'I was saved from debt collectors thanks to the Express Crusader - they can help you too'

Cutting ties was harder than a phone customer ever expected when an account he no longer used and thought was disconnected led to a debt collection order and no end of confusion.

The payment demand John Chambers received recently included details about an address he had left years ago, a non-existent email and a number long forgotten. Given that verification would have been nigh on impossible, in a bid to end the matter he decided to pay the £22.63 small sum he was told he still owed.

But when he called his former provider O2 UK to ensure the account was terminated and no further charges added, “I learned this could not be done since I no longer had access to the email address and number”, he told Crusader.

A week or so later the bill had risen to £52.94. “My partner paid that and was assured a note would be put on the account saying I wanted termination and there would be no further increases. I would, though, need to attend an O2 store with identification to ensure termination,” John added.

++ If you've been affected by this issue or feel you've been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on maisha.frost@express.co.uk ++

He did that and store staff said they could do termination and would let him know via his current mobile number. “But I didn’t hear anymore until I got a debt recovery warning and an order to pay £62.94. I will pay the debt collector to avoid the trauma of legal action but I fear this will never end,” he despaired.

To spare all sides wasting more time we asked O2 to investigate and it did with a swift and positive response that confirmed John’s account had been closed. In a helpful addition, a spokesperson said: “The outstanding balance has also been waived so nothing is owed and all debt has been cleared.” [name has been changed]