Checking if lost Tesco PAYG phone is being used?

My 12-year-old lost his mobile a couple of weeks ago - had a Tesco PAYG
SIM in it.

We don't know whether it has been nicked/lost and found by someone, or
whether he's just misplaced it, which has an influence on how we proceed
(we've previously had a lost mobile turn up after as much as several
months!). Currently he's using the family 'spare' mobile and can
continue with that indefinitely as far as I'm concerned; however if we
knew that the original phone was gone for good I'd get it blocked, and
have a replacement SIM issued (presumably the credit on the old one
would transfer?)

So, in an ideal world I'd ring up Tesco and ask them if any calls had
been made from XYZ phone in the last fortnight, whether using his SIM
card or otherwise; however of course they won't tell me for data
protection reasons. Is there any way I can find out, or has anyone got
any clever tips?

If I phone the number, it tells me it's unavailable and diverts me to
voicemail (which is what I'd expect if the SIMs either in the phone
switched off, or has been pulled and is no longer being used.)

Thanks
David

---

› See More: Checking if lost Tesco PAYG phone is being used?

In news:[email protected],
Lobster <[email protected]> typed, for some strange,
unexplained reason:
: My 12-year-old lost his mobile a couple of weeks ago - had a Tesco
: PAYG SIM in it.

[snip]

: If I phone the number, it tells me it's unavailable and diverts me to
: voicemail (which is what I'd expect if the SIMs either in the phone
: switched off, or has been pulled and is no longer being used.)

Maybe a silly question, but why didn't you get the thing barred
immediately it was lost..?

Ivor

Ivor Jones wrote:
> In news:[email protected],
> Lobster <[email protected]> typed, for some strange,
> unexplained reason:
> : My 12-year-old lost his mobile a couple of weeks ago - had a Tesco
> : PAYG SIM in it.
>
> [snip]
>
> : If I phone the number, it tells me it's unavailable and diverts me to
> : voicemail (which is what I'd expect if the SIMs either in the phone
> : switched off, or has been pulled and is no longer being used.)
>
> Maybe a silly question, but why didn't you get the thing barred
> immediately it was lost..?

You don't have kids, do you...?

David

>So, in an ideal world I'd ring up Tesco and ask them if any calls had been
>made from XYZ phone in the last fortnight, whether using his SIM card or
>otherwise; however of course they won't tell me for data protection
>reasons.

IT's YOUR phone, if it is registered to you and you can satisfy them you are
the owner they should tell you.
In any case just telling you if it is in use or not would be no breach of
data protection.
Regards,
Martin

"Lobster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ivor Jones wrote:
>> In news:[email protected],
>> Lobster <[email protected]> typed, for some strange,
>> unexplained reason:
>> : My 12-year-old lost his mobile a couple of weeks ago - had a Tesco
>> : PAYG SIM in it.
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> : If I phone the number, it tells me it's unavailable and diverts me to
>> : voicemail (which is what I'd expect if the SIMs either in the phone
>> : switched off, or has been pulled and is no longer being used.)
>>
>> Maybe a silly question, but why didn't you get the thing barred
>> immediately it was lost..?
>
> You don't have kids, do you...?
>
> David

thought that was the point of a PAYGO phone, especially for the young set.
Get a cheapy phone, keep a minimal amount on the card then if lost why
worry. Even I have an O2 PAYGO for that very reason.

We are after all in a throw away world............ever been to a recycling
tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined up...........that man
had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one major part
that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine to repair
and you're on to a winner. Even gives you enough dosh to set up a technology
centre.

On Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:57:28 +0100, Lobster
<[email protected]> wrote:

>You don't have kids, do you...?

I don't feel this is the kind of response Ivor would expect. He was
after all just suggesting a course of action that many people would
take.

The question I would be asking myself is whether the SIM had been PIN
protected. If it has been, then if it is no longer connected to the
network, as you infer, it can no longer be as the chance of guessing
the PIN are almost zero in three attempts. If it wasn't PIN protected
then that will be a lesson well learned.

If it was me, I would ring Tesco Mobile and tell them he has misplaced
the SIM and ask them if they will supply another one. I have always
found them most helpful and you will probably end up with a new SIM
with the old phone number and the remaining credit transferred,
assuming there is any. This action will also cut off the old SIM
wherever it may be.

The advantage to doing this is that if the phone ever turns up in the
future it isn't blocked and can be re-used. If someone else is using
it I guess you can put that down to experience. I don't see it as
worthwhile going to the effort of getting a network to block a PAYG
phone which 'may' be lost.

Al.

"Martin²" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> IT's YOUR phone, if it is registered to you and you can satisfy them you
> are the owner they should tell you.

Well, that was my thought too.

Why won't they tell you?


--
J B

tpow wrote:

ever been to a recycling
> tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined up...........that man
> had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one major part
> that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine to repair
> and you're on to a winner.

Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people pay
£200 for a replacement instead.

The two Dysons we have are many, many years old and the only failure has
been from dropping one down the stairs.

J B wrote:
> "Martin²" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> IT's YOUR phone, if it is registered to you and you can satisfy them
>> you are the owner they should tell you.
>
> Well, that was my thought too.
>
> Why won't they tell you?
>
>

Probably because their script includes "if they want any information,
give them the data protection act get-out response", as it's the easy
option.

--
PeeGee

The reply address is a spam trap. All mail is reported as spam.
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)

In message [email protected],
Iain <[email protected]> Proclaimed from the tallest tower:

> tpow wrote:
>
> ever been to a recycling
>> tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined
>> up...........that man had his head screwed on, designed and build a
>> machine with one major part that lasts just over the year and costs
>> as much as a new machine to repair and you're on to a winner.
>
> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people
> pay £200 for a replacement instead.
>
> The two Dysons we have are many, many years old and the only failure
> has been from dropping one down the stairs.

I was going to reply in a similar way, but in the end didn't bother. Our
Dyson has given us several years of trouble free use, and is still going
strong!

Thanks for the hint about the £50 refurbish though, didn't know that. Will
investigate, might be worth knowing if we DO have a problem...


--
Regards,
Chris.
(Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)

"Iain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> tpow wrote:
>
> ever been to a recycling
>> tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined up...........that
>> man had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one major
>> part that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine to
>> repair and you're on to a winner.
>
> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people pay
> £200 for a replacement instead.
>
> The two Dysons we have are many, many years old and the only failure has
> been from dropping one down the stairs.

I can only comment on this with regard from my own personal experience. We
had a Dyson and it had problem after problem. Dyson themselves were unable
to provide replacement parts (can't remember what they were now) and after
three weeks of waiting for parts, Dyson sent us a cheque for the original
cost of the unit and told us they had written our unit off.

We bought a SEBO - faultless in 7 years. In defence of Dyson, I suspect
things might have improved now

"Iain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> tpow wrote:
>
> ever been to a recycling
>> tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined up...........that
>> man had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one major
>> part that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine to
>> repair and you're on to a winner.
>
> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people pay
> £200 for a replacement instead.
>
> The two Dysons we have are many, many years old and the only failure has
> been from dropping one down the stairs.

we looked after our neighbours house for a week and used their
Dyson.........for about 2 minutes then returned home for our
Hoover...........

Dyson are not ergonomically designed for easy use.

"tpow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Iain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> tpow wrote:
>>
>> ever been to a recycling
>>> tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined up...........that
>>> man had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one major
>>> part that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine to
>>> repair and you're on to a winner.
>>
>> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
>> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people pay
>> £200 for a replacement instead.
>>
>> The two Dysons we have are many, many years old and the only failure has
>> been from dropping one down the stairs.
>
> we looked after our neighbours house for a week and used their
> Dyson.........for about 2 minutes then returned home for our
> Hoover...........
>
> Dyson are not ergonomically designed for easy use.
>

forgot to add, 12 year old Hoover with no £50 repairs in
sight...........only new bags.

"Iain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> tpow wrote:
>
> ever been to a recycling
> > tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined
up...........that man
> > had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one
major part
> > that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine
to repair
> > and you're on to a winner.
>
> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people
pay
> £200 for a replacement instead.

Plus people are daft enough to believe they have no comeback if a
product fails after 13 months, just because it has a 12 month
guarantee.

If a product can reasonably be expected to last a few years, and it
fails well before that but after the guarantee period, you are
entitled to demand the retailer repair it/provide compensation.

--
Andy

"Andy Pandy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Iain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> tpow wrote:
>>
>> ever been to a recycling
>> > tip and looked at the Dysons (upright Hoovers) lined
> up...........that man
>> > had his head screwed on, designed and build a machine with one
> major part
>> > that lasts just over the year and costs as much as a new machine
> to repair
>> > and you're on to a winner.
>>
>> Excellent example of how stupid people are. Dyson will completely
>> refurbish your Dyson vacuum cleaner onsite for only £50 - yet people
> pay
>> £200 for a replacement instead.
>
> Plus people are daft enough to believe they have no comeback if a
> product fails after 13 months, just because it has a 12 month
> guarantee.
>
> If a product can reasonably be expected to last a few years, and it
> fails well before that but after the guarantee period, you are
> entitled to demand the retailer repair it/provide compensation.
>
> --
> Andy
>
>

WRONG..............