In June 2020 I applied for a home wifi that was for a term of 36 months. Some time in August they cut my connection because I had missed a month without paying. Around the same time I got connected with another provider as a work benefit. Since I was using the new one I disconnected the old one.
Last week I got a bunch of bills from my mail box and to my surprise I was being billed for the months after the disconnection, without any communication whatsoever. Basically I was being billed for a service I was currently not getting. I immediately went to their office to ask them to stop billing me as I was no longer using the internet. I was told to pay the balance (that is the bills for when I was disconnected) and then I would get disconnected.
Today I went to pay the full balance and asked to be disconnected. A supervisor instructed the technician not to disconnect me saying I should first pay the full amount of the remaining 3 year contract! That is P15,616 that I must pay now in order for them to stop billing me and disconnect!
I would really appreciate it if you could please help me get out of this jam!
Yes, this is a jam. It's a sticky mess that it might be hard to clean.
The simple fact is that you signed a 3-year contract and unless there is some sort of escape clause, termination clause or right to cancel written in the contract then you're stuck. The supplier will argue that both parties entered into the contract freely and without any pressure and with full knowledge of the terms and conditions. However, in real life we all know this isn't the case. I bet the people selling you the contract didn't mention that it was a 3-year contract with no escape. I bet they neglected to tell you that.
However, the good news is that the new Consumer Protection Act might be on your side. Section 24 of the Act says that a supplier "shall ensure that every term and condition in a contract is brought to the attention of the consumer". It goes on to say that the supplier must "explain the implications of the terms and conditions … before the consumer makes a decision to consent to the terms and conditions". Did they do that? Did they explain what every term meant?
Finally, the same section of the Act says that they must ensure that the customer consents "by signing or initialling next to each term and condition that the consumer consents to". I bet they didn't do that, did they?
Let's both get in touch with your supplier and see if they're aware of their new legal obligations. I bet they're not!
Is he real?
I met a guy online two months back, so yesterday he video called me and told that he sent me a package. This morning I received a WhatsApp text from Botswana number telling me that my package from UK has arrived. So the courier wants me to deposit an amount P3,200 in to their orange money account that's when they can deliver the package.
They said "Hello, good morning my name is Michael Adams a diplomatic agent, I just want to inform you that the parcel sent to you from, London UK has arrival botswana Airport and you have to pay p3,200 for the clearance charges, after the payment to the bank I will delivery your parcel to your home address
I am right now Airport ( Botswana) And am in the Cargo departments with a parcel."
So I just thought of scammers. Am I right?
Yes, you most certainly ARE right. There's no doubt this is a scam. But it's a scam with a difference. We've seen these "romantic scams" before when someone claims to send a package and then an "agent" gets in touch demanding money to release the package. We've also seen scams involving Orange Money but this the first time I've seen the two combined. Clearly this is someone with access to Orange Money and I guess that means they're probably in Botswana. We have our own home-grown scammers and while I support local businesses this is NOT something to be proud of.
Whatever you do, don't send anyone any money and make sure you truly understand that nobody in this scam is real, least of all the guy you met online.
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