The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Should I agree?

I would to make an enquiry in getting your assistance in getting a refund. I pre-ordered an iPhone 16 Pro for P7,199.99 at a store in January, with their terms stipulating I would receive it in 6-8weeks. It never arrived and during that period they would give excuses, that they are waiting for the goods to be released by BURS. In June I contacted them to get a readily available phone, but it didn't go through also as they did not have when I wanted to get it.

We then had a verbal agreement on August 20, that he would pay the money by 7th September. Yesterday when I reminded him of our agreement, he referred to a debt manager that he employed as he said his business is failing. However, the instalments they suggested are very very small, less than 10%. They are willing to pay P489/month until December 2026. I told them I could negotiate on an initial instalment of 60% with the remaining balance paid in 3 months, to which they never got back to me. My question is this ok what they are doing to me? Is there anywhere I can report them for to get my funds back?

No, this is not Ok! This is crazy.

I've dealt with this store a few times and they have a history of being unhelpful. On one occasion they sold a phone that a consumer had lay-byed and paid for fully. A few times we found they'd sold refurbished phones as new and they also refused to repair a phone they sold because the customer lost the receipt, even though they admitted previously trying to repair it. So I'm not surprised their business is in difficulty.

However, their demand that they pay their debt to you over the next 15 months is completely unacceptable. What they're doing is treating your money as an interest-free loan that they want to repay over the next 15 months. And what guarantee do you have that they'll stick to this agreement? None.

I suggest that you immediately contact them and tell them that their offer is unacceptable and you reject it completely. If you're feeling generous you can repeat your suggestion of 60% now and the rest over the next 3 months. And then you should go to the Small Claims Court for an order against them that you can use against them if they fail to comply. And I'll contact them too, just to add some more pressure. And for fun.

Is it my problem?

Hello Richard. I bought bricks from a company in Molepolole around October 2024.They delivered only a certain a number after a series of attempts to persuade them to deliver my bricks. Next time I went there, the director talked to me over the phone and told me that they have parted ways with the other director and she has disappeared with the money. They gave her number, I called her she said she didn't go with the any money she says she was chased from the company. Why? I don't know. So they are tossing me from pillar to post.

No one wants to give me the bricks but the company is still operating. They owe about 800 bricks. What can I do?

Yet another company that burdens its customers with its problems. Their internal arguments shouldn't be your problem, it's their job to figure them out without bothering you and their other customers. I suggest you contact them and tell them very clearly that unless they either deliver the 800 bricks or refund you the appropriate amount, you'll go to the Small Claims Court for an order against them.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Recruitment schemes – can you trust them?

You might have seen the recent discussion about a recruitment scheme calling itself the Alabuga Start Program. Several "influencers" in Botswana and South Africa promoted the scheme, suggesting that it offered great opportunities for well-paid employment working in the Tatarstan region of Russia. But it's not as simple as that. Several of these influencers have since apologized for what they said, now they know more about the scheme.

Firstly, and most importantly, there's nothing wrong with working overseas. In fact, it can be an amazing opportunity that every young person should consider if they get the chance.

But Alabuga is much more complicated. Firstly, it has some extremely worrying eligibility criteria. They only accept women aged 18 to 22. Isn't that extremely creepy? Would you be comfortable if your daughter, sister or friend was recruited by a company who only wanted such recruits? It gets worse. Much worse. A report by the Switzerland-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime reported that "recruits are not told their work will be in drone production before their arrival at the site". That's right, these workers apparently produce drones for the Russian military to use in their invasion of Ukraine. The report also reports that "workers at the site described exploitative, repressive working conditions". They conclude that Alabuga is not "human trafficking" but is "fraudulent exploitation" and that it's "an exploitative use of juvenile and migrant labour to support the Russian war economy".

There's been a lot of discussion about Alabuga in the media and it's raised an important concern about the role of influencers who promote schemes like this without sufficient research. Some of them even have a history of marketing scams such as Ecoplexus. We should all learn from this and think more carefully about who we allow to influence us.

The lesson? Alabuga isn't a scam or human trafficking, but it is one of the craziest things a young woman could ever consider.

Is this a scam?

Mr Richard help me check if Alacin Foundation In Birmingham, Michigan USA is authentic. Its a charitable foundation. I was video interviewed for an Administration position and I passed the interview. They sent a contract and they said they will courier the offer and a permit so I can apply for a visa. They asked for $500 and they were saying its for visa handling fees. I told them I don't have money and after that they said they will see how they help.

This IS a recruitment scam. I checked the web site of this "Alacin Foundation" and they claim to have operations in the USA but the two addresses they give aren't theirs. One is for a law firm and the other is an 8-bedroom house that's currently for sale. The domain they use, alacinfoundation.org, was only registered in May this year. 

They also have a Facebook page, with just 23 followers (correction, now 24). So not exactly impressive. 

There's also the unrealistic nature of the job offer. Why would a company in the USA recruit relatively junior staff from the other side of the planet?

But the biggest clue is the money they want from you. That's the "advance fee" that gives this scam its name. If you pay it, they'll keep inventing more fees and taxes they'll demand you pay, until you either run out of money or finally realise you've been scammed. I'm glad you realised in time!

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's my refund?

Good day Richard. I really need your assistance with a company. In 2024 I got into an agreement with them to finish my house, I paid them 70k in advance so they can buy the materials needed and do the job, that also included labour. l realise that was my mistake because this man has been giving me the run around since.. I even at some point involved the police and he plain told them he has no dealings with them, the police told me they were doing me a favor trying to engage with him but the issue is for the courts not them. I was dealing directly with him but after trying to get him to at least pay me back so I can engage someone else and him refusing I called the company itself and they told me they'd pay me in June and never got back to me.

I'm very sorry to hear about this. Unfortunately, while there are some builders who operate honestly and reliably, the industry has a significant minority who are the opposite. They're unreliable and uncommunicative.

However, the Police were correct. This almost certainly isn't a criminal matter, it's a civil one between you and the company. But that doesn't mean they can behave like this. It doesn't mean they can take your money, not complete the work and then take their time refunding you.

Also, there's a little-known part of the Consumer Protection Act that applies. Section 14 says that a consumer has a right to:

"timely performance and completion" of services

and:

"timely notice of any unavoidable delay". 

It's not unreasonable. Companies must keep us up-to-date, and if there are delays, they need to be open about them.

I'll contact them and see if I can explain this to them. I'll use very simple words.

Update: They responded and sent me details about some payments they've already made to you. They promised the balance next month. Please let me know what happens.

Do I owe them?

Hello Richard, can you help me? I have been paying my car insurance from 2021 paying from P800 monthly. As the car depreciated I'm now paying P697 and the contract is being reviewed and signed yearly. So in 2023 I didn't manage to pay 1 month.

In 2024 we signed a new contract and I did not miss a single payment to date. Now they refuse to repair my windscreen saying I need to pay the 2023 money first. It's not fair to me. I paid them more than P30k and they can't fix something for P1,800. It really hurts.

The insurance company are probably correct. They gave you insurance cover under your previous policy for the month you missed and you still owe them for it.

I know it sounds inconsiderate, but if you check your policy you'll probably find a section that says you're only entitled to a payout if you're fully up-to-date with your instalments.

I contacted the insurance company and they're looking into the situation. My prediction is they'll still demand that payment. I think it's worth paying then that missing instalment to get the much larger payout, don't you?

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can they force me to pay?

I need your help here. Last year I was involved in an accident with another car, and I damaged the car rear bumper. The lady her car was insured and mine not, and I just received a bill from the insurance company to pay the bill and I wasn't consulted in choosing in the decision making. I don't have a problem paying the bill but the fact that all the decisions were made without my consent, I don't feel right. I need to lodge a complaint to the insurance broker.

Yet again, this is a very good example of how useful a vehicle insurance policy can be. If you'd had what they call a "third-party" insurance policy, almost all of the costs you're now facing would have been paid for by your insurance company. You would only have been asked to pay a relatively small "excess" amount.

Without such a policy, the entire cost is paid by you. Often people ask why the insurance company isn't taking on the cost, aren't they there to pay for the repairs? Yes, that's true, but they only protect the person who pays their premiums, in this case the person whose car you damaged. Not you. They are entitled to recover the price they paid from the person who caused the collision. You.

Meanwhile, I think it's fair for the insurance company to justify the amount they want you to pay, so you can check you're not being asked to pay more than necessary. If they don't cooperate, let me know.

Can't they replace it?

Hello Richard, i am kindly asking for help. I bought a phone on credit and the phone gave me problem. I cannot operate it. Its a new Huawei Nova 12i. On the day I paid P1,500, and then it was delivered to me on Tuesday, then Wednesday I went to them explaining that the phone is giving me problem because apparently it does not support Google Playstore. I did not know this so I could not download any apps, popular apps like Facebook, WhatsApp nor TikTok. I went to the shop and I explained everything to them the sales people tried to assist but they failed.

They asked me to come back again the following day so they could try but when I got home I thought to myself why pay for something that I will not use freely and it will give me problem all the time because I do not know how to operate it. Why not ask for something that I can use without any problems?

I requested for an exchange but they are refusing. They would rather download apps for me and get everything running for me rather than swap. I called the boss and I explained everything to her and she said she will call me back which she never did. I got a message that they stand by their option of helping me down the apps rather than exchanging.

I'm not sure there's much you can do here. It's been widely discussed in the last few years that Huawei devices were (probably rather stupidly) blocked from using the Google Play Store by the US government in 2019. Any device launched by Huawei now use Huawei's own AppGallery which allows you to download the apps. It's slightly more complicated but my understanding is that you can still function normally and use the apps you need.

In this situation, I think it's best to allow the store to help you download the apps you want. They seem to understand the process better than you or me.

The lesson is always to ask some questions before you buy an expensive gadget. If necessary, ask them to demonstrate how the device operates before you pay them.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Why won't they fix it?

I purchased a laptop in January this year. In July, the battery began malfunctioning. It would drop to around 30–40% and then shut down abruptly. Attempting to restart it without connecting to the charger was futile; only when plugged in would it power on, still showing the same 30–40% battery level. Matters worsened when it eventually refused to switch on at all without being connected to the charger, despite showing battery levels as high as 60–70% once powered. At the beginning of August, I returned the laptop to the store to report the battery issue. I left it with one of the staff members for diagnosis, and their feedback was that the battery was no longer functional. I accepted that diagnosis and asked about the way forward. I was told the matter would be escalated to the manager. Unfortunately, my efforts to obtain the manager's feedback were met with ignored messages and dropped calls. I relayed this to the staff member I had initially spoken with, who later informed me that their manager was out of the country and could only assist upon his return next week. I was advised to collect my laptop in the meantime and wait until the manager was available. This has left me feeling deeply disappointed. I purchased this device in good faith and have received little to no meaningful support in resolving what I believe is a legitimate concern.

I think you 're right to be disappointed. You spent a lot of money on a laptop and you deserve better. In fact, you deserve a lot more. My first concern is that on the receipt you were given, it says "No warranty on hardware". Seriously? Do they understand nothing about consumer rights? Don't they know that Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act clearly says that a consumer can return a faulty item within 6 months? Saying there's no warranty is ridiculous.

It gets worse. The device you bought was described on the receipt as a "MacBook Pro 2016" which was a warning. Why is a device from 2016 being sold in 2025? Clearly because it's second-hand. I checked the serial number of the device and Apple reports that this laptop was first sold in November 2018. So obviously not new. Did they disclose that to you? Apparently not. 

I contacted the store and they came up with a lengthy list of excuses, none of which matter. They are selling devices improperly and I suggest you contact the Competition and Consumer Authority and ask them to intervene. This needs to be stopped. 

Can they repair it? 

I purchased a Samsung phone on June 30th. On July 14th I returned it because the phone wouldn't charge. I walked into their shop a few times in the last couple of weeks to check. On my last visit I told the shop manager that given that the phone was bought new I think they must just replace it. My suspicion was that since it's taking the repair centre lots of time then there certainly must be a problem with it. Today, I went in again and he told me like he did last time that his boss is insisting on giving me back the repaired phone. I left it, didn't take it and told him I'm going to have to inform myself before accepting it back!! If I ever will accept it. Am I wrong in not accepting the repaired phone?

Is this another supplier who doesn't understand how they must treat consumers?

Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act says that if a consumer returns a faulty product within 6 months of purchase, they must either repair it, replace it or refund the customer. However, it's up to the store to decide which option they choose. They CAN choose to repair it. However, what they often forget is that the Act also says that if the same problem occurs again within 3 months, they can't try to repair it again. Then they must either replace it or refund you.

Shall I explain this to them or will you?

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can they do this?

Good day sir. I come with a very heavy heart. Last year I had a very huge family challange and so I was forced to pawn my car to get funds to help. My concern is that there is a lot of cheating when it comes to adding interest.

They don't wait for 30 days to go by before they add interest. For example: if I took the loan out on the 8th August my understanding is that after 30 days is when they can add interest but this is not the case here. If I would pay in maybe the 25th August 2025 they don't wait for my 30 days to lapse. They add immediate interest on the 25th August 2025. I have been paying since last year and my loan is just never ending because I'm receiving interest in a very unfair manner. Thus has really put a huge strain on my finance as I am trying my level best to provide for my family and repay the loan at the same time. I pray you are able to assist me.

Pawn shops strike again. I dislike pawn shops as much as I dislike hire purchase and payday lenders. The pawn shop industry is very effective at exploiting the desperate and the poorest elements of society, who find themselves urgently needing money, people who don't have the time or ability to save up for a purchase or those, like you, who don't have the cash to pay for an emergency expense.

It's very difficult for me to comment on when and how they should be charging interest but the good news is that pawn shops are regulated by NBFIRA, the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority. NBFIRA have been quite active with pawn shops and they have the power to demand that this pawn shop explains themselves to them and to you. I suggest you contact them as soon as possible.

The bigger lesson is please, whatever you do, try to avoid pawning goods to raise money. Their terms and conditions benefit them, not us and if anything goes wrong, you can end up owing them a lot of money, a lot more than you borrowed. And you lose the goods you gave them.

When will they refund me?

I have a story with people from a tombstone company. I bought a tombstone from them for P4,500. Early last month or so I asked for refund since it came to our attention that my deceased Mom had already paid for her own tombstone but this people are playing games with me. Mr Richard they since gave me P1,000 and P500. I told them my rent is due I need my money they ain't replying to my messages. I did not pay rent as I'm currently unemployed but they owe me P3,000.

Firstly, I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother.

The problem here is that it's not the tombstone company's fault that you needed to cancel the deal. The good news is that I contacted the owner of the company and he responded. He told me that:

"the material had already been bought, so as customers come to buy, we give him something. We paid 1,000 and last week we gave him 500."

I know it's frustrating but I think you need to give the company a little time to gather the money he's offered to refund you. I'll keep in touch with him to offer some encouragement.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

How much must I pay?

Richard, assist me here please regarding micro lenders. They lend me money, I was given P3,000 and they tell me their interest is 25% and I told them ok I will pay in 3 months. To my surprise my first deduction was P1,536.89 and now they are telling me the balance will also have another 25%. I want to know is it how they should operate? It's a registered micro lender and they are telling me they are using PayM8 system. I asked them so why the first deduction so high. I thought 25% of P3,000 should be P750.

I think you've misunderstood how borrowing money works. I also think the microlender you selected completely failed to explain it to you. That was their job.

When you borrow money from a commercial lender, there are two parts of the debt. Firstly, there's the capital amount that you borrowed. You borrowed P3,000 over three months so you can expect to pay that amount back in three installments, averaging P1,000 each month.

On top of the capital there's the cost of borrowing and the biggest component will be the interest, in your case 25% of the capital amount each month. The exact details will depend on the loan agreement you signed but I think you've forgotten about the capital repayment. I did some simple calculations based on what you told me and the figure they're charging you does seem to be approximately what I would expect.

If you haven't got it already, you need to ask this microlender for a copy of your loan agreement. You then need to read it carefully and ask them to explain anything you don't understand.

Why did they reject me?

I bought a cellphone from a store at Riverwalk last year on instalments. Then it got stolen from my bag at Phakalane mall. Now I have reported it at Phakalane police station and submitted the police report. It's been 4 months and now a lady from the store called me to say that the insurance company has rejected the claim.

This is one of those situations where everything depends on the small print.

One of the very few good things about hire purchase agreements is that they usually include an insurance policy. It's rarely a good policy because it's there to support the company, not you. If you lose your job, it's there to cover the repayments that you can no longer make. However, the conditions are often quite strict. It often only covers you if you are retrenched, not if you resign and not if you're fired.

These policies also cover you against theft of the item, which sounds good, but again isn't always as good as it sounds. I've heard of situations where the claim is denied if you left a door unlocked or gate open at your house and the thieves easily gained entry. Sometimes it doesn't cover you if you are away from home, like you were. It's another reason why it's incredibly important to read the very small print in your agreements and then, to have your own household insurance policy that might cover all the events the store's policy fails to cover.

I'll contact the store and see if they can double check their insurance.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's my phone?

I need your help. I bought a second hand phone a few months ago. The phone was never okay from the first month. I told the guys at the shop my challenge is I stay in Francistown but bought it in Gaborone. I took it to them last month, but now they were telling me stories.

I took it to them again on 23rd May and when I got there I was told the technician was off since it was a Saturday so I should bring it back on Monday. I called the owner who was in SA at the time to tell him I will leave the phone with someone, she took it back to them but refused to take it. The owner later called the person I left the phone with to say he is still out of the country he will call when he comes to return the phone but he never did.

In short look like they are not willing to give me a new phone or refund me. I can't just lose my P4500 money like that. If they don't want to give me another phone its better they just give me back my money. I'm sick and tired of the their games.

Unfortunately, when you told me the name of this store, I wasn't surprised. It's not the first time I've dealt with them and each time before the story has been the same. They have a history of selling phones that rapidly go wrong and then doing their best to avoid their responsibility to fix the problem they caused for their customer. Obviously, they're in breach of various parts of the Consumer Protection Act but just as importantly, they're showing you contempt.

I contacted the store and they're still taking their time. I think it's time to escalate this situation and complain to the Competition and Consumer Authority. Maybe they can help us persuade the store to do the right thing?

Who can take action?

I'm not sure if this would be the right platform to address this issue. We stay near a bar and night club. This club generates a lot of noise that kids cannot study well. We can't even sleep well. Their customers make noise by the security wall and talking loudly till morning. We wonder how our kids will survive on their education. Please help.

I think this is a certainly a consumer issue. Even though you're not a customer of the bar, you are suffering from the way they operate and their failure to behave like a good neighbour.

The consumer angle here is with Gaborone City Council. I assume you pay rates (obviously you should) and as a result, you're their customer. It's their job to enforce the various Bye-Laws that I'm sure say that bars, clubs and restaurants in residential areas need to behave themselves and not cause a disturbance to people like you who are trying to live a normal life nearby.

The good news is that your local council, Gaborone City Council, has recently become very active, enforcing the law, shutting down unhygienic restaurants and supermarket kitchens and cleaning up the environment. This is the time to ask for their support. I suggest that you submit a complaint to them and get your neighbours who are also bothered by this bar to do the same. The more people who complain, the more likely they are to treat this seriously and take action.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Must I pay them? (Certainly not!)

In April last year, I purchased a Tecno Spark 20C phone from a cellphone dealer in Kazungula. Around October, the device suddenly went into device lock mode. When attempting to switch it on, a message appeared instructing me to return the phone to the supplier for verification, and I was unable to access any features or data on the device. I promptly returned the phone to the store and explained the situation. They informed me they would send the device to their supplier in Dubai for further checks. I made several follow-ups, but each time I was given a different explanation. I also learned that five other Tecno devices were experiencing the same issue and that mine was in a queue for repairs. They temporarily borrowed me a smaller Samsung phone that was also under repair, with the understanding that it would be returned once my Tecno was fixed.

In January 2025, the Samsung began displaying screen glitches. I returned it and they claimed it needed a software update. I updated the software, but the issue persisted after a week. I returned the Samsung and again requested my Tecno. More delays followed. In March I attempted to open a case with the police, but they informed me that consumer-related matters were outside their jurisdiction.

Last week, I returned to the shop and was informed that the Tecno had finally been repaired. However, the screen now has visible damage at the bottom. Despite that, I am willing to accept the phone in its current condition. The current challenge is that the store is now demanding that I pay P1,000 to "buy back" my own phone the same device I returned due to a manufacturer-related fault. I would greatly appreciate your assistance on how best to handle this situation.

You are being far too kind. This company is talking complete nonsense and they know it. Unfortunately, cellphone dealers often make up stories like this but this store has gone further than most. Instead of dealing with the problem responsibly, they gave you another phone they knew was already faulty, offered you endless excuses and finally want you to pay to get your phone back? This is ridiculous.

I'll contact the store and explain to them what the word "incompetent" means.

Must I pay them? (Probably yes.)

I wanted to ask you something here. I went to a cellphone shop. I accidentally touched a speaker that was on top of the other speakers and it nearly fell but fortunately I managed to hold it but another speaker fell and broke. The shop owner said I have to pay for the full amount of the broken one. It's around P200.

It's something that happened unintentional and even the way they put their things it's risky. I don't mind paying but what if the same thing happens to a client that is without that cash. Is it ideal for them to pay and what if they don't pay because they don't have money. Is it the right thing to do?

Let me ask you a different question. If you knock over someone's drink in a bar, what do you do? It's easy, you buy them another drink. Isn't this a similar situation? You broke something belonging to someone else. Isn't the right thing to do to pay them for the damage?

Maybe the store has insurance but it's unlikely to cover damages this small because it will fall below the 'excess' level their policy offers. And if they don't have insurance? They have no business sense.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Kindly advise!

May you kindly advise me here and maybe you can assist. In 2022 I bought some furniture on higher purchase. I managed to pay I believe all the debt I'm only left with arrears of about P4,000. I haven't paid since I lost my job in November 2024. They threaten to take the furniture but I recently went back to my contract only to realise that they actually made me pay for bunk beds twice. The said instead of 1 set of bunk beds I took 2 which is not correct. I'm realising now that I must have overpaid since they said I bought 2 sets when in the actual fact it's 1 set. These people have tormented me daily even threatening me with jail. They did not want me to pay any amount I have, they insist I should pay the total balance though I explained that I'm currently not working. This whole thing drove me to depression. Please advise on what step I should take now.

I'm sorry to hear about this. The problem with hire (not 'higher') purchase is that the arrangement is very one-sided. If things go well, you buy goods for typically twice the cash price. However, if things go wrong, you have almost no protection. The goods don't belong to you, they belong to the store until you've made the last payment. That means that the store can repossess the goods whenever they want to if you're in arrears.

I spoke to the store and they confirmed that you were being billed correctly, for one double bunk bed, not two.

However, I disagree with their suggestion that you must only pay the full amount. You should pay whatever you can afford. It's very important to keep paying as much as you can afford and as often as possible. Show them that you're doing your best. The worst thing you can do is to go silent and not pay a thing.

The sooner you pay off this debt, the sooner you can get back to a normal life.

Be careful what you click on!

If you're on Facebook you'll have seen lots of advertisements for giveaways and competitions from large chains of supermarkets. Most commonly recently they appear to be from Sefalana or Fours. Both reported that the company was

"giving away 280 refrigerators and washing machines that are unsellable due to minor scratches and dents, all in good condition and brand new, so we will randomly send them to followers every day. All you have to do is type @ and hit highlight. If it turns blue, you have been selected."

But this is fake. It's a scam.

What happens is that as soon as you reply, you get a message from them saying you're a lucky winner and all you need to do is click on a link. This takes you to a web page where it asks you to register for a video streaming service for P3.56 per day.

I suspect this is what it's all about, that daily payment. I bet they'll make it very difficult to unsubscribe from the service. And who knows if it really will be just P3.56 each day?

The lesson is to be very careful about what you see on Facebook. Don't share things that you think might earn you a gift or some money. It's always a scam.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They took my money!

I mistakenly transferred funds to one of my saved beneficiaries using my banking app. I notified the bank. The bank contacted the beneficiary to activate the account since it has been dormant for a long time of which he obliged.

Yesterday I contacted the bank and they said the account of the beneficiary had some arrears and the beneficiary should clear those arrears first before they can reverse the transaction. The beneficiary has since indicated that he has no funds to pay those arrears. This is unfair and disappointing since am the one who sent these funds erroneously. I really need this money. Please assist.

I'm sorry to hear about this. Unfortunately, there's probably little that can be done in this situation. The bank didn't make a mistake when they processed this transaction for you, their computer system simply followed the instructions you gave it.

It's also not their fault that the person who received it owed them money in their dormant account and when it was reactivated, they took the money to pay off their debt. That's standard practice with banks, they can take money owed to them from wherever they can find it in the customer's accounts.

However, I'll contact the bank for you and see if anything can be done. But please don't get your hopes too high.

They took my money twice!

Hello Richard. I opened a funeral policy with an insurance company and to my surprise they deducted the premium twice from my account in May. I called my agent to lodge a complaint and she told me that she is unable to help me and I should search for their contacts on Facebook.

Since the beginning of June they have been sending me from pillar to post just to refund me because apparently they captured my policy twice. They say for them to terminate the duplicate they will have to deduct twice again end of June and the waiting period is 30 days for termination. I need help because I feel robbed and tired of pestering them for my refund.

I really don't why some companies like to make things so complicated. This is a very simple problem and the solution should also be very simple. All they need to do is to cancel one of the deductions and then calculate how much they need to refund you. And then they just need to pay you.

I also think this idea that you should wait for 30 days for termination is unacceptable. Section 14 of the Consumer Protection Act says that a company must offer services to consumers "in a manner and quality that consumers are reasonably entitled to expect". It's reasonable to expect that a company that makes a mistake, particularly one that costs the consumer money, needs to fix that problem quickly, not after a month.

I'll contact the company and urge them to stop fooling around and fix this for you.

You also need to get a better agent. If all they can do to help you is suggest you search on Facebook, they need to think again. They were paid a commission for opening your policy so they need to earn that money by treating you with more respect.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

I need a refund!

I request your assistance regarding a matter involving a car dealership, where I purchased a vehicle but have yet to take delivery of it, despite having paid the full amount of P65,000. In March 2025, I paid a deposit for the purchase of a car. Shortly thereafter, I was informed that the car had been loaded and I was required to pay the balance, which I did. However, three months have now passed, and I still have not received the vehicle. Throughout this time, I have been given numerous and inconsistent explanations for the delay. At different points, I was told that the vehicle was being registered, but the system was down. Then the car was undergoing valuation. Then the delay was due to clearance issues at CID. Then the vehicle could not be valued at BURS because of discrepancies in the invoice amount and there were BURS raids affecting the process. Despite all these explanations, the car remains undelivered. I have personally gone to inspect it, and it is indeed parked and gathering dust. I was initially told that the car would be delivered within five working days, a promise that has not been fulfilled, three months later.

I am now left with two options, that I be refunded, or the dealer urgently resolves the issues and delivers the vehicle. I would appreciate your advice on how best to proceed.

I contacted the owner of the dealership and, to her credit, they responded very quickly. They explained that there had been problems with BURS but promised that your car would be delivered next week. Please let me know what happens? Let's hope they keep their promise.

Where's my refund?

I have a concern regarding an iPhone 13 Pro Max I purchased on 6 June 2025. From the moment I received it, the screen was shaking and appeared faulty. I immediately raised this with the staff, and I was informed it was a software issue. They updated the software, and the phone seemed fine for a short while. However, the problem recurred the following day, and I contacted the store again. They once more claimed it was a software issue, performed an update, and returned the phone to me.

On 17 June 2025, while I was using WhatsApp, the screen suddenly displayed lines, indicating an internal screen problem. I rushed back to the store to report this. One of the staff members told me it was physical damage, despite the fact that the screen has no cracks or signs of external impact. I was told that I may have sat on it or dropped it—neither of which is true.

They took the phone for diagnosis, which they said would take 7 days. After discussing the matter with my sister, we returned to the store to request a refund, but after waiting for over two hours, I was told the refund would take 21 working days to process.

I am kindly requesting your assistance, I believe I am entitled to a quicker resolution.

This store has missed something important. Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act says that a supplier who sells a faulty item must, if it's returned within six months, repair it, replace it or refund the customer. It's important to understand that the supplier can decide which option they prefer. However, what they often forget is that if they repair it and the same fault happens again within three months, they lose the right to repair it again. They can now only replace it or refund you.

So all these excuses about physical damage don't mean a thing. But the good news is that I think they realize they've done you wrong. That's probably why they finally offered you the refund. Eventually. Let me know what happens?

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They took my money!

An insurance company has been deducting money from my account but I've never opened a policy with them. A relative of mine had opened a policy with them and I was in that policy so since I'm not their client when opening the policy they chose to make it mine but I wasn't aware of that. I asked that they close it the very first month I noticed they were deducting money from my account. The policy was closed after 5 month and still after closure they deducted money from my account. When they closed the account they sent 2 months worth of deduction to the relative who opened the policy but they have been deducting from my account. I've zent emails and I'm being tossed around. I don't know where to go anymore please assist.

This is a complete mess. I understand that everybody makes mistakes sometimes, we're all human, but when we make a mistake the decent thing to do is to own up, fix the problem and make sure that it doesn't happen again. It's even more important to behave like this if you're an insurance company that is taking money from the wrong person. They should be asking themselves whether their real customer was covered by the policy during the time you were paying for it.

I contacted the company and they responded very quickly, promising to investigate. Two days later they contacted me again saying that the matter had been resolved, which is good news.

However, I have one question. How did they get your bank details?

Can he get them back?

My brother got furniture on higher purchase. So for the past 2 months he couldn't pay and they came and took some of the furniture and left some. They have been pestering and threatening him with endless calls to pay but he always updated them. So this morning the money he has being waiting for has been credited. So he was asking them if they are bringing back the ones they took as he is paying for all the furniture, but it seems they want to accept the money and not return the other furniture taken. How does he go about it?

There are some very important things we need to understand about hire purchase. Firstly, it's called 'hire' purchase because until you've paid the last instalment, you're hiring the goods, you don't own them. They still belong to the store. That changes a lot. For example, it means that they can claim back, or 'repossess', their property whenever they think they have a good reason to.

And what are those 'good reasons'? The best one is being in arrears. If you fall behind with your payments, the hire purchase agreement will say that they can repossess their goods whenever you are in arrears. They don't need to go to court to do this because that's also in the agreement. What it also says is that they can register you with a credit reference bureau when you owe them money.

In your brother's case, it really depends on how generous the store is willing to be. They can keep the repossessed goods and continue charging your brother the monthly instalments until the end of the repayment period if they want.

I contacted them and they're investigating. Let's hope they can be generous.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can I get my money back?

Kindly assist. I bought a new TV on hire purchase. The TV was fine until March when it started producing some black spots on pictures, I reported it to them as it is still under warranty and they took it for maintenance but to my surprise after 2 weeks it was brought back unattended because it showed the same problem. I sent it back with them. They brought it back again after 2 weeks with the same problem and then they promised to exchange it when I demand my money back.

They later called me and told me that they can't replace the TV because the technicians are saying they can't find a problem and then I asked them to talk to the salesman who confirmed that it indeed has a problem. Now they are saying they are taking it back to the supplier. She then said the senior manager is saying they can't give me a new one or my money because I have used it for more than a year even though it's still under warranty. Please help me recover my money because it shows that it will be back and forth issue.

This store is obviously very confused. They're confused about how to deal with consumer problems and very confused about consumer rights. Clearly none of them have read the Consumer Protection Act. Or if they have read it, they clearly don't understand it. Mostly, they seem very confused about what to do. In a situation like this, they just need to make a decision about what to do. Importantly, it should be a decision that addresses YOUR needs rather than theirs.

I contacted their Head Office in South Africa and they responded reasonably quickly. They're trying to contact you. Let's hope they make a decision. Quickly.

Where's my refund?

I paid for a car and have all the receipts but the guy delivered a wrong car and promised to deliver one we agree upon. After i realised he might take me for a ride I hastily drew up a contract and he signed. He then managed to order the one we agreed upon. I was not allowed to see the car because apparently the guy was failing to pay the balance at the bond warehouse when the car arrived.

Around May I realized I might not even get to see the car so I called him in order to give him a cancellation and refund letter. I even gave him extension after extension and there was always a story after another until BURS released the notice about the importation of cars and found out that he undervalued the car. So I gave him an acknowledgment of debt letter of which he read and signed too but to date its story after story. He said he found a client but he is even failing to communicate with me effectively. I do not want to take the matter to court as I feel it will drag on for a very long time and either way I could not even have the car because he has not yet fully paid the BURS clearance and registered the car.

I had taken a P50,000 loan to help get the car but now am repaying a loan and the money had not worked for me. Your assistance will be of great assistance.

So far you've done everything right. Most importantly you forced this guy to sign an agreement promising to repay you. However, he doesn't seem to understand what a promise is.

I'll contact him and see if I can add to what you've already achieved.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's my tombstone?

I am in need of your help. I engaged a company for a tombstone amounting to P17,055. He asked for first payment which was done on 5th March as P10,000 and we agreed the installation would be done in March. On 1st April he asked for the final payment and details of the tombstone. Till date he has not delivered on the tombstone. I have called him for feedback and he says he has orders dating as far back as last year. He says he deals with many clients.

I even went to the Police and he is saying for him to refund I need to wait for him to sell the tombstone first. I don't believe it's ready because he should have at least sent me a photo to give me assurance, and I can't wait for him to sell as he is claiming.

On 1st April when demanding for the final payment he said the stone is ready, and now it's a month without any communication and I am the one following him as if I owe him, he should have communicated that he has so many customers coz I shouldn't have settled for that. I need help with my refund I no longer want to deal with him.

I have bad news and good news.

The bad news is this is the third time a reader has complained about this company. In the past it's been similar stories. Money paid, tombstones not delivered and promises broken.

The good news is that I made some progress when I contacted him. He's still promising to pay a refund but this time after he's repolished the stone and removed the name of the deceased and resold it. Given my experience with this and other tombstone suppliers I'm not very optimistic. But we can't give up.

Can't I just return it?

I bought a Redmi 14C phone on the 21 May. I didn't use the phone because I noticed the fault the same day I bought it. I then returned it to the shop on the 23 May but they refuse to exchange for me. Rather they took the phone back and said it should be sent to technicians first.

At the back of the receipt it is written that if the customer is not fully satisfied with the product, it can be exchanged or refunded. I need a refund not a repaired phone on first buy. What about 7 days policy? Is it right?

This store has caused some confusion.

I think the 7 days they refer to is the time when you can simply change your mind and return the item. A store isn't required to offer this service, it's just good customer service.

However, there's also the warranty period which is the period when the supplier is required to deal with a faulty item. If a faulty item is returned, they can choose whether to repair it, replace it or refund you. When you returned the phone they saw it as a faulty item to be repaired, assuming you wanted to keep it. I think it's best to allow them to try to repair the phone.

But they shouldn't take too long about it.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can I return the shoes?

Good day. I bought shoes and I bought wrong choice wanted to take money and they say it's not possible to refund. Everything is in good condition.

Is there any possibility that I get the money back?

Unfortunately, I don't have any good news for you. Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act says that if we buy goods that are faulty within 6 months of purchase, we can return them to the supplier. That supplier can then choose whether to refund us, replace the item, or repair it. It's important to understand that the decision about which option to choose rests with the supplier, not us as consumers. It's a common source of frustration for consumers that stores try to repair something instead of refunding us. However, it's also important to note that if they do repair a faulty item and the same fault occurs again within the next three months, they can then only replace the item or refund us. They don't get a second chance to repair it.

In your situation, it's different. As I understand it, there's nothing wrong with the shoes, it's just that you chose the wrong ones, so you have no right to return them. Obviously, some store managers are kinder than others and some will allow you to return things if you changed your mind or if you made a simple mistake like yours. But that's just good customer service, it's not a right we have.

Can we make them pay a refund?

Hey Richard, my parents got scammed by a construction company. My parents engaged them to build their retirement house and paid them a deposit of P400,000 to begin works. Its been a month and the company has only sent out people to dig the site and that was it. They have since tried calling the owner of the company, but he keeps avoiding their calls. We don't know what to do.

They sent him a notice of breach and that they are terminating the contract but they have ignored our messages. Please help.

I contacted the builder and, to their credit, they responded very quickly with a very long email explaining that they "sincerely apologize for the distress and inconvenience caused to the client regarding the incomplete project. We fully acknowledge the client's frustration and understand their rightful expectation for closure on this matter."

They also said that they were "navigating a difficult financial period, which has delayed our ability to refund the client in a timely manner" And that they are "currently in the process of stabilizing our operations, and as part of our resolution strategy, we would like to formally propose a sit-down meeting with the client to agree on a practical way forward — such as a payment plan or another suitable arrangement".

So far so good. Let's see if they keep to their word and arrange a payment plan that suits everyone and allows your parents to carry on with their project.

Update. Unfortunately, there was no progress at the time I wrote this. It looks like the matter will be going before the courts.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

I'm a victim!

My documents have been used to get a loan, and now they refuse to absolve me from the case even with evidence of statements and payslips provided. My Omang, as for the payslip, they were fabricated, the account numbers were changed and figures were changed. The police are doing investigations but the lender is not even willing to listen or do anything.

The police say they are on it but I have only received a call from them once. Thing is in my case I am the one who was to open the case and not the lender, though I am a victim in the case of fraud. Its like there are many cases currently being investigated but with me the institution at hand does not want to do anything or absolve me from the case even with evidence provided.

This is going to be difficult.

I contacted the lender and they told me a much more complicated story. According to them, you visited one of their branches and completed a loan agreement. Apparently, one of their employees went through the KYC process and saw your identity documents. Your signatures on all the documents seems to match each other.

They say that your report to the Police, which says you were the victim of a fraud and never received the loan, doesn't prove anything. They later gave me the details of the bank account to which they paid the money and it's not the same bank you say you're with. Nevertheless, they don't see this as sufficient evidence of fraud.

Their suggestion is one that I agree with. You need to encourage the Police to conclude their investigation, prove that a crime was committed and that you were its victim. Then they might be able to fix this problem. 

Be careful what you click on!

Anyone on Facebook will have seen lots of advertisements recently for giveaways and competitions from large chains of supermarkets. A recent one appeared to be from Sefalana, another seemed to be from Fours. Both reported that the company had "480 refrigerators and washing machines that cannot be sold due to minor scratches and dents". To get one of the items, they say that all you need do is reply to the post and then share it in various Facebook groups and pages. But it's all fake. It's a scam.

What happens is that as soon as you reply, you get a message from them saying you're a lucky winner and all you need to do is click on a link. This takes you to a web page where it asks you to register for a video streaming service for P3.56 per day.

I suspect this is what it's all about, that daily payment. I bet they'll make it very difficult to unsubscribe from the service. And who knows if it really will be just P3.56 each day?

The lesson is to be very careful about what you see on Facebook. Don't share things that you think might earn you a gift or some money. It's always a scam.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Why can't they refund me?

Kindly shed some light regarding this matter. My son used to go to this certain school and at the beginning of every term l deposit a terms worth of money in their school account to pay for the fees.

Last year at the beginning of the year l removed the said child from that school and enrolled him at a new school. I don''t know how l kept the old school's account number and at the beginning of this term l sent money to the old school. When l realized the mistake l communicated with the old school apologized for the said mistake and asked them to reverse the said money. l just got their reply stating that l should go to the bank and ask them to reverse the money. Is it possible that when l go to the bank l will be helped? Kindly walk me through the steps l should take.

I'm not a banking expert but I know this much. I know more than this school knows.

Can you imagine what would happen if a bank could simply be told to reverse a transaction the way this school thinks can happen? It would mean that anyone could change their mind after paying for something. Someone could buy a product and then get their money back.

I think you should educate the school management about this. Yes, it was your mistake, and I think you should suggest that they can deduct any transaction fees from the money they refund, but it doesn't change the fact that the school needs to make a little effort to return your money.

If necessary, I'm happy to contact the school for you. 

Is it fair?

May I kindly inquire. I owe a furniture shop and the debt is in arrears. They handed me over to their debt collectors as I appear on ITC but now their threatening with repossession of the furniture when I asked them to make a payment arrangement as they already handed me over.

Is it fair that they want to repossess the furniture when I still show interest in paying?

No, it's not fair but it is how hire purchase can work.

The first important lesson about hire purchase is something I've said many times before but it's worth repeating. It's called 'hire' purchase because until you've paid the last instalment, you are hiring the goods, you don't own them. That changes a lot. For example, it means that they can claim back, or 'repossess', their property whenever they think they have a good reason to.

And what are those 'good reasons'? The most important one is being in arrears. If you fall behind with your payments, the hire purchase agreement will say that they can repossess their goods whenever you are in arrears. They don't need to go to court to do this because that's also in the agreement. What's it also says is that they can register you with a credit reference bureau when you owe them money.

However, there might still be hope. Let's both contact the store and see if there's still an opportunity to settle this debt amicably.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can she get her money back?

Hello Richard. Please help. My Mom got scammed by a woman claiming to be calling from her bank. She requested for account number and pin number then she kept on asking for OTP codes until she took P16,000 from the account.

Now I'm asking can they be traced through the number or bank transfer. Is it traceable?

Unfortunately, I can only offer you bad news. The nature of scammers is that they do their best to transfer any money they've stolen from the victims outside the country as soon as possible to stop the banks and law enforcement agencies from tracking the money and putting a hold on it. There is a small chance that if you alert a bank soon enough they might beat the scammers and hold the money but, in this situation, every second counts. If the victim waits even for minutes, it will probably be too late.

I know it's no comfort but your mother is one of many victims of these scams. I know a few people who've fallen for scams like this and I'm sure many readers of The Voice will know others.

One thing your mother MUST do is to report this to the Police. There's a possibility that someone here in Botswana was part of the scam and if so, they need to be dealt with.

Tragically, the only things we have to protect us are education and public awareness. We can our best in The Voice and in the Consumer Watchdog Facebook group but it depends on every one of us spreading the word to the people we care about who are less aware than we are. It's only as a community that we can beat scammers.

They're refusing my refund!

Kindly assist. Last year we registered a company through a consultancy. He assisted with everything we wanted. Now we wanted to make some amendments to our shareholding and we contacted the company and I met him at his office. I then explained that we wanted to remove other shareholders and he charged P850 for that which he demanded upfront payment which I paid in cash.

In our agreement to the service I gave him time frames which he did not meet and later he stopped taking my calls. I then went to his office to request for a refund he is now refusing to. The question is where to I report this guy to pay our money back?

This should be fairly simple, it's not a complicated situation.

However, as we all know, some companies like to take a simple situation and make it much more complicated than necessary. Rather than doing what they've been paid for, or offering a refund, they decide to make like difficult for you. And also for themselves.

I'll contact them for you and see if I can persuade to simplify this situation and give you your refund.

Meanwhile, in future, you know you don't need a consultant to form a company for you? Unless your needs are very complex, you can do it all yourself at the CIPA web site. It's a lot easier than you think.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's my alarm?

In February I sought a quote from a security company for an alarm monitoring services which they offered. They went to survey the building and asked me a few questions including where I bank. We agreed on the quote and was made to sign a contract where I provided all my details including the bank account details where they would debit moving forward. I was asked to pay a deposit cash and was issued a receipt on the 5th March. To this day, they haven't connected me. They have not fitted their transmitter. I called them several times and the Palapye office always tells me they are waiting for their Head Office to approve since they don't bank with my bank. Mind you, when I was filling in the paperwork, the person who was there to assist me said my bank was compatible with theirs. Please help. I feel they are in breach and if my business get broken into, who do I look to?

Maybe they don't want your money? Maybe they're happy just to keep the deposit you gave them?
They certainly don't seem to want your business.

I don't understand why they have a problem with your bank. Do they only accept money from people who have the same bank as they do? I don't believe that, it's a crazy idea. I suspect they're just making up excuses to cover their inefficiency. It should take days at the most to set up a payment mechanism, not nearly two months.

I emailed the company but haven't heard back from them yet. Let's see if they really want new customers? And if they don't, they need to give you back your deposit.

Why can't they cancel my policy?

I have been having an issue with my bank charging for a stop order for my insurance. I cancelled the stop order on 28th February 2025 but even up to now they are still deducting my money from my account and when they try deduct the money and there is no money they still try attempt to deduct the money which for means there is a penalty of about P360 each attempt.

Sir I have been suffering about this till now. The insurance company still makes attempts to take my money. Today they took the money from my account even though I stopped the policy in February 2025. Please help me sir.

This isn't good enough. I think we all understand that there are sometimes delays in stopping regular payments from our banks when we cancel something like an insurance policy but it should never be for longer than a month and any refunds should never be paid later than the following month. Anything else is a sign that a company can't be trusted with our money.

What they often forget is that consumers are often punished by their bank for these payments, as you were. These penalties can be very expensive.

I contacted the insurance company and, to their credit, they immediately accepted responsibility for their mistake, even though they explained that you'd contacted your insurance agent rather than going directly to them which slowed things down.

A refund of P1,655 to cover the payments and bank charges should reach you very soon.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They keep deducting!

Please help me resolve this issue I have. I cleared my loan on January 22nd this year and the lender deducted in February which I understand since payroll for the next month had already been processed. They refunded the money on March 4th. I then asked if they had closed my account to which they confirmed that they did.

To my surprise, they deducted again in March. I called them and talked to someone who acknowledged that it was a mistake on their part and promised that I will get the refund first week of April. Mr Richard, to this date I still haven't received my money, I have been calling their offices only to be met with excuses and empty promises. I received my pay slip today and to my dismay I found out that they have deducted money again for April.

I have stop orders that have been bouncing since February because of this issue.

There's a word that describes this. 'Incompetence'.

You were very reasonable when you understood that the deduction for February might happen because of payroll processes. However, the deductions for March and April are unacceptable and suggest that something is very wrong with the way this lender operates.

I contacted them but have so far not had a reply. I'll keep trying but in the meantime I think that NBFIRA, who regulate non-bank lenders, deserve to hear about this so they can ask the lender to explain themselves. I wonder also if readers of The Voice and the Consumer Watchdog Facebook group deserve to know who they are as well?

Must I pay it all?

I rented a car at the Airport and did not opt for insurance as I assumed the car should be insured given the nature of their business. I collected the car on the 7th April and inspection was done on the car before I left and the existing scratches were marked.

When I dropped off the car on the 11th, I was made aware of the new scratch that was in the car. We agreed that they will send the quotations through. To my surprise, on the 12th April, I got an invoice detailing how much I am supposed to pay for the repairs, P5,038.

I then phoned the owner, asking to share the costs since the car already had the scratches, which are going to be repaired in the process. He said that the existing scratches are not visible, that is why he did not take it for repairs. He said I should pay all the costs since my scratch is the one that's visible.
My request is for us to share the costs on a 50/50 basis, since the car had scratches in all the quoted areas and the same would have applied had the car been taken to the repairs initially.

Unfortunately, I have no good news for you. It was a serious mistake not to opt for the insurance the company offered when you hired the car. Without that insurance, you are responsible for all of the repair costs that you incurred when the car was damaged while you had it. If the repairs benefit the owner of the company, then that's his good luck. Whenever you hire a car, it's incredibly important that you take whatever insurance that the company offers. It's also essential to take pictures of the condition of the car before you drive it away and then when you return it.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Is this phone real?

I'm kindly asking for your assistance in this matter. I bought an IPhone 11 from a store at Rail Park Mall on November 30 last year. So day 2 I went to the store and complained about the phone being slow and they assumed it was my WiFi connection being poor. Okay fine I agreed with them and I travelled to Francistown so when I got there it happened that the phone freezed, I couldn't pick up calls or anything. I couriered it back to them at my own costs they told me I shouldn't update the IOS software because it's likely to crash. They told me to reset it whenever it freezes. I wasn't satisfied about the service and they brought it back with the issue unresolved. As time went on I realized that when taking calls people can't hear me and I can only hear them. Again I called them from reporting the issue they said and they said I should bring it back again and they will make sure I get assistance. I got there and they told me to leave the phone with them for 7 days and they're taking it back to their supplier. It looks like they don't want to refund me nor give me a new phone. The warranty is still valid until next month end. I feel they want to delay until the period expires and never assist me. I don't know what to do about this whole situation.

This store is hiding something from you. My first concern is that they sold you an iPhone that failed after just 2 days. That's not acceptable. Then they suggested that it's your WiFi that's' the problem instead of trying to diagnose the real problem.

Perhaps my biggest concern is that they told you not to update the operating system on the phone. That's a real worry. Why would they do that? It's possible that this phone has been "jail-broken", meaning that someone has overridden the security on the phone which can prevent later operating system and security updates. You also need to ask if it's a genuine iPhone? Whatever the reason, their suggestion is very worrying.

Whatever the situation, it's critically important that we make them understand that this phone is not acceptable, as required by Section 15 of the Consumer Protection Act which demands that products must be "in good working order and free of defects".

We must both contact this store and make sure they understand this.

Where's my couch?

I have a grievance with a furniture store. I bought a couch worth P11,000 on the 27th of December 2024 but after 2 weeks the couch started getting deformed and losing shape. I went to report this to them at end of January and was told that they will come and inspect it but it's been 2 months now and I still haven't gotten any assistance. I've been there 3 times now since reporting to follow up but I'm always being given the roundabout

I would really appreciate your intervention or assistance on this issue. I have the invoice and warranty.

This should be a simple one. I contacted the Regional Manager for this store and he lost his cool. He emailed the store manager and demanded "a clear explanation as to why we are offering such service". I've known this guy for years and when he gets angry with store managers it's not a good experience for them.

If only there were more managers like him.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where's the permit?

I need your assistance with an issue as follows. In June 2024 I engaged a company for them to assist with work and residence permits for my helper. I paid all that was due from me in July/August. I have been following up with the company. Both directors who happen to be a couple have been throwing me from pillar to post giving different kinds of excuses including the immigration system being down or the immigration office is asking for a document etc.

Now last week I asked for help from someone who works for Immigration and they confirmed that the application I have been following does not appear on the system which means it was never done. The immigration officer advised me to ask for receipts from the consultant and as usual they have been giving excuses. On Friday they didn't answer my calls and today the lady cut my calls. Is there a way you can assist in this regard? I paid them a total of about P8,000.

I think this situation might be difficult. Mainly because this person clearly has no care for her customers. She's taken your money, failed to do anything for it and then lied to you.

I contacted her but she's not willing to talk to me or offer any explanation. I think the next step is to complain about her to the Competition and Consumer Authority. And then go to the Small Claims Court for an order against them to get your money back. Readers can also comment about this in the Consumer Watchdog Facebook group so this company understands what we think of their behaviour.

Has your Facebook profile been stolen? Or did you give it away?

The number of Facebook profiles that have been 'hijacked' is surprising. Several times every day members of the Consumer Watchdog Facebook group try to post what appear to be links to pornography.

The worrying thing is that the profiles trying to post these links aren't fake, they're real, they belong to real people, often people who've been on Facebook and in the Consumer Watchdog group for a long time.

So who are these people trying to post this material? The bad news is that they're you and me, or people just like us. On every occasion we've investigated we've found that the profile has been hijacked by someone that appears to be in Vietnam. However, internet locations can easily be faked or disguised but clearly it's someone who shouldn't be accessing these genuine profiles.

How did they get control of these Facebook accounts? The victims often claim that they've been 'hacked' but it's not that simple. In most cases it's because the victims gave away their Facebook password voluntarily. They usually did this when they responded to a competition on Facebook thinking they'd won a prize and, in order to win it, they were sent a One Time PIN that they were asked to send to the scammers. In fact, that OTP is a Facebook password change OTP and as soon as they've given it away the scammer can change the victim's Facebook password and take control of their account.

The secret is simple. Never, under any circumstances, give anyone an OTP that was sent to you. It doesn't matter who they are and how well you think you know them, anyone who asks for an OTP wants more than just the number, they want your identity.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Was my phone new?

I bought an iPhone 11 pro at a store in the Main Mall on 12 March 2025. I returned to their shop the same week to complain about the battery. Now the phone screen is blinking and the mouthpiece is giving me problems. I have to shout for the other person to hear me. I went to them yesterday to return the phone and the people working there were so rude to me telling me I should go to the police and report. They didn't even apologize, my money is gone just like that?

Here we go again.

The first thing to understand is that it's very strange for a store to be selling an iPhone 11 Pro as new in 2025. That model was first released by Apple in September 2019 and discontinued in October 2020. The current model is the iPhone 16 so this phone is five generations old. Obviously there will be older phones still on sale but from five generations ago? Is that realistic?

Of course it's possible that this is a second-hand or refurbished phone and there's nothing wrong with that. So long as the store is open and honest about it. The law demands this. Section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act says that goods that aren't new must be displayed with "a label on the goods that indicates that such goods are used goods" and by "placing a notice on the invoice issued to a consumer".

Then there's the failure to sell you a phone that works. It doesn't matter if it's new or refurbished, the phone should work properly. The best thing to do is to take it back and insist that they offer you what the law demands: a repair, replacement or a refund.

Where's my refund?

I need your help here to name and shame a catering company. I was hosting a birthday dinner on the 8th of March and she failed to deliver as promised and failed to communicate but I paid her deposit amount of P1,000. We tried calling her but she's been ignoring them, or switched off the phone. She leaves my WhatsApp texts on read, I've communicated with someone whom I want to believe it's her house mate but she said she's not in Gaborone at the moment. Later on she sent me messages telling me that she had a migraine and she apologizes for not delivering but she will refund me. Up to date she's not responding to any calls or texts. Please help me get my money back.

The sad news is that many of the people who work in those industries that support our weddings, funerals and birthday parties are useless. Yes, there are many who are hard-working, reliable and high-quality and who deliver the very best but they are let down by the useless ones.

Frankly I don't care if she had a migraine, she should have made a plan, either with her colleagues or with another catering company.

What you deserve starts with a top-of-the-range apology. It doesn't fix your problem but it would certainly help emotionally. And then you deserve your money back. Without any fuss and without any delays. I can contact her for you but I also think you need to give her a deadline when you want payment. If she ignores that deadline then it's worth a trip to the Small Claims Court for an order against her.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Won't they repair it?

I bought a Bluetooth radio for P599 in Maun. They said it is an accessory and there is no warranty. In less than two weeks, the Bluetooth button on the radio stopped functioning. I was always on busy schedule and did not have time to go back to the store but as soon as possible I went back and told them my story. They said they can help me but at a cost. This was just four weeks from purchasing the radio. They took the radio for diagnosis and took a whole month with it, every time I enquired about the radio, they had to call their bosses. After 5 weeks of them having the radio at their repair center I was informed that they require P350 to repair the radio's button. I paid the P350.00 for the repair but I was really upset, so I want to understand if there is anything I can do about the matter?

This is slightly more complicated than you suggest. I spoke to the MD of the company, and he thinks there was a misunderstanding. The store manager reported that the radio had been physically damaged. They said the button had been broken and there were even burn marks on the speaker.

It's very important that we all understand that a warranty only covers manufacturing faults, not things that happen to the item after we bought it. Most suppliers offer a warranty for a year, others for even longer, but the Consumer Protection Act demands that everything must have a warranty of at least 6 months. We often see stores claiming that phones and electronic devices have a much shorter warranty but that's unacceptable. And illegal. Section 16 of the Act says that consumers can return a faulty item within 6 months and then the store must either repair it, replace it or refund you. However, they can choose which option they prefer.

But if we are the ones who caused the damage, it's up to us to pay for it.

They used my account!

I joined a business called Phoenix Gains last year and I gave them all my bank details. At first they were giving me money for using my bank details for their own business. They were depositing money every day in my account and then immediately they will transfer it out and leave a small amount like P100, P50. Normally in a day they were depositing different amounts, P5,000, P3,000 etc.

The manager of the bank once called me about the money in my account and to explain to them. I told them that is for the business for digital marketing.

Then in February they asked me to look for P2,000 so that I realize my profit. Now I'm in debt and all I want is the refund for P2,000 so that I give it to the person who lent it to me.

There are two things you need to do immediately. The first is to contact the Police and report that your bank account has been used by scammers. You need to do this for two reasons. Firstly, your account was used by criminals to transfer or launder money and the Police need to investigate this. Secondly, you need to protect yourself. Currently, it might look like YOU are the scammer and the Police need to know that you were an innocent participant.

Secondly, you need to tell your bank. I imagine they'll freeze your account which will be very inconvenient for you but not as inconvenient as being investigated by the Police as a potential money launderer and scammer!