Feb 12, 2007 08:12 PM
1859 Views
I would like to place my experience against unfair practices by Hutch Mumbai. My case history is as follows:
My Prepaid card No 9833625334 was expiring on 16 Dec 2006. I enquired from the call centre and was advised that I can recharge the phone by Rs. 1999 which will give a talk time of around Rs. 1700 and validity of one year.
After re- confirming from the call centre through another call that the tariff of 1999 is correct and it can be paid via the net, I made a payment of Rs 2000 via the net ( Conf# 25839127 of 16 Dec 2006.) I also got a message on my cell phone of successful credit.
On Feb 11 2007 I got a message that my account is expiring on 14 Feb 2007 i.e. within 60 days of recharge which was meant to be valid for one year. I called the call centre who said that whatever I have paid on the net has a validity of only two months. The Call centre associate said that they can not do anything in the matter. I requested to lodge a complaint which they did reluctantly ( Complaint No 176028838 of 11 Feb 2007).
I would like to place my inferences as follows:
(i) Hutch Mumbai have been unfair in giving me information from call centre that the account can be renewed with Rs. 1999 and will be valid for a year, for which payment can be made by any method including the internet. This promise was not kept. They are unable to say under which scheme they have collected Rs 2000 from me and expired the same in 2 months, without the talktime being actually used.It remains nearly at Rs 1700, which was charged in Dec 2006.
(ii) They have no systems or internal procedures to accept the complaint and redress the same, as they admit that the scheme of Rs 1999 for one year validity existed but at this time they can not do anything.
(iii) The call centre had confirmed that the payment can be made via the net. Nowhere on the sites does it prohibit the payment being payable by the net. You can visit any of the net charge sites and it mentions that that certain recharges are not admissible. The recharge which I had done is not in the negative list.
(iv) They have been violative of measures mandated by the TRAI in transparency of information to customers and protection of customer interests. All information is provided on Phone from call centre and is not supported in any manner on actual transactions.It is difficult to establish a proof- should I have recorded all the calls ? ( I will do it in future after selecting another provider).
My complaint is not only about the loss of Rs 2000 which I will strive to get restored but also about
- a deliberate attempt to operate in a non-transparent manner violating TRAI guidelines;
- Refusal to look into facts and attend to genuine complains when the themselves admit that the scheme of Rs. 1999 recharge existed.
- Deliberate and preplanned techniques to overcharge customers.
