We rip you off, we know it, will you do about it?

caroper

caroper

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Following on from the thread:

http://www.myadsl.co.za/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5300

After several calls, lots of platitudes and negligible access to any one in authority, I finally received this from Telkom:

Dear Chris Roper

Thank you for mailing the Telkom Internet Support Desk,

We have checked your logs from our side and it shows that your connection was used from two different locations, if this was not authorized by you and required it investigated further you will need to report this to your local police station and obtain a case number, you will then need to get a subpoena against us so we can issue you with the details of the where the connections were made from.

Kind regards

Telkom Internet Abuse Dept
E Mail - [email protected]
Tel: 0860 100 553

So I can't protect my account because of Telkom (Can't change passwords and multiple logins allowed - any MCSE or Sysops wish to comment on basic security?), I get ripped off and inform Telkom. I am advised to buy more bandwidth, I refuse on the basis that I already paid for it, and so Telkom stall for a week, refusing to issue a call number on the grounds that it is an abuse issue not a support issue, but no I can't be transfered to abuse as they don't deal with the public.

Telkom then admits that I was right and ask me to sue them?
I have to pay legal costs, yet the cap will be reset before I can get a subpoena and even if I get one it is not worth the bandwidth cost that is effectively lost any way.

Why do Telkom have an abuse department? That was a rhetorical question, it's to abuse the customers I guess.

Where do we go from here?

Any ideas that don't involve violence or destruction of property?

Cheers
Chris

p.s. I am using a clients account as I refuse to buy more bandwidth from Telkom and iafrica wanted R390.00 for 3GB ("No we aren't a monopoly you can also go to Telkom" was the response to my obvious retort).
 
I agree it's crazy as you're not getting the service you paid for. Telkom should be held responsible as you have no control over their security! Even though it's a pain in the ass perhaps you should get a subpoena just to nail the bastard who abused your account. If Telkom are at fault you have grounds for them to pay your legal costs and failing that you can sue the person who abused your account.
 
Chris, methinks you've come up against the 'policy and procedure' regime, which departments within large organisations and parastatals are wont to use for either drawing lines to protect themselves, or to promote empire-building by some officious cretin that heads the department concerned. Suggestion: send a letter to their Marketing department - I think they've potentially got more swing than the Support crowd. Point out that your situation is entirely a consequence of their offerings, that its impact would indeed have a negative impact on future market growth, and that their competitive offerings in a non-monopolistic environment would be enhanced by this matter being addressed sooner, rather than later. Also ask for some account adjustment as evidence of goodwill, given the unacceptable nature of the answer received from Support and the Internet Abuse sheep...
 
On the one hand I find this totally unbelievable, but on the other, it's totally expected from Telkom. As long as Telkom is in power, we will never win. They do not offer something as simple as the ability to change your own password and then they do not take responsiblity when someone unauthorised uses your account. Why? Because it's probably a Telkom employee. caroper, I really wish you would get a subpoena. And while you're at it, lay a formal charge against Telkom for theft.

----------------
United we stand!
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caroper -
Open the police docket as they suggested, then contact the most expensive lawyer you can find and make a deal with that lawyer and sue them for 10x what you lost, and lawyers fees, and your time + vat, and double leave time that you'll have to take. The licence that Teklom operates under has to provide certain security logging and ACTION procedures. They failed to act, you were harmed.
NOTE - Whomever was using your account will be drawn into this, so - hopefully it was somebody at Teklom, and then you can sue them again. If it was somebody else - make dead sure that you did not allow it to happen by leaving your info lying around or something else like that.

I dare you to go for it.
At a minimum, open a police docket so that you can build up history of reports against them if it happens again.
 
They're ridiculous, that's all there is to it. <b>Everyone works their arse off at Telkom except the rich ones</b>. McKenzie earned 16 million last year - he doesnt give a flying **** about SA - but hey he has some extra money now thanks to us.

If you want decent service, move overseas boet - Telkom doesn't give a damn as long as they're saving bucks. Open a police docket and see what happens. They suck, and there are millions of people who will attest to that. Instead of having an abuse line they should just have a FAQ page on their site with their copy and paste defensive replies. Or maybe we can start one and put in the standard replies to expect.. [:)]

<font color="navy"><font size="1"><b>Where others have progress, we have Telkom.</b>
Hellkom website - www.hellkom.co.za</font id="size1"></font id="navy">
 
Hi Stroke,

I hear you but I also hate lawyers, I guess that is what Telkom are banking on. However, I have contacted the Police (Ever tried reporting stolen Bandwidth before: "Yes Sir and what colour is it? Did you have a serial number?" etc.) just in case it happens again, and I am convinced that it was an inside job.

As for my details lying around, not even my wife has access. The email from Telkom is in an encrypted folder, the hard copy was shredded within hours of setting up the router and the router password have been reset.

All wanted was my bandwidth back, all Telkom had to do was stall me till the end of the month, it is far cheaper to buy more bandwidth than to fight them legally and they know it. Fortunately I have access to several accounts (Belonging to my clients and used with permission) but on principal my private usage is normally on my personal account.

I see no reason why they can't do an internal investigation without me having to subpoena them first, but then that would cost them money, rather than me, and after all they make money out of abuse, they have nothing to loose.

Proudly South African,
Cheers
Chris
 
Having had my memory jogged by a mutual friend, I feel that I may have been way out of line accusing Telkom here. [8)]. I had a router stolen over a year ago, and it may have surfaced at last. I will pursue the matter, as a follow up, as the original case was reported to the police and this may be the lead that they are looking for.

I still stand by the fact that decent network security could prevent this, but it may not have been, as I previously alluded too, an inside job. My apologies to any Telkom techs that I may have abused in the last few days, and thanks to the members who gave advise and encouragement. I hope I have not abused your trust.

Cheers
Chris
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by caroper</i>
<br />Having had my memory jogged by a mutual friend, I feel that I may have been way out of line accusing Telkom here. [8)]. I had a router stolen over a year ago, and it may have surfaced at last. I will pursue the matter, as a follow up, as the original case was reported to the police and this may be the lead that they are looking for.

I still stand by the fact that decent network security could prevent this, but it may not have been, as I previously alluded too, an inside job. My apologies to any Telkom techs that I may have abused in the last few days, and thanks to the members who gave advise and encouragement. I hope I have not abused your trust.

Cheers
Chris

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hi Chris...
hope u manage to sort the problem out... just as a matter of interest though if u ever have a similar problem? the CEO of Telkoms Abuse is one Pieter Bezuidenhout found at soekor building in parow, ct... dont expect a reply though as all my mails to him have gone unanswered... i seem to think he spends a great deal of time in Malaysia? try him at [email protected] and i wish u better luck than ive had [:D]
WretchedToad (on the neotrace printouts of the trojan attack attempts i received from him he is listed as TopBrass) x
 
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