ISPs Slamming

[Nigel]

It appears from various posts I've read elsewhere that certain ISPs are "slamming" their old customers by moving them back without their knowledge until it's a done deal. One fellow migrated to Falconnet from Supanet back in mid-January and was perfectly happy with Falconnet until he found out that Supanet had taken him back again without him asking nor telling him. He now has to sort out the mess. It's not unlike the recent report on BBC Watchdog where Tiscali/Pipex was doing the same thing with people's phone lines.
QUESTION. Is there any way we can ask IDNet to refuse a migration until it's confirmed with the person concerned? It would be my worst nightmare to find I was now with another ISP without even knowing about it

[Captain K]

Interesting.  What's the source?

I'm pretty sure a company can't "take" from another provider without a MAC code from the previous provider.

[Nigel]

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=unhappiness&Number=3269119&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o=0#Post3269119
Does IDNet have procedures to stop this happening?

[madasahatter]

This is all very confusing - I thought that ISPs put a "tag" on your line to stop this happening - very strange. Things that make you go hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Simon]

I've never heard of this happening, and it has got to be illegal.  If you are paying one company for a service, another company can't just come along and 'steal' you.  What would be the point?  The 'stealing' company would also have to somehow obtain payments for the service, and I really don't think one ISP could get a payment changed in their favour, without the customer's knowledge.  The only way this could happen is, in the example of Pipex and Tiscali, when one company takes over another.  I can't see this happening with IDNet, without them even bothering to let us know.

[Rik]

Usually, the only time slamming occurs is when there's LLU involved, eg Tiscali and CWP have both moved customers onto LLU without telling them. Within IPStream, I'd expect the losing ISP to query what was going on if they had not been asked for a MAC. BT shouldn't action a move without a valid MAC either. Falconnet are a reseller, of course, which may be why this slipped through.

[Nigel]

Yes Rik, I'm sure your right. Of course in this case the fraudulent ISP would have all his details including his credit card information. It's all so dishonest and causes such a lot of problems in trying to sort out the mess.

[Rik]

It's possible that he has a case to take to the Police. It's also an argument for not using CCAs on cards to pay for a service.