Look after your phone, and your phone will look after you...

[Mike Morgan]

I have a mobile account which among other stuff includes 300 minutes worth of calls per month.

Had a text from my provider yesterday saying 'pay up or we cut you off'.

Rang them, explained I pay by direct debit, ?30 PCM, what's the prob.  Oh, the ?4,600+ bill is due to the calls you made from Pakistan.  I've only been east of Cardiff about twice in the last 8 years.  Provider are looking into it and assure me I have nowt to worry about as their anti fraud peeps spotted abnormal usage - only once in the last three years have I exceeded 100 minutes pm.

The provider is impressive so far, and will hopefully remain so.

Don't know the details of the scam - was in a leetl bit of shock when I rang and discussed it with them! - but it seems people can attach their number to your account.  It's not your number that's used, but some sort of parasite that attaches itself to your account ( a mate of mine has his, his wife's and his daughters different numbers all attached to the same account ).

It's back to the call box on the corner of the street for me from now on!

[John Bannon]

but some sort of parasite that attaches itself to your account

Thanks for the info MBB, I had the same problem, eventually managed to get a divorce.......

[Mike Morgan]

Nice comment. I know I shouldn't laugh at what is a human tragedy.  But what the hell. 
It could be considered that you got off lightly if it was only ?4.6k

Perhaps we could do a poll on how may times married / divorced individual boarders are?  (Say it in the tones of a Sun advert reading man with a dynamic voice.)

I'm one marriage; one divorce; absolutely no intention of putting myself in a position where I could get divorced again.

Any one else noticed (cue Sun man again) that when you declare yourself not interested in the ladies (but not in the way you say you're interested in chaps), you suddenly become a target for all the hot women?

Me neither.

[William Rait]

Scary stuff! I use pay as you go & so avoid these problems-with o2 get free texts or calls to other o2 users which is the very small circle of people that I phone or text.
have been married only once and we are seperated but still living in the same house as we can't get it sold. Am 50 ,working poor(i.e I work but as she is not working and we are still stuck together all my salary goes on paying mortgage bills etc) apparently this is a common position for a lot of people both in Uk and in the USA(according to something I heard on the BBC World Service). My ex has been able to find a new "friend" but like MBB I notice that the ladies are not exactly flocking to  this 50 year old, old hippie ,Manfan

Hmmm wonder why??

[Pete T]

Vodaphone for me, nothing else works up here, pay as you go.

Marriage. What's the problem chaps? Been happily married for 28 years now, and still enjoying every day. Now 52, and semi-retired, and living on Gills pension till mine kicks in at 60. Do odd jobs now and again if someone needs helping out, otherwise growing veg on the croft. Spent 3 days last week on the hotel roof replacing slipped slates. Brew our own wine and beer, and trade eggs for crabs, fish etc. Life's pretty good really..

[Mike Morgan]

Hey, let's raise a glass to those for whom it works.

Ex-wife and I are ok, largely (is that the sound of my trumpet being blown by me?) down to my efforts to ensure our son had as normal an upbringing as possible - mam and dad both @ school concerts, parents evenings etc etc.  15 years on and her (not involved in the divorce) partner has been of great help to me on many occasions and vice versa. He may have had the worse part of the deal spending 6 days a week with an adolescent not of his making!

A reasonable outcome, all things considered.

53 and set in my single ways