Telkom Billing Nightmare...

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Y2K

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Durbs, SA
Hey guys! Happy New Year! :)

My family just received our billing statement for this month & to our horror we have a bill totalling R5718.70.

We haven't a clue how this happened since we've been away for the festive season. Thanks to itemised billing, we've spotted a whole series of numbers that have been dialed which we DON'T recognise at all & a string of international calls to countries we dont have relatives in.

The most disturbing one is a number that appears over 26 times in our account - 086 1101 537. The Telkom representative I spoke to today said its from an Internet company... But couldnt help me any further.

We do have 1024 ADSL & just one additional CAP, but I dont see how that would result in the above number featuring for just the period of 21 November to 20 December 2006.

If anyone has any advice I'd REALLY appreciate it as Telkom insists that WE made the call. :confused:
 
Same happened to me a number of years ago. Some of the unknown numbers dialed were to some very HOT sex-sites. (We actually dialed those numbers trying to find out to whom they belong). I took the matter up with Telkom, and according to them, the numbers were dialed from my number, therefor I had to pay for it, unless I could prove to them that I did not make the calls. The mere fact that we were not at home during the time that the calls were made, and that my property and house was not accessible to any human being (which I could prove) was not enough evidence for them. They also assured me that it was definitely not possible for the technicians working on the lines (those guys in the holes, or hanging from the poles) to use my number to make a call. So, what happened? I had to pay!!!!

So, sorry mate.:(
 
If somoene dials it (086 1101 537), what do you get.. internet tone? Just rings, doesnt exist?
 
CM Fourie said:
Same happened to me a number of years ago. Some of the unknown numbers dialed were to some very HOT sex-sites. (We actually dialed those numbers trying to find out to whom they belong). I took the matter up with Telkom, and according to them, the numbers were dialed from my number, therefor I had to pay for it, unless I could prove to them that I did not make the calls. The mere fact that we were not at home during the time that the calls were made, and that my property and house was not accessible to any human being (which I could prove) was not enough evidence for them. They also assured me that it was definitely not possible for the technicians working on the lines (those guys in the holes, or hanging from the poles) to use my number to make a call. So, what happened? I had to pay!!!!

So, sorry mate.:(
Click to expand...

Those techs out there can make a call on your number. I was outside with one of them when I was asking for assistance with my ADSL... long story short, he needed to make a phone call, and was having trouble getting a line thats open... saying that "if I put the phone into any random socket the call will be charged to the customers account" .... offtopic, luckily towards the top he found a free working socket, so he could make the phone call.
 
There is a popular scam that has affected one of my clients a number of times:
Criminals break into telskums little blue and green boxes and patch together phonecalls for people wanting to phone for free. They will often use this for international calls and then at the same time use another line to call the person who wants to make the call and then link the calls right inside the street side cabinet.

I think perhaps that you gave up too soon CM Fourie :D this particular client got every suspect call charge reversed.
 
I've had "strange" calls appear on my bill twice in the past. I've paid the bill, reported it to Telkom and in both cases were credited with the amounts after they've investigated. What did help was the fact that these calls were made on my 2nd line(modem dialup only)
 
I wouldn't pay it...to hell with them.

They should do a comparison on previous months calls and total bills for each month...they'd clearly be able to see there's some sort of irregularity then.

Why part with ANY of your cash!!!! THEY must prove you made those calls or else you don't pay!!! That's what I'd tell them.
 
Chavez said:
I wouldn't pay it...to hell with them.

THEY must prove you made those calls or else you don't pay!!! That's what I'd tell them.
Click to expand...

I had this "wonderful" experience that they (Telkom) could "prove" that the calls were made from my number, and they asked met to "prove" that I did not make the calls - I could only prove that I, or anyone from my family, was not on my property during those few days; and that was not acceptable to them. But, as I've mentioned, this happened a few years ago. What I've done since was to ask them to block all outgoing international calls from my home number - and, since then I have not had any unpleasant surprises.
 
Just got off the phone with Telkom & it turns out that the number in question is a number Telkom uses for its clients to dial out to when they want to access the net.

The whole issue at the moment is that since we have ADSL & are online 24/7 there shouldnt be a reason for our pc to or phone line to dial out every 5 minutes.

Long story short, both the agents I've spoken to agree that theres a problem & have given me a case number, however the Supervisor that I was put through to, insisted that it was MY problem & not Telkoms & that ppl should be more aware of who they call. :eek:
 
Y2K said:
MY problem & not Telkoms & that ppl should be more aware of who they call. :eek:
Click to expand...
Maybe you should remind them of that little thing called FRAUD and how charging for services not rendered is a criminal offense...

I am 95% sure that the problem lies either with ppl hacking their boxes - or a glitch in their billing system. Both of those are on Telkom's side of the customer-supplier boundary and they should be sorting it out.
 
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