Telecom service provider and bank address readers’ issues

One customer finds it difficult to get a telecom service cancelled, while another says he was charged for an insurance plan on his credit card that he had never opted for

Postpaid to prepaid

Ihave got an issue with du telecommunication company and it doesn’t seem to have been resolved from their side. I was a customer with them from 2014, for a mobile postpaid plan (according to them I was a VIP customer) and home service as well. Due to continuous disappointment, I made a choice to migrate from postpaid to prepaid service on May 5, 2018.

I had to pay a migration fee after four years’ of being a service user.

Within 48 hours they said the service will be changed, no issues. Of course, I also received an offer through phone call that they would give 50 per cent discount and six months no-contract offer, so I can make up my mind. I kindly asked for 24 hours to think as I was really unhappy with them already. They called me 14 hours later once while I was at work, so I was unable to answer the phone. It was considered done for me. A month later, during Ramadan, I applied for a home service relocation due to change of apartment, but within the exact same community and was promised to receive a phone call for scheduling the appointment. After visiting the same and a different branch, I tried to solve it through customer service, nothing has happened, but at the same time I had to pay for the service.

So, I have decided to change to etisalat and cancel the home service as well. Again I have received a phone call with an offer to stay, otherwise I will have to pay early a cancellation fee of Dh700. Early cancellation fee after four years?

After numerous phone calls and holding the phone for hours just to wait for the representative, a woman representative was amazing and helpful. I could reach to the stage where the billing department called me. One apologised for the Dh700 charge, which is incorrect; the next one told me that apparently everything was closed so I just had to wait for my final bill, and I might have to pay some fee for the mobile service and after all the closure fees and everything I might have to pay a small fee.

So my pulse went up suddenly again. Why would they even charge me for the mobile service once it had been cancelled already? This representative told me he could not help because he was from the billing department. So I had to call its mobile department.

So I waited for the final bill, in which I realised that they had charged me with another monthly fee (from May 17 to June 17), although I had cancelled it more than two months ago.

I tried to call them, but they put me on hold for almost an hour, on being told that it was a complaint call. I tried to use social media where I received the answer that I was approached with an offer and I had decided to keep the service. Seriously? We didn’t even talk.

So I called them again and asked for an appointment to speak with the manager who would be able to help, who could access phone call records so that I could prove that I had never confirmed anything and in fact had been telling them continuously that I didn’t want du anymore in my life.

I had to go back to their headquarters in Dubai Media City. Again, I just received a ticket number and was told that someone would call me within a week. I waited for that call, but my fear is that they will charge me again for one more month if I am not able to take action against them.

Altogether, the early cancellation fee, the deposit money and this additional monthly payment cost Dh1,450.

Why can’t they manage a simple thing as cancel a service?

From Mr Laszlo Pass Dubai

A spokesperson from du responds:

In response to Mr Laszlo Pass, the team at du investigated the case and can confirm that the customer’s number was successfully migrated to prepaid on July 18 this year. Based on the customer’s request, a clarification on the billing has been provided. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to Mr Pass.

(Process initiation: July 4. Response from organisation: August 5. Process completion: September 11. )

Pay protect plan

When I saw my Mashreq credit card statement for June, I found I had been charged Dh330 for “Pay Protect”. The Call Centre agent had told me it would be free. I registered my complaint with Mashreq bank, but although they removed the ‘Pay Protect’ plan, they refused to reverse the charges. Please help.

When I took the credit card, I cancelled all hidden insurance charges, but I don’t know why they charged or activated it after two years.

From Mr Vikash Kumar Dubai

The management of Mashreq responds:

Thank you for sharing Mr Vikash Kumar’s concern with us.

We have investigated the concerns raised by Mr Kumar regarding the pay protect insurance on the credit card.

Our investigation reveals that the insurance was activated on Mr Kumar’s credit card with his consent and we have the recorded call to prove the same. The call was made on Mr Kumar’s registered mobile

number on May 22, 2018 and enrollment was completed post verification.

We have called Mr Kumar and discussed the matter, also offered to reverse the charge as a gesture based on his profile.

We take this opportunity to thank Gulf News once again for bringing this issue to our notice.

(Process initiation: September 9. Response from organisation: September 11.)

■ Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com

My fear is that they will charge me for another month if I am not able to take action against them.”

Mr Laszlo Pass | Dubai

When I took the credit card, I cancelled all hidden insurance charges, but I don’t know why they charged or activated it after two years.”

Mr Vikash Kumar | Dubai