Vodacom - Cointel Rip-Off

MikeCTZA said:
Thankfully I have also got the "you have been removed from our database" SMS - I just hope that is the end of these charges. Lucky mine only took a day.
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Did they just unsubscribe you?

Did they refund the money they took?

We are not remotely connected, yet the same thing happened to you.

How many others is it happening to who are not even on mybb?

Main mission, keep the money, just unsubscribe them.

Easy bucks, AKA daylight robbery.
 
Call Mr Fred Matthee of the MD office at Vodacom - 0116535000
He should be able to assist you and provide a refund.
During office hours 8am to 5pm
 
Astound said:
My main point is, I did not subscribe to _any_ service.
The fact that Vodacom deducted the funds from my account is why they were my first port of call.
They have _no_ proof that I subscribed or opted in as you say.
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Your best beat is to work through WASPA and not the network. WASPA was set up to handle these things. Log the complaint on their website and supply all the information you have.

Astound said:
What gets my goat is that Vodacom simply deducts the funds from my account and there is no option to refund.
That to my mind is theft.
Unauthorised taking of my money out of my bank account without my authorisation and having no proof that I requested the _services_ which I am supposedly have subscribed to.
This stinks!
This is based on shody business practice, and I really mean skelm methods of stealing money and making it hard for you to recover it.
They just unsubscribe you, but keep the money.
There are obviously more people that this is being done to, just not enough people take the time to make the point here.
Which is why I chose to make the point here instead to make others aware of the (legal) theft taking place.
I do not understand how people can deduct funds from your account without proof you have subscribed to a service.
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That is because the vast majority of complaints are traced back to the consumer initiating a subscription, or allowing others access to their phone. Do not be naive and believe that your friends and especially family will not SMS to the TV ads.

Astound said:
I would rather be unemployed than to work for a company that robs people of their hard earned money.
Sies man, it stinks!
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OK, so I take you do not work for a bank then :-)

But seriously, I work for a competing WASP that take industry compliance seriously. I'm personally involved with the setting up of our clients services and give constant feedback where I see either a contravention of the WASP code of conduct, Network requirements or just plan logic. Not all WASPS are as proactive as us, but I'm neither here to promote my employer or knock our competition.
 
Astound said:
Did they just unsubscribe you?
Did they refund the money they took?
We are not remotely connected, yet the same thing happened to you.
How many others is it happening to who are not even on mybb?
Click to expand...

I was quite lucky with my experience, after trying the Cointel no./email etc. I went back to the Vodacom Customer Care route, the call center agent listened and would escalte my request to a coordinator or something. I got the expected standard Vodacom SMS a few min after my call with a reference then 4hrs later I got another saying my request had been handed to the relevant WASP and logged with the WASPA with a reference no from them, then a few hours later I got the removed SMS with a no. I could call with any queries.
To tell you the truth after reading your hassles I never even bothered asking for a refund as R6ish total isn't a big amount and thought to have the stress and try fight for that with paperwork (probably) ... nah .... I will write off as long as it doesn't happen again.
Yup, we are not at all connected, I only checked your posting here after I had started my process and I then thought to myself "oh no - here we go", but luckily wasn't that bad for me (assuming all is sorted out). I mentioned it to a few people in the office and they are going to have a look at their itemised bills.
If I subscribed to anything I would be very VERY surprised (ie pretty much impossible as I know exactly what I am doing and I never did anything), the only non data/voice thing I did was enter a once off competition at R2/SMS on my phone which was from a major SA brand (was from BP for Top Gear Live tickets - which I never won)
 
apuo

Astound

Here is the correct procedure. Go to The WASPA website and click on "lodge a complaint"
and fill in the form. There are many rules of the Code of Conduct that this member
of theirs Vodaco/Cointel has transgressed so just give a short explanation with the figures
and click send. Waspa then gives Vodacom/Cointell 5 days to please explain. Look
further on the website of Waspa and find "reports" and look at that lot. I just reported
a case {look at complaint 7103) that was fined R100000.00 pf which R80,000 was suspended for a year.
Waspa is the controlling body of these entities called service providers.

Which brings me to my pitch. If you ever see anywhere in the media a comptetition
that offers a prize that you must enter with a sms that will set you back R3 to R30.00
fill in the phone number on that same form (it will have 5 digits) on that same form and watch the sparks fly.
If you need further assistance, reply.
 
I've just been told I'm also subscribed to cointel - can't get through on the unsubcribe number... How exaclty does a company legally start billing you without your permission?

I only moved onto the Vodacom network in August last year. I'm going to try and get more details, and then open a case of fraud at the police station if necessary.
 
xrapidx said:
I've just been told I'm also subscribed to cointel - can't get through on the unsubcribe number... How exaclty does a company legally start billing you without your permission?

I only moved onto the Vodacom network in August last year. I'm going to try and get more details, and then open a case of fraud at the police station if necessary.
Click to expand...

Let me know what happens. I'm awaiting contact from WASPA for this very issue.
 
unlucky for you guys ive been vodacom subscriber for 10 years and never had problems that i know of hope your problems get sorted out eventually
 
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