Don’t be caught !!!
Please forward this to as many people as you know and especially to any Editors of newspapers or consumer council type people who may find this article interesting.
I am looking for contact details for consumer forums, or people that can help me with the consumer protection act now in place as I don’t feel protected right now. If I am being ripped off with my knowledge of this industry, can you imagine how many 1000’s of other people out there are having their accounts being abused in this way by corporate service providers. Maybe we can all put in a joint action against these service provider thugs.
PS- Don’t use my cell phone number it has been hard blocked.
Viva the consumer Viva !!
Please visit my BLOG www.screwme.co.za and make comments, also please give your definition to the words “Terms and Conditions Apply” for instants,
T’s & C’s mean The longer the term the more conditions apply, the longer you stay the more you owe, the more you pay and the more we screw you on charges, interest etc?
Best Regards,
SkypeMe: peter-john.krauspe
Reduce automated spam by 100% www.spamarrest.co.za – Let us give you a FREE 30day test account
Make Money and Save Money with Fuel-Stick and other products - www.thenettresult.com?thenettresult
From: Peter-John Krauspe [mailto
[email protected]]
Sent: 02 July 2011 11:00 AM
To: 'Selwyn Smith'
Subject: RE: Nashua Mobile: PAPCOM23001
Hi Selwyn,
So, Selwyn, what you are saying is, that for my purchase of a R39 data sim card contract, I am automatically eligible for a R 120 000+ credit limit on this account (I don’t think so, even the banks are more diligent than this). Please quote the relevant section in your Nashua Mobile terms and conditions.
Furthermore, I have no control over your data contract, and your company would know this to be true. From the outset, it was explained to your sales consultant on purchasing these contracts. Cindy Roos, based in Durban, was the consultant concerned. I believe she is no longer with your company. I explained very carefully to her that these cards I required (12 in all) would be used for hardware devices at remote sites for small data transfers, monthly, hence the reason why I opted for the cheapest possible data contracts of R 39 each. Will Nashua now be able to conveniently blame an ex-employee for any misunderstanding, this would be a perfect out for Nashua! Should these cards ever be stolen or misused, as they were, I now become responsible for an account in excess of R 120 000 without any choice or control in this matter. Should this not be explained to all clients when purchasing services? Furthermore, how do you know that I am creditworthy for R 120 000 limit or would your system have picked it up if I had lived in a township? At what point would you have then cut off my account? If this was the case, then we are now talking about a serious problem of racial discrimination, or selective client billing!
My question to Nashua is, had this account also gone to maybe R 500 000 or more, would I still be liable for this amount, and with me not being informed of the situation at any point, could this result in my debt running to an infinite amount? R1 Million rand sounds a good figure, then you would have claimed my house. Any client of Nashua’s who has a good record over a long period would then be a sitting duck to be exploited in this fashion. All this, knowing I am a risk-free credit worthy client, who can be bled to death. This from my creditworthy record with yourselves over the past 10+ years with no defaults. I also hasten to add that I am extremely qualified in both telecommunications and IT, having been in the industry for the past 27 years. I also installed the first MTN towers in South Africa working for Persetel at the time. If I have been misled by you, what chance does the average citizen have, who signs a R39 contract with your company. This will hold me in good stead when and if we go to court as I would consider myself an expert witness.
Also regarding this specific service I purchased from you, in this case being a data card for internet use, explained specifically to your sales staff. (I requested nothing else on this card) I and many other people out there may understand the following services are available from such a cell phone sim card. Telephonic, Internet Access (for Data), SMS and MMS – I am also aware of Premium rated SMS’s, and Premium rated Phone calls to sex services etc. However please explain your itemised billing of R3000 for every 18 seconds spent for data connectivity, how many gigs of data can one transfer for every 18 seconds use of your service? YOUR ITEMISED BILLING TELLS ME NOTHING, FOR ALL I KNOW NASHUA MAY HAVE MADE IT UP AND I MUST JUST PAY FOR IT.
For the average citizen who does not understand all the niceties of the above paragraph, and cell phone internet services, let me enlighten you. If you subscribe to a R39 data contract with Nashua Mobile, and or who knows who else, once connected to the internet and then connected to a pay site ??? and being charged R 3000 per 18 seconds of connectivity, this service will continue charging indefinitely, so long as the internet connection is not lost, and Nashua has no control either(being the middle man). Nashua Mobile has no way of controlling the account until the subscriber drops the call and tries to re-connect. At that point the service provider (Nashua) would see the costs and work out whether the client at the end of the day would have sufficient funds to meet this huge expense.
And yes I am cross, and have the right to be. I would like to know how many of Nashua’s staff or management, also being human, would react to a similar bill and treatment from your company.
You have never acknowledged in all my verbal or written correspondence to your company, that there would be a time where someone from your company would advise me that I was over the limit. (And what is the limit before you advise clients?). If I was a man in the street living in a shack, would you have let this bill get to R 120 000+, of course not! The present service providers in the cell phone industry are a lot of blood suckers, and financial prostitutes who are working within the system, which is in itself corrupt. Consider that charges for cell phones in the rest of the world are ridiculously lower than compared to South Africa. (Statistics available) Not only are we held to ransom by the big corporates who are so few as to constitute a monopoly, but we also have to contend with our judicial system, which is dysfunctional to say the least. I hope that many people will read this document and agree with me that steps should be taken, as Nashua’s unilateral action against me (Hard locked – which means we can no longer make phone calls in or out), made without warning, to deprive my company and my family and staff of all telecommunications, constitutes, and can only be construed as blackmail. This is totally unconstitutional. I have never defaulted on any legitimate payment to your company whilst being your client.
Unfortunately, if I want to find another service provider, I will be in exactly the same position, as this country is now controlled by the three big telecommunication networks, who collude and screw Joe public with gay abandon.
Is there anyone out there listening, who could support me, so that these immoral and unethical companies who are seen to work “within the law” are taking advantage of South African society today. Watch this space, as nothing like this is sustainable, and what goes around comes around. I may have a small company, but I can assure Nashua Mobile that by the time I have exposed their devious and totally unacceptable behaviour and practices which your company condones, you will definitely be on the wrong side of R 120 000 that you are trying to extort from me. - Oh, by the way my name also happens to be Peter. I feel so strongly about this form of exploitation, that I have registered the domain www.screwme.co.za from which I am inviting like-minded people to respond to.
As far as I am concerned I will see Nashua in court. In the meantime I have to change all my cell phone numbers, banking profiles, update all clients, lose existing business, change my armed response contact number and who knows what else. Nashua and other providers obviously believe they have the divine right to charge clients for services that they never subscribe to, all because the corporates can’t manage your own services sufficiently. It is convenient for Nashua to pass the blame to Vodacom your service provider. In the same vein as my client will not take responsibility as the sim is in my name, I likewise purchased this service from Nashua and not Vodacom so I can put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Nashua Mobile.
As I have been both on the shows of Siki Ngabadele from SAFM, as well as a guest on the SABC one consumer watch program previously, I will be sending a copy of this letter within the next few days to them and other media agencies. At least that gives Nashua a chance to respond with a logical explanation and not just to fob off the problem and say I am responsible because I should report if a sim card stolen as per your response below.
Peter Krauspe
Please forward this to as many people as you know and especially to any Editors of newspapers or consumer council type people who may find this article interesting.
I am looking for contact details for consumer forums, or people that can help me with the consumer protection act now in place as I don’t feel protected right now. If I am being ripped off with my knowledge of this industry, can you imagine how many 1000’s of other people out there are having their accounts being abused in this way by corporate service providers. Maybe we can all put in a joint action against these service provider thugs.
PS- Don’t use my cell phone number it has been hard blocked.
Viva the consumer Viva !!
Please visit my BLOG www.screwme.co.za and make comments, also please give your definition to the words “Terms and Conditions Apply” for instants,
T’s & C’s mean The longer the term the more conditions apply, the longer you stay the more you owe, the more you pay and the more we screw you on charges, interest etc?
Best Regards,
SkypeMe: peter-john.krauspe
Reduce automated spam by 100% www.spamarrest.co.za – Let us give you a FREE 30day test account
Make Money and Save Money with Fuel-Stick and other products - www.thenettresult.com?thenettresult
From: Peter-John Krauspe [mailto
[email protected]] Sent: 02 July 2011 11:00 AM
To: 'Selwyn Smith'
Subject: RE: Nashua Mobile: PAPCOM23001
Hi Selwyn,
So, Selwyn, what you are saying is, that for my purchase of a R39 data sim card contract, I am automatically eligible for a R 120 000+ credit limit on this account (I don’t think so, even the banks are more diligent than this). Please quote the relevant section in your Nashua Mobile terms and conditions.
Furthermore, I have no control over your data contract, and your company would know this to be true. From the outset, it was explained to your sales consultant on purchasing these contracts. Cindy Roos, based in Durban, was the consultant concerned. I believe she is no longer with your company. I explained very carefully to her that these cards I required (12 in all) would be used for hardware devices at remote sites for small data transfers, monthly, hence the reason why I opted for the cheapest possible data contracts of R 39 each. Will Nashua now be able to conveniently blame an ex-employee for any misunderstanding, this would be a perfect out for Nashua! Should these cards ever be stolen or misused, as they were, I now become responsible for an account in excess of R 120 000 without any choice or control in this matter. Should this not be explained to all clients when purchasing services? Furthermore, how do you know that I am creditworthy for R 120 000 limit or would your system have picked it up if I had lived in a township? At what point would you have then cut off my account? If this was the case, then we are now talking about a serious problem of racial discrimination, or selective client billing!
My question to Nashua is, had this account also gone to maybe R 500 000 or more, would I still be liable for this amount, and with me not being informed of the situation at any point, could this result in my debt running to an infinite amount? R1 Million rand sounds a good figure, then you would have claimed my house. Any client of Nashua’s who has a good record over a long period would then be a sitting duck to be exploited in this fashion. All this, knowing I am a risk-free credit worthy client, who can be bled to death. This from my creditworthy record with yourselves over the past 10+ years with no defaults. I also hasten to add that I am extremely qualified in both telecommunications and IT, having been in the industry for the past 27 years. I also installed the first MTN towers in South Africa working for Persetel at the time. If I have been misled by you, what chance does the average citizen have, who signs a R39 contract with your company. This will hold me in good stead when and if we go to court as I would consider myself an expert witness.
Also regarding this specific service I purchased from you, in this case being a data card for internet use, explained specifically to your sales staff. (I requested nothing else on this card) I and many other people out there may understand the following services are available from such a cell phone sim card. Telephonic, Internet Access (for Data), SMS and MMS – I am also aware of Premium rated SMS’s, and Premium rated Phone calls to sex services etc. However please explain your itemised billing of R3000 for every 18 seconds spent for data connectivity, how many gigs of data can one transfer for every 18 seconds use of your service? YOUR ITEMISED BILLING TELLS ME NOTHING, FOR ALL I KNOW NASHUA MAY HAVE MADE IT UP AND I MUST JUST PAY FOR IT.
For the average citizen who does not understand all the niceties of the above paragraph, and cell phone internet services, let me enlighten you. If you subscribe to a R39 data contract with Nashua Mobile, and or who knows who else, once connected to the internet and then connected to a pay site ??? and being charged R 3000 per 18 seconds of connectivity, this service will continue charging indefinitely, so long as the internet connection is not lost, and Nashua has no control either(being the middle man). Nashua Mobile has no way of controlling the account until the subscriber drops the call and tries to re-connect. At that point the service provider (Nashua) would see the costs and work out whether the client at the end of the day would have sufficient funds to meet this huge expense.
And yes I am cross, and have the right to be. I would like to know how many of Nashua’s staff or management, also being human, would react to a similar bill and treatment from your company.
You have never acknowledged in all my verbal or written correspondence to your company, that there would be a time where someone from your company would advise me that I was over the limit. (And what is the limit before you advise clients?). If I was a man in the street living in a shack, would you have let this bill get to R 120 000+, of course not! The present service providers in the cell phone industry are a lot of blood suckers, and financial prostitutes who are working within the system, which is in itself corrupt. Consider that charges for cell phones in the rest of the world are ridiculously lower than compared to South Africa. (Statistics available) Not only are we held to ransom by the big corporates who are so few as to constitute a monopoly, but we also have to contend with our judicial system, which is dysfunctional to say the least. I hope that many people will read this document and agree with me that steps should be taken, as Nashua’s unilateral action against me (Hard locked – which means we can no longer make phone calls in or out), made without warning, to deprive my company and my family and staff of all telecommunications, constitutes, and can only be construed as blackmail. This is totally unconstitutional. I have never defaulted on any legitimate payment to your company whilst being your client.
Unfortunately, if I want to find another service provider, I will be in exactly the same position, as this country is now controlled by the three big telecommunication networks, who collude and screw Joe public with gay abandon.
Is there anyone out there listening, who could support me, so that these immoral and unethical companies who are seen to work “within the law” are taking advantage of South African society today. Watch this space, as nothing like this is sustainable, and what goes around comes around. I may have a small company, but I can assure Nashua Mobile that by the time I have exposed their devious and totally unacceptable behaviour and practices which your company condones, you will definitely be on the wrong side of R 120 000 that you are trying to extort from me. - Oh, by the way my name also happens to be Peter. I feel so strongly about this form of exploitation, that I have registered the domain www.screwme.co.za from which I am inviting like-minded people to respond to.
As far as I am concerned I will see Nashua in court. In the meantime I have to change all my cell phone numbers, banking profiles, update all clients, lose existing business, change my armed response contact number and who knows what else. Nashua and other providers obviously believe they have the divine right to charge clients for services that they never subscribe to, all because the corporates can’t manage your own services sufficiently. It is convenient for Nashua to pass the blame to Vodacom your service provider. In the same vein as my client will not take responsibility as the sim is in my name, I likewise purchased this service from Nashua and not Vodacom so I can put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Nashua Mobile.
As I have been both on the shows of Siki Ngabadele from SAFM, as well as a guest on the SABC one consumer watch program previously, I will be sending a copy of this letter within the next few days to them and other media agencies. At least that gives Nashua a chance to respond with a logical explanation and not just to fob off the problem and say I am responsible because I should report if a sim card stolen as per your response below.
Peter Krauspe
