usage charges."