Cheated, Mistreated and Harassed by Vodafone

From: gaurav mardia ([email protected])
Sent: 04 October 2013 19:13PM
To: Relations Assist (MUM), Vodafone India ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected])
Dear Rajashree,

Thanks for your mail. I regret to inform you though, the 30% discount offered is rather insulting to me. I am not asking for discount. I am asking to revoke the false charges altogether!!!
I have been using the service for close to 15 years now and have contributed to huge revenue on Vodafones part.

I have been cheated and taken advantage of for being an old customer.
Over the past 2-3 years, I have been using yearly internet plan and pay for it annually also. Suddenly one fine day Vodafone decides to disconnect my yearly subscription and switch me over to open usage rates when I have not even asked for it. I have not been informed or taken authorization for disconnection of yearly plan or activation of full rate usage.
You can see in the account details that I have been using data services for the last few years, yet your representatives insist that there was and is no data plan active on my number. I find this highly questionable and dishonest.

I am really shocked and appalled by the business ethics employed by a supposedly consumer driven company.

Once again, I will not be held responsible for your internal miscommunication and dishonest methods.

I am attaching the mail I sent to you and a few other consumer protection organizations.

I really do not wish to waste any more time on this issue since it has already been pending for almost 2 months now. I hope you do not force me to consult my legal department or escalate the issue on social media sites and gather more vodafone consumers who have been duped and cheated in a similar way.

I hope you can reverse the fraudulent charges immediately and restore my phone services to its usual setting.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mardia.

Dear Sir,

I regret to let you know that I am suffering from the worst kind of customer service from Vodafone than I’ve ever experienced in my life.

The charges mentioned on my account are fraudulent and false and I will not be liable to pay for Vodafones errors/mistakes/frauds.
Relationship No- 1.5011367
Mobile No- 9833501860

I have called my relationship manager more than 15 times and with no resolution of the problem. Every time I am assured that I will receive a call ‘within 24 hours” and till date I am still to receive any calls from Vodafone.

I have been falsely charged the amount of Rs. 7538.97, which has now increased even more with your fraudulent charges; under the pretext that I had called up vodafone 6 months in advance and asked for deactivation of my internet plan 6 months into the future and apparently Vodafone took my request for 6 months in the future. This is the kind of unbelievable lies I was told by the representative. Shocking as it sounds, it is complete lies.

On calling again, I was told a different story that there was some technical error on vodafone side and they messed up the data account and did not switch me over to the plan renewal and instead decided without my knowledge or permission to deactivate my currently used data plan and charge me full data rates without any plan.

It has now been over a month and several calls from my side with no resolution. As frustrating and appalling as Vodafone has made the situation, I would like a final resolution of the problem or a switchover to another service provider.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mardia.

From: gaurav mardia ([email protected])
Sent: 10 October 2013 15:02PM
To: [email protected] ([email protected])
Dear Mr Ram Mudakavi,

I am sending you a copy of the mails sent to vodafone following an incident of fraud from vodafones side. I found your details on vodafone site and hope that you are more responsible, ethical and not as immoral and rude as the rest of the vodafone employees I have come across so far.

Please go through the following mail and get back to me asap.

Sincerely… (The above 2 mails were attached)

From: gaurav mardia ([email protected])
Sent: 10 October 2013 15:12PM
To: [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected])
Sending a copy of the mails sent to vodafone over the last 45 days.
Have got no resolution from vodafone for the unauthorized charges.
(The above 2 mails were attached)

From: gaurav mardia ([email protected])
Sent: 10 October 2013 15:35PM
To: [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected]); [email protected] ([email protected])
Ms. Jacqueline Mandkur,
(The above 2 mails were attached)

Thanks for forwarding my mail to the concerned authority.

Regretfully, I am still to receive any response from Vodafone.

Every two days I get a call from the billing dept. and I have to explain the situation again, just to be told that “I cant help you, you will receive a call in 48 hours”. Not only that, but also there is this annoying pay your bill commentary running every time I try to make a call; which I have to call again and explain the situation to one of your representatives to have them deactivate the bill pay notification on the phone.

Finally, I would like to sum it up for your perusal. The last time I had called Vodafone (since vodafone never bothered to respond to my requests), I was shocked at how many times one can change the blatant lie of a story. The first time I called, I was told that it was me, who called and asked for the disconnection of the plan six months in advance, notice that he only said disconnection even then and not change of plan, on obviously not being able to substantiate these lies they fabricated a newer one, now saying that on expiry of a prepaid data plan it is automatically switched over to max data charges without authorization or intimation. This time I was told that as a SPECIAL GESTURE, I was switched over to maximum open usage charges because I am a valued customer. Somewhere in between, my relationship manager Rajashree presented me with a 30% discount on the fraudulent charges, which I find is a new level of cheapness and desperation to swindle customers. On all occasions, all the representatives I spoke with concurred on one fact, that there was no data plan active on my number, EVER!!; but still they could see data usage; this proves that there is some glitch in your accounting procedure. This is the most unethical and blatantly shameless expression of immorality and cheating I have ever experienced.

I humbly request you to once again to reverse these false charges and help me resume the rather satisfactory service I have been enjoying for the last several years. The false charge has now somehow risen to about Rs. 10000 from Rs. 7500.

Hope you can get back to me with a reasonable solution.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mardia.

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 13:35:50 +0530
Subject: Complaint of Mr. Gaurav Mardia
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]
CFBP
Council for Fair Business Practices

COMPLAIN No.
00067
26
/2013
Ms. JP Mundkur

Appelate Authority
Vodafone India Limited
2nd Floor, Skyline Icon,
86/92, Andheri Kurla Road,
Marol Naka, Near Mittal Industrial Estate,
Andheri East, Mumbai 400059.
Ph: 9820015713

Dear Madam,

The Council has received the below complaint from one of your valued customers
Mr.
Gaurav Mardia
from
Mumbai. We request you to please look into the complaint and respond to the Complainant ASAP and would like to have your comments on the same.

We would appreciate an early reply.

Thank you,

ASHA IDNANI
CHAIRPERSON, CONSUMER GRIEVANCES REDRESSAL COMMITTEE
COUNCIL FOR FAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES

Great Western Building, 130/132, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 400 023

Tel : 2288 5249 / 2284 2590 Fax : 2284 4783

Email : [email protected]/ [email protected]

Website : www.cfbp.org / www.ccrc.in
COMPLAIN No. 0006726/2013
Complainant Details
* Complainant Name: gaurav mardia
* Address: mumbai
* State: Maharashtra * City: mumbai * Pincode: 400025
Telephone No:
Mobile: 9833501860
* E-mail: [email protected]

Complainee Details
* Company Name: vodafone
Contact Person:
Address:
State: Maharashtra City: Pincode:
Telephone No:
Mobile:
E-mail:
Complaint Details
* Category: Telecom
* Subject Line: cheated by vodafone
* Nature of Complaint: Dear Rajashree,

I am really shocked and appalled by the business ethics employed by a supposedly consumer driven company.

Once again, I will not be held responsible for your internal miscommunication and dishonest methods.

I am attaching the mail I sent to you and a few other consumer protection organizations.

I hope you can reverse the fraudulent charges immediately and restore my phone services to its usual setting.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mardia.

Dear Sir,

I regret to let you know that I am suffering from the worst kind of customer service from Vodafone than I’ve ever experienced in my life.

The charges mentioned on my account are fraudulent and false and I will not be liable to pay for Vodafones errors/mistakes/frauds.
Relationship No- 1.5011367
Mobile No- 9833501860

Sincerely,
Mr. Mardia.
Attach Documents:

REPLIES

SUBMISSION DETAILS
Date: 10-October, 2013 at 15:49:52 I.P.Address: 60.254.32.40

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Once again Vodafone has made life miserable for me! This time by completely barring outgoing calls and data on my number only because I did not agree to pay for the fraudulent and fabricated charges on my account.

This situation has now become intolerable. I would like to receive a call immediately to resolve this issue.
I have no words to describe the pathetic service or the lack of it from Vodafone. Its not the staff as much as Vodafone’s own immoral practices to fleece its clients and steal from them.

None of my several calls or mails or posts on facebook have helped or made any kind of difference to Vodafone at all. Vodafone is still as unbothered, careless and unscathed in its terrible service; and I am still to receive a call ‘within 2 days’ since the last month and a half.!!!

This is the kind of pathetic service that a so called telecom giant offers. My next mail and a synopsis of this most disgusting experience is going to be to the Press, TRAI and my lawyers.

Since Vodafone might not care about it customers, I suggest you go through the following attachments to get an idea of what Customer Service means as well as a brief introduction to morals, ethics and acceptable practices!!!

http://www.trai.gov.in/PRESSRELEASENO952005.aspx
http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/Direction/Document/Dire10-7-13.pdf
http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/measuresto%20protectconsumerinterest/protecting%20consumer%20interests.pdf
http://www.tccms.gov.in/

Most Disappointed,
Mr. Mardia.

Kind Attn : Sujana Kanal

I want to receive an explanation of why YOU have decided that the fraudulent charges are payable.

I need a detailed explanation of how for 2 years you say that I have no active data plan?
Why have you not mentioned the service request number in the mail; why is the place left blank? How accountable/reliable is your reply without any request number?
Or have you knowingly kept the place blank because you know you are lying and falsely charging the said amount?
Following that, how have you activated open data usage without my explicit permission/consent?
Who authorized you to activate data plan on my number?
Why did you not inform me of activation of new value added service on my number?
Why did you not inform me about the expiration of my current plan?
Who authorized migration of the plan?
Why did you not inform me if the plan was discontinued?
Why has it taken you a month to respond to my complain, when the allotted time is only 3 days?
Why was I lied to by Vodafone representatives on every occasion?
Why was I told that there is no data plan ever active on my number?
Why was I told that the switchover to maximum billing plan is automatic and mandatory when TRAI says the opposite?
Why, as a special gesture you have activated open billing on my number without my consent?
Why was I lied to; that I had called 6 months ago to lodge a cancellation request on the phone for 6 months in the future? and how did you even take or process or lodge such a request?
Why was I not sent a confirmation of any such request on mail or sms?
Why wasnt I sent the complain docket no in the mail or by sms?
Where do I access your web based complaint monitoring system?

I sincerely recommend that you educate yourself about the TRAI regulations before shamelessly and hastily attacking my pockets again!!

http://www.trai.gov.in/PRESSRELEASENO952005.aspx
Steps taken by TRAI for protecting the interest of customers TRAI Reference
TELECOM RELATED ISSUES
Tariff related issues:
• Presenting, marketing or offering tariff plan in any misleading manner is not permitted. All monthly fixed recurring charges which are compulsory for the subscriber under any given plan shall be conveyed as a single figure under one head.
• The Service Providers must inform the customer in writing, within a week of activation of service, the complete details of his tariff plan. In addition, as and when there are any changes in any aspect/item of tariff in the chosen package, the operator shall intimate, in writing, such changes to those subscribers whose tariff packages undergo a change.
• A tariff plan once offered by a service provider shall be available to a subscriber for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of his enrolment into that tariff plan. During this 6 months period, the service provider is free to reduce the tariff; but increase in any item of tariff in the plan is not permitted. However, the subscriber is free to choose any other tariff plan even during the 6 months period.
• Customer has the right to move from one tariff to another plan offered by his service provider any time without having to pay any fee for the migration. A subscriber’s request for a change of tariff plan shall be accepted and implemented immediately or from the start of the next billing cycle.

Value Added Services:
• No chargeable value added service, shall be provided to a customer without his explicit consent. Any value added service, which was earlier being provided free of charge, shall not be made chargeable without the explicit consent of the customer. The above provisions are also applicable to Internet Service Providers.
• Voice Mail Service should not be offered without the prior consent of the subscriber.

TRAI’s Direction dated 16.09.2005.

TRAI’s direction dated 29.06.2005 on information to customers about complete details of the tariff plan.
31st amendment of Telecom Tariff Order dated 07.07.2004.

4th amendment to TTO dated 28.07.1999 and Directive dated 15.03.2001

TRAI’s direction dated 03.05.2005 and 12.9.2005 on Value Added Services
TRAI direction dated 03.03.2004 on Offer of Voice Mail Service by CMSP without consent of the mobile subscribers.
http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/Direction/Document/Dire10-7-13.pdf
http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/measuresto%20protectconsumerinterest/protecting%20consumer%20interests.pdf
(3) Every Complaint Centre shall.—-
(a) at the time of registering of the complaint,—-
(i)communicate, through SMS, to the consumer the docket number, date
and time of registration of the complaint and the time within which the
complaint is likely to be resolved; and
(ii)update the system with the date and time of registration of the complaint,
docket number assigned under sub-regulation (1), the telephone number
of the consumer, and the time indicated to the consumer for resolution of
the complaint;
(b) on completion of action on a complaint.—-
(i) communicate to the consumer, through SMS, the details of the action
taken on the complaint; and
(ii) update the system with the details of action taken.

http://www.tccms.gov.in/

Please give me a responsible answer and do not waste more of my time with such baseless and meaningless replies.

Also, I guess for the fear of being accountable for it, you have not mentioned any service request number!!!
Shockingly unethical business processes at Vodafone!!! I have no words!!!

Most Distraught,
Mr. Mardia.

It has been more than 2 months since I have been complaining and Vodafone has not bothered to pay heed to any of it. After over 50 phonecalls, 20 mails and social media postings, there is still no response or hint of any concern. Most lethargically, I’m always told that I will receive a call in 2 working days, (still waiting for Vodafones 2 days).

A few of my complain numbers: 714871750
732989785
719489778
738478986
I cant locate all of them since I have so many. This should suffice for now I suppose.

I finally visited the Vodafone store on 19/10/13. The manager over there, Mr. Subhash was completely convinced with the genuineness of my concern and assured me that since it was such a simple and genuine problem it will be fixed immediately and the false charges will be revoked. Surprisingly, after spending 5 minutes in the back office he returned as a transformed person, saying that if I wanted to use my phone I will have to succumb to Vodafone’s demands and pay the fraudulent charges.

I have been using 2mbps unltd plan on my number since 2-3 years. Now vodafone refuses the very existance of such a plan. In fact as per the representatives, Vodafone has erased all my previous data usage details and there is no details of start date and end date of my previous ongoing data plan. As you can still see though, there is data usage over the last 3 years but no active data plan. Suddenly vodafone disregards all my previous plan details and prepaid amount thereof and switches me to open usage charges without informing or taking consent. I have explained this multiple times to your representatives and some of them even understand the issue quite clearly and intend to help me out as well but due to the twisted and corrupt policies of Vodafone; are unable to process any genuine cases. And invariably, after being unable to resolve the issue, the candor of the rep changes drastically into someone rude and mean and unfazed.

Falsely charged amount : approx Rs. 11000/-
I have details of all bills paid, since they are paid through my company account. I can very easily prove my point in court if thats where you want to take this. Details of my yearly plan that you have refused the existence of completely. (Ms. Krishna Patel, Appellate desk). and details of my monthly bills that do not show billing for data. and a short recording of your representatives confirming that there has been constant data usage for the last 3 years but no active data plan.

Request for full reversal since I have been on the yearly unlimited plan.

Please refer the mails below to get an idea of the mental trauma and torture caused due to Vodafone and its horribly blatant dishonesty.

Mr. Mardia.

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