O2 damaged my credit for no reason – and now ignores me.

​@o2_Giulia ​@o2_Solveig  Please provide me with a direct email address to your billing department so I can send a signed official document and receive a written, accountable response.

As a paying customer, I have the right to written correspondence — especially in a case where legal objections and billing inconsistencies are involved.

You cannot reasonably expect consumers to resolve contractual disputes only by phone, without a chance to properly archive or forward the communication to legal representatives.

The billing department is not contactable by email. The contact form is the correct way to submit documents electronically. The alternative is recorded delivery by post.

SOLVIT is not an option as that is only an option for EU citizens who have an issue with a public authority in another EU country. The contact point if you cannot achieve a resolution with o2 directly would be the Verbraucherzentrale as already mentioned.

Yes please, get in touch with the Verbraucherzentrale the could help you. Otherwise you could get more problems as you need. 

Thank you all for your input.

Regarding SOLVIT – you are partially right. It only applies to issues involving public authorities across EU countries, but some borderline cases involving essential services and rights might still be considered.

However, I find it highly illogical that I am allowed to call the billing department, but not to send a written statement via email – especially when legal traceability and language barriers are involved. A call is not legally binding nor verifiable.

That said, I’m tired of this loop. I’ve submitted a formal written complaint and will wait for a proper answer to it.

Wishing everyone the best – and thank you again.

Yes, there are borderline cases as you mention (an example would be if the Bundesnetzagentur failed to provide the support it is legally obliged to in a dispute with your provider concerning provision of Internet services), but SOLVIT specifically excludes consumer disputes such as yours for the very reason that there are other agencies that are better suited to assist. I am of course not trying to stop you from submitting a case if you think it might in fact be accepted.

I also think it is best to now wait for a reply to your complaint and take it from there.

Good liuck!

​@bs0 

One more thought I would like to share, triggered by this discussion.

I started to reflect on the validity of the original contract itself. The base contract have been signed on 3rd September 2024. However, at that point:

• I was not yet registered in Germany (official registration: 1st January 2025),

• I did not have permanent residence confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung issued only on 20th January 2025),

• And I was not even in possession of a base contract that clearly outlined the consequences or penalties that now appear to be applied against me.

So my question is:

On what legal basis was this contract concluded?

And where is the actual contract that I allegedly signed?

Until reading through this forum, I had not fully questioned whether the contract itself could be invalid or incomplete. I had given a phone, where I needed to sign, but I  was newer shown contract istself. Now I am genuinely concerned.

What do you mean by base contract?

So you were first living in Germany without a fixed address as a tourist? Registration in Germany is irrelevant for the validity of the contract (though you must have provided an address in Germany and a passport or ID card, right?), but in any case the dates don’t make sense: if you signed a contract on 3rd September it would have been more than 3 months before you registered with the authorities. Also there is no way you could have registered on New Year’s Day (!) and to register you need the residence confirmation from your landlord).

The legal basis would - prima facie - be your signature. The fact that you were not given / sent a contract doesn’t automatically invalidate its existence, but o2 is of course obliged to provide it to you. The problem is that until you see a copy of the contract you signed it will be difficult to know whether it is valid or even what you actually signed. Notwithstanding the fact that you were new in the country and undoubtedly caught unawares by the situation, it is unfortunate that you did not insist on reading the contract, signing on paper, and being given the contract you signed before you left the shop. 

The concerning thing is that you appear to have received nothing at all in relation to this contract. From what you described re: registration and residence confirmation, however, the address you provided for the contract can’t be your current address. What also still surprises me is that the instalment plan was approved. 

One more point I would like to clarify – especially in light of recent reflections.

I am officially registered in Germany as of 01.01.2025 (although this detail is not central to the issue itself). The address I initially provided is now my officially registered residence – the addresses match.

I fully acknowledge any potential misunderstandings or assumptions I may have made during the initial process. However, this does not release O₂ from its legal obligation to provide me with the actual contract upon request and to explain why the contract has never been made available to me, neither at the time of signing nor via the customer portal.

I come from a country where, for instance, my mobile provider once forgot to give me the acceptance/delivery document at the time of handover – but they couriered it to me the very next day. All contracts were also always available online in my customer profile.

In this case, I was shown numbers, I agreed, and I was asked to sign on a device. That was it.

There was no chance to read the full contractual terms, no clear documentation at the moment of signing, and I still haven’t received.

I am not trying to escalate unnecessarily, but this situation feels increasingly irregular.

​@Lionesse 

well, it takes some time until you receive an aswer to your complaint. As we stated before we have no chance to clarifiy the issue here in our community. I therefore ask for a little patience until you get a response.

Greetings

Manga

Thank you — I have now received a “response” to my official objection to O₂.

Not from you, of course — but from the second debt collection agency you’ve handed my case over to.

Well done! Keep going like this — one artificially generated “debt” is now being claimed by three separate parties:

1. O₂
2. Bissel + Partner
3. Riverty

So tell me — who exactly should I pay, and for what?

I still haven’t received:

– a copy of the original contract,

– any termination notice,

– or valid proof that reminders were ever sent.

But right, it’s clearly not O₂’s duty to provide transparency — only to escalate.

A masterclass in customer service. 👏

That was obviously not the response to the complaint you sent to o2, just unbfortunatel timing of the letter being received from Riverty.

If you now have another debt collection agency pursuing a debt, it will unlikely be the same one.

Wait at least 14 days for a response from the department responsible at o2.

No, it is in fact one and the same non-existent “debt” — handed over by O₂ to two different collection agencies.

Both Bissel + Partner and Riverty are acting on behalf of O₂, claiming the exact same amount for the same contract and the same iPad Air 13 M2.

This is not “unfortunate timing” — it’s the result of O₂ escalating the issue in parallel through multiple channels, without responding to my formal objection, without providing a contract, and without any legal notice of termination or reminder letters.

This is not a coincidence. It’s a structural failure in how O₂ handles disputes — by outsourcing pressure instead of resolving the issue.

Today I noticed that after submitting my formal objection, all information related to my payment history for the iPad has been removed from the customer portal.

I do not consider this a standard procedure, but rather a deliberate act of evidence suppression.

My patience is exhausted.

This entire matter is now being escalated to the consumer protection authority and other relevant institutions.

The consumer protection agency should be able to advise you on what the best steps are.

In principle, however, I would recommend that you pay the outstanding amount for the iPad. This will at least avoid any legally relevant arrears for the installments. The collection costs are then easier to discuss.

Moin,

1. Bissel + Partner
   Buys your open debit from O2. If you have any questions, ask Bissel+Partner even for the contract!
2. Riverty
   is the company that makes buy know pay later provide 

U should ask Bissel + Partner for

– a copy of the original contract,

– any termination notice,

– or valid proof that reminders were ever sent.

In the case of a continuing obligation, reminders are not required!

And as ​@bs0 i like to say ask the Verbraucherzentrale or Schuldnerberatung for help!

Today I noticed that after submitting my formal objection, all information related to my payment history for the iPad has been removed from the customer portal.

Yes because Bissel + Partner is you contact partner!  

U have to ask all questions Bissel + Partner. For your payments you have your bank statements. And Bissel + Partner!

​@Klaus_VoIP 

Thank you for your input. However, paying the so-called “outstanding amount” would legally mean that I accept the validity of this debt – which I absolutely do not.

This case is not about avoiding costs – it is about principle.

O₂ never informed me of a contract termination, never sent warnings, and I never even received a copy of the original contract. I manually continued payments, not knowing that O₂ had unilaterally stopped charging me and quietly terminated the contract without a single notice.

Even worse, after submitting my first formal objection, O₂ deleted all historical payment data related to the iPad from my customer portal, making it impossible for me to verify what I’ve already paid.

This is not just inconvenient – this is a direct violation of DSGVO Art. 15 and appears to be an attempt to withhold or erase legal proof.

Now I am faced with two different debt collection agencies, both pursuing the same debt – without any clarity, transparency, or explanation from O₂.

This is no longer a private issue – it is a consumer protection case, and it is being submitted as such.

So no – I will not pay until:

1. A valid and signed contract is provided,
2. A full payment history is restored and explained,
3. The legal basis for both collections is made transparent,
4. I receive a written response to my objections, not silence and automated letters.

I appreciate everyone’s opinions, but I must protect my rights.

​@schluej 

Bissel + Partner, or any other collection agency, is not my contractual partner, as no debt assignment (cession) has taken place. They are merely acting on behalf of O₂, who remains solely responsible.

I have formally disputed the claim before any collection action, and O₂ has failed to provide:

• the original contract,
• the reason for termination,
• and a clear payment overview.

Instead, O₂ removed my entire payment history from the portal after my objection. This is not acceptable and will be addressed by consumer protection authorities.

You do not seem to quite understand the way this works. Once a debt is sold, the debt collection agency is the sole contact. This is also presumably why o2 have deleted the details from your account. o2 does not want money from you any more as they have sold the debt.

The debt collection agency is responsible for providing you with the documents that prove you owe money and how much.

Having said this, clearly things have gone very wrong with the communication and it looks like the shop involved is not entirely blameless.

Have you made an appointment for a consultation with the consumer protection agency?

​@bs0 

Let me clarify – I actually understand this situation very well.

Even if the debt had been sold, O₂ is the one who must provide the contract, the legal basis for the claim, and a clear explanation of where my money went.

Instead, they deleted my payment history, ignored all document requests, and handed the same “claim” to two different debt collectors.

Riverty clearly states they act on behalf of O₂, and so does Bissel+Partner. That means the debt is not sold, and O₂ remains fully responsible.

And even if it were sold –

you cannot sell the same car to two different buyers.

The same applies here.

You will find out how this thinks work in Germany, I am sure!

We just want to help you, but you choose “learning through negative feedback”.

But don't forget to respond to the yellow letter within the given time.

Good luck!

In relation to the debt, o2 must provide the contract details to the debt collection agency who must in turn provide it to you upon request. That is the only basis on which they can legally enforce collection of the debt.

In relation to any payments already made, of course o2 must provide you with the information directly.

Why there are two debt collection agencies involved is indeed a mystery. I have honestly never heard of that happening before unless a case is passed on from one firm to another. In that case, however, it should be evident from the correspondence.

It might be a good idea to also send in data protection requests pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR - to Telefonica, Bissel and Riverty. This should reveal where information has come from, where information has been sent and when, but you should specifically ask for such details to be included in the response.

​@schluej 

Just to clarify, since this seems to be getting more surreal by the day:

1. Is it common practice in Germany to withhold the contract from the customer?
2. Is it acceptable here for a company to make a unilateral decision, penalize the customer for it, and then refuse to explain why?
3. And is it legally sound to claim a debt without providing a single piece of evidence?

I was under the impression that even in Germany, transparency and due process still matter. But perhaps I’m mistaken – perhaps contracts are optional now, and questions are considered a form of ‘negative feedback.

​@bs0 

Thank you for this helpful comment. It confirms exactly what I’ve been trying to explain.

I have already requested the relevant documents from O₂, from Bissel, and just today – from the second debt collection agency. I will now also submit a formal GDPR Art. 15 request to all three parties to clarify the data flow and legal basis. Thank You!

It seems that O₂ is ignoring emails and contact forms altogether, so now I will send a registered letter – like it’s the last century.

We don’t tell you that you not allowed to request “thinks”!

We tell you that you have to ask know Bissel + Partner.

Your are not reading what we write or you are unable to understand!

U should ask Bissel + Partner for

– a copy of the original contract,

– any termination notice,

– or valid proof that reminders were ever sent.

And yes it is your right to request this document's but know from Bissel+Partner not from O2!

If they can’t provide than the force may be with you.