data billing issues - not paying a dime

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Kle0tt

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OK some background information first, last week I checked my data remaining in the vodacom website and it state I had about 500mb of normal data left and 1.8gb data on the nightowl (this was 2am in the morning) I proceeded to download about 1.7 gb. The next morning I check my balances again to make sure how much I have left and to my surprise I find that I've "used" R700 out of bundle data.

I then removed my simcard to ensure no more data is used, yet now this morning my bill according to vodacom for out of bundle data is R800+, there is no way that I used more data and even the original exceeded data that they say I used should have been in the bundle.

I've been to my bank and stopped any amounts going to vodacom, I am now only gonna pay my real subscription charges with a normal funds transfer, as I dispute that I owe anything regarding that data. My feeling is that if they wish to recover that amount from me they are welcome to institute legal proceedings against me, I will be relying on estoppel as a defence. (Any lawyers out there with an opinion on that are welcomed).

Has anyone had any other troubles like this?
 
Meet the OOB Shark

oob.jpg


You've come of lightly.

You should know by now that post paid data billing is delayed by up to 24 hours. So pulling your SIM is futile if there is still unresolved billing that has to be applied to your account.
 
You go on with that dispute, but here's what will happen:

They'll do an extensive investigation and then tell you that they don't log IP or any details related to the session and the only thing they can tell you is that the device who downloaded the data is your. They will then start threatening you with legal action. Then they'll cancel your contract and delete your number.

That's what happened to me.

I told them fsck off, if you want that money I'll pay it off over 6 months. This is the only thing they agreed on.

Them cancelling that contract after only 8 months was the best thing they could have done for me!
 
Kle0tt said:
OK some background information first, last week I checked my data remaining in the vodacom website and it state I had about 500mb of normal data left and 1.8gb data on the nightowl (this was 2am in the morning) I proceeded to download about 1.7 gb. The next morning I check my balances again to make sure how much I have left and to my surprise I find that I've "used" R700 out of bundle data.

I then removed my simcard to ensure no more data is used, yet now this morning my bill according to vodacom for out of bundle data is R800+, there is no way that I used more data and even the original exceeded data that they say I used should have been in the bundle.

I've been to my bank and stopped any amounts going to vodacom, I am now only gonna pay my real subscription charges with a normal funds transfer, as I dispute that I owe anything regarding that data. My feeling is that if they wish to recover that amount from me they are welcome to institute legal proceedings against me, I will be relying on estoppel as a defence. (Any lawyers out there with an opinion on that are welcomed).

Has anyone had any other troubles like this?
Click to expand...

Looks like you are about to be blacklisted.
 
I had a horendous billing saga with Vodacom back in April 2006 when Vodacom declined providing me with the 10Mb Blackberry service (back in the early days of Blackberry) and thereafter billed me twice on one invoice for the 25Mb (or was it 50) triggering a bounced stop order and countless faxes and phone calls and three months of stopping the order and effecting a manual transfer. Eventually after 3 weeks of horse crap Vodacom catagorically undertook to pay money as set out in a letter of demand plus good will from Vodacom into my bank account after which I would effect payment of a new contract such that a contractual relationship could exist. Well that was 6 years ago and Vodacom have still not complied with their provision of the agreement. As such not another cent have gone their way.

Vodacom transmitted negative credit information to the credit information agencies and I sent them the documents and lodged a complaint. A few weeks later I had a half a dozen credit providers (stores and so on) doing the pre-entry of the NCA giving me credit and well Vodacom's adverse information was clearly addressed by the complaint.

From time to time some debt collecting firm bugs me and I tell them catagorically to shove it or send them relevant documents and let them waste their money and energy by being stupid. In particular after 3 years I had another round of incompetents at some law firm try to chase it, an affidavit setting out prescription and that Vodacom actually owe me money on the contract and requested that the firm actually get their documents in orderand that they are encouraged to take the matter to court. An apology email from the attorneys came a few days later. But about 6 months later more nonsense so clearly its in a regurgitation cycle. I am actually expecting a bout at the moment. All and all Vodacom and the guys they outsource to have spent about 30 times as much money as Vodacom would have spent to simply follow their own agreement but whoever at Credit and Risk was a moron and arrogant toss and well the company looses out and MTN have happily enjoyed the benefits.

Ultimately the bastards reneged on their own contract and owed me 120 odd rand which I wrote off as irrecoverable and have since let prescribe. Moral of the story you are unlikely to get Vodacom to actually do the right thing but you can walk away and if they try to "blacklist" you to address the issue Vodacom should take it to court but they really aren't going to - its easier and more in their nature to simply use harrasment to get you to give them money. This was also before the NCA and the CPA was in effect which might make it easier to force them to actually give a damn. For most people its not worth the effort and Vodacom (and I am sure MTN and co) manage to pillage the population.
 
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