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!

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

My kitchen is broken!

Good day sir. In 2023 December I hired a man to come and do some kitchen fittings and ceiling which later he failed to the last finishes. We paid him P11,000.

Last week one of the kitchen fittings collapsed, I requested him to came as see the incident so we can talk about the way forward as it looks like there was wrong usage of nail in the cupboards. The glass electronic stove was shattered and 20 items were in those cupboards. I texted him on WhatsApp, he just blue ticked and my phone calls he doesn't want to pick them.

Kindly advise me what to do in such matter. Thank you.

I think you'll have difficulty here. You told me that this guy was operating as an individual, not as a company and if that's correct, the Consumer Protection Act won't apply to the work he did. It's a good example of why it's best to use a registered company to do work like this for you.

Secondly, he's clearly not very good at his job. He didn't complete the work and it looks like his poor workmanship led to the collapse and subsequent damage to your stove.

Finally, he's really unhelpful. He's ignoring your messages and calls and when I contacted him he was very unwilling to give me any information.

However, there is a hint of good news. I did a little detective work and it's possible that he is actually running a company. It's worth contacting the Competition and Consumer Authority to see if they can apply some pressure.

They blacklisted me!

Sir I need your help. In 2023 I took a bed and microwave on hire purchase and I kept on paying then my job ended and I told them I'm no longer working. Then they ended up taking their products. I was trying to apply for youth empowerment money but they have blacklisted me with the amount of P7,200. What can I do?

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do. This is how hire purchase works. It doesn't matter to the store why you stopped paying, all they care about is getting their monthly instalments. You did the right thing when you told them that you were no longer working, but they still expect to get the payments every month. If you don't, eventually they will come and repossess the goods. It's important to remember that when you're buying goods on higher purchase, they don't belong to you. Until you've made the last payment, they remain the property of the store and they can repossess them if you're in arrears.

What's worse is that even if the goods are repossessed, you'll still owe the store the money you agreed to pay them and if you don't pay them, they'll record that on your credit history so that other potential lenders can decide whether to lend you money. Obviously, in your case, this prevented you from getting a loan.

Realistically the only thing you can do is to find a way to start repaying this money and only then will they update your record.

The Voice - Consumers Voice

There wasn't even water!

I have registered a complaint with a guest house in Mahalapye about their poor service verbally while I was there, through telephone and also wrote an email. I was booked at their guest house for 4 days, and the 'executive' room that I was allocated had issues with water. At times there was no water at all or it was cold because of some malfunction. There were evenings where I had to sleep without a shower.

On day 2 I had to get my toiletry bag and cross over the compound to a standard room to shower and back. On day 3 they suggested I move to a standard room. It had no shower and I do not use lodge bathtubs for personal hygiene reasons, and the ceiling in that room had mould. All this time I alerted management and owner, but there were no other solutions, and I couldn't move to any other accommodation venue because each day they promised they will fix, but when I get back from my meetings in the evening nothing was fixed. They are ignoring my messages and email. I am avoiding posting and shaming them on Facebook as I was hoping this matter could be resolved in an amicable manner. Kindly assist.

This is a disgrace. It doesn't matter how expensive or how cheap accommodation might be, we all deserve a few basics. Clean hot and cold water, cleanliness and security are the starting points. Clearly this particular guest house doesn't understand that. Maybe they don't understand the word 'guest'?

I contacted the owner and manager of the establishment and they seemed unhappy responding. They sent two messages on WhatsApp but deleted them before I had a chance to read them. I'll keep trying. Meanwhile you might want to alert the Botswana Tourism Organisation to see if they want to advise this place on the standards they expect from establishments like this. 

Update. Still no update from this so-called "guest house". I won't give up.

Will they finish the roof?

In June 2023 ,I constructed a company to erect roof trusses and roof fascia boards. They were not put up at the time and I have since last April 24 requested them to put it up since I wanted to move into the house. The manager of the company insisted that I hire scaffolding, which I did not agree to because I assumed their prices included all tools and equipment. When I contracted them I was never informed about hiring scaffolding, this was only raised when I asked about the fascia boards. It was never explicit in the quotation that I have to hire scaffolding.

In October 2024 they requested to hire scaffolding and that we share the expense of which I agreed, but they kept on postponing to put up the fascia boards and I doubt if he`ll ever put them. I feel their delaying tactics just to get away with it. We have since moved into the house without those fascia boards.

This must be very frustrating. It's a very good example of how we must be 100% certain with builders about what is included in a quotation and what is not. It's worth asking a builder to put in writing that their quote is complete and there will be no additional charges. However, I respect you for doing a deal with this builder to get the project finished. I'm less impressed with their delaying tactics.

I contacted them and they responded very quickly, saying that they would "try to put things in order and make contact." 

Let's hope they keep their promise.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

How did I become a Director?

Sometime in January a couple came to my workplace claiming that l took their money after purchasing a car and l told them my husband is the one in the car business. They then said the money was supposed to have been sent into my business account and l got curious. That is when l searched for the company on CIPA site and l saw that l was a director of the company. I then went to CIPA offices to seek clarity and the lady that assisted me told me that the company secretary has the authority to add and remove shareholders. l was not satisfied and was told to send emails to CIPA and l did so.

Now my worry is l don't know the activities that took place or how many people the company defrauded during the time l was presumed director. How do l get help because l tried reporting to the police they are not helping even to open a case.

This is very alarming. It's ridiculous that you can be put in the position of a company director without your knowledge and consent.

I think you should approach CIPA again, preferably someone senior, and tell them clearly that a fraud has taken place, and that they should investigate who did this and decide what action could be taken.

I checked the CIPA web site and could see that your name has been removed now, but I still think it's incredibly important to approach them and let them know. I would also go back to the Police and ask them to record what happened, even if they can't take any action. It might help if anyone else who suffered because of this company thinks you might be responsible.

Where's the tombstone?

I need your help or advice with regard to a certain funeral scheme. It happened that my father passed on last year and he was buried in January 2024. As per the package he qualified for a tombstone that should be provided 6 months after the burial.

We made follow ups from last year September requesting for the tombstone. Until today they have not provided the tombstone, they take us from pillar to post sometimes their numbers go unanswered or they say they will give us feedback but they never do. It's been a tedious journey to deal with this company more especially a certain lady who were are always referred to but she never provide assistance. How do I go about it sir? 

I'm very sorry for your loss and just as sorry at the stress and anxiety this must be causing you. The people running this scheme should be ashamed of themselves. Too many people in the funeral industry forget that that we need a higher level of service from them. They're dealing with tragic events that require a greater quality of compassion and dedication. Unlike these people.

I'll get in touch with them and see what they say for themselves.

Readers of The Voice might recall that another funeral scheme threatened us with legal action because we reported on their failure to honour their agreements with dozens and dozens of customers. It's time these schemes were effectively regulated. NBFIRA, you're doing good work with other industries, it's time for you to do the same with the funeral scheme industry.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can they charge me so much?

I need your help sir. I have a personal bank account which I get my monthly salary. So on Wednesday an amount of P1,500 was deposited on my account. The same day when I tried withdraw P400 then the remaining balance was only P66.

Then the following morning I called them and asked why this has happened. They told me that my insurance company attempted to get P79 stop order which failed for three times. Then what they told is that each and every attempt they charge P340, total amount to P1,044. So I need help that is it possible that the penalty can be more over the attempted P79.

Charging you over P1,000 for failing to pay P79? This seems hugely excessive.

However, this will all depend on what it says in the agreement you signed with your bank and their current tariff guide. It's common for a bank to charge a penalty fee if we overdraw our accounts, but in this situation, that's gone too far. We need to speak to the bank to check if this is how the penalty mechanism should work.

We also need to speak to your insurance company to check if they were being fair. In my view if a payment failed they should have contacted you to ask what happened. Trying three times without calling you is unreasonable.

I'll contact both the bank and the insurance company and ask them why they are behaving so unfairly.

He won't repair the phone!

I am writing to formally report an issue regarding a iPhone 13 Pro Max phone I purchased from someone through a friend who was the one purchasing on my behalf. The transaction took place approximately two months ago. Unfortunately, the phone stopped working unexpectedly, and when I reached out for assistance, I received conflicting information regarding the warranty.

Initially, I was informed that the phone had no warranty. However, when I mentioned seeking legal action, I was then told that it does have a warranty. Despite this, the phone remains unfixed. I handed it over to him on Wednesday the 19th, expecting a resolution. However, I have now been informed that they intend to return the phone without repairing it.

I went to the police and they have told me to report the matter to the consumer office.

I purchased the phone in good faith and expected reasonable after-sales support. I kindly request your assistance in resolving this matter, as I believe I am entitled to either a repair, replacement, or a refund under consumer protection laws. I would appreciate your urgent intervention in this matter, and I look forward to your response.

This is going to be difficult, mainly because this might not be seen as a commercial sale, but a private deal between two individuals. Nevertheless, it still might be worth contacting the Competition and Consumer Authority to see if there's anything they can do to help. I'm also happy to get in touch with the seller to see if they can do the right thing. In future, whenever possible buy a phone like this from a reputable store. Yes, they DO exist!

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

How much must I pay the pawn shop?

Sir I went to this other pawn shop in Mogoditshane to pawn my car since I needed cash urgently. That was in October. I got P5,000 and they said I will be paying P6,119.

Then I was 2 months without paying. When I checked in January it was around P10,000 and I told them that I will be coming to pay in 2 days only to be told that my credit will start charging day by day. Guess when I went to check after the 2 days the credit was at P13,800. When I asked why they said this is how it is. I managed to pay P9,000 and the remaining they said I should do I roll over.

Mind you at this point the car that I pawned had a breakdown in Palapye. It's there now and they told me I should bring it. I told them I don't have money to go get it. Since I signed for the roll over they cannot credit me the change. You borrow from P5,000 upwards, from that P3,800 I did manage to pay they say they will be charging day by day if I don't bring the car. When I calculated this is P1,000 per day, Please help is this how things are supposed to be sir?

Readers of The Voice will know that there are some things I really dislike. I really dislike hire purchase and I really dislike shady microlenders. I also really dislike the gambling industry. The thing they have in common is that they are all designed to promise great things but are actually based on exploiting the desperate and unwise.

But there's something I dislike even more. Pawn shops. They promise a quick and easy way to get some cash but the conditions and costs are punishing. And if things go wrong, victims can easily find themselves in desperate situations like yours.

I think this particular pawn shop is behaving very suspiciously and it's time we involved the regulator, NBFIRA and see if they can assist you. This pawn shop needs to answer some tough questions.

A Facebook warning

We've had a tough time with Facebook recently.

As members of the Consumer Watchdog Facebook group know, we frequently post warnings about scams of all sorts. Hopefully the message gets to the members of the group who are now more than 231,000 and they can then spread the word to their families, friends, workmates and neighbors.

Unfortunately, Facebook doesn't seem to understand how this works. They have systems that are meant to prevent scams and abusive posts but it turns out this doesn't work very well.

Two weeks ago I posted a warning on Facebook about a scam. The post included some of the messages I had sent and received from the scammer. The good news is that many people responded, understanding that is was a scam alert. The bad news is that Facebook's system, completely misunderstood and saw it as promoting a scam. As a result, my Facebook profile was twice suspended and the Consumer Watchdog group has been threatened with closure.

The lesson is simple. Technology is great, but we can't always trust what human beings have done with it. Be careful what you post on Facebook. They find it difficult to tell the difference between scammers and those protecting people against them.

Scam Alert. How to lose your FNB account

How do scammers gain access to our bank accounts?

It's simple. We allow it by handing over our security details.

It begins with a message on your phone.

It looks serious. So you click on the link.

However, it's not FNB. The link actually go to this URL:

Not FNB.

This is the screen it shows.

It's well done, it looks just like FNB. The right colors, right logo, It's very persuasive.

You enter the username and password and then it shows this:

Say goodbye to your bank account and your money.

Will FNB help you if this happens? No. It's not FNB's fault that you gave away all of your online banking security and card details. 

If this DOES happen, it's still worth contacting the bank because they MIGHT be able to freeze your account but it's unlikely they'll get there in time.

These scammers are very good at their job.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Must I pay 30%?

I bought an Itel A50 cell phone for P1,300 at a cellphone store at Rail Park Mall. The phone is overheating and also refuses to upgrade the software. So I went back there today and they told that if I return the phone they are going take 30 percent. So I want to ask if it is true that they have to take 30 percent?

I think you know the answer to this question, don't you? Of course they can't charge you 30%. It's very simple. Section 15 of the Consumer Protection Act says that a consumer "has the right to receive goods which are of good quality, in good working order and free of defects". Section 16 goes on to say that a consumer may return goods to the supplier within six months if the goods are faulty.

Clearly, a cell phone that overheats and doesn't allow you to update the software is not good quality, is not in good working order and is not free of defects. The store has three choices. They can repair the phone, they can replace it or they can refund you but it's up to them which they choose, but they've got to do one of them. And let me make it clear again they can't charge you for this. Not 30%. Not even one percent.

I contacted the store management and I think they understand their obligations. Hopefully they'll be in touch with you very shortly and they'll resolve this issue.

Won't they fix the bed?

Good day Richard. Kindly assist me here. I bought a bed from a furniture store at Rail Park Mall in November 2022 and the bed made a squeaky sound which made very unbearable to sleep on. I lodged the complaint to them the same month I bought the bed. To date I have not been assisted. I am always told some lame excuse as to why I haven't been assisted.

Kindly help me. I would really appreciate it. I hardly sleep at night because of this issue. Imagine after having a long hectic day at work all you look forward to is to refreshing and getting a good night sleep but for me that's not the case since this bed is very uncomfortable to sleep on because of the squeaky sound it makes. I would really appreciate it if you were to assist me on this matter.

My answer is very similar to the situation with the cellphone but with a slight difference. You had a right to a bed that did what a bed should do, and that includes not making irritating noises. You were right to tell the store about this and to expect some sort of solution. You are also entitled to communication from the store to let you know what's happening and if there are any delays. So far that's all quite simple.

I contacted the management at the store and they assured me that they look into the case and come up with a solution. However, they reported that there was something you forgot to tell me. You'd been doing your ironing on the mattress and burnt it. Technically that voids the warranty that the store offered you and that means they're under no obligation to fix it. However, they're being quite reasonable so I hope they'll still come up with a solution that can help you.

The lesson here is always to be extremely careful with the products you buy. If they're faulty, obviously the store has to fix them but if you damage them, then it's up to you.

Consumer Watchdog under threat from Facebook

FOR RELEASE

Consumer Watchdog under threat from Facebook

Consumer Watchdog Botswana, who operate a Facebook group with over 230,000 members is currently under threat from Facebook itself. Richard Harriman, one of the administrators of the group, has twice recently had his Facebook profile suspended after publishing a public warning about a scam. Facebook has also warned that the Consumer Watchdog group itself is "at risk of being disabled".

In what is a major failing of the measures designed to protect Facebook users against scams, the post was seen as promoting the scam, despite being a warning entitled "Scam Alert".

Harriman said:

"I think Facebook need to look very carefully at how they protect their users against abuse. We work very hard to warn consumers in Botswana about scams and have been threatened many times by the crooks running them for exposing their crimes. Scams like Ecoplexus were successfully stopped following these warnings and I worry that more scammers will be able to steal from their victims without these alerts. Instead of stopping us protecting consumers, Facebook should help us."

Consumer Watchdog is a fiercely independent consumer support, education and advocacy group and everything it does for consumers is entirely free.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They're still charging me!

Please kindly assist me with the matter of a cash loan. I took a 2 years loan from them on December 2022. The cut off date was last year November but they deducted in December. I logged in a complaint for my refund on the 18 December but till today they are not willing to assist with the refund.

They are saying their laptop is water damaged and until laptop is fixed that's when they can help me. The cash loan was recruited by our company and payment was made from work by HR. Our HR department said the cash loan has to pay me back for the refund.

So now they are not willing to assist with my refund.. um keeping on calling them.. only excuses after another. Is there anywhere I can report this matter for my refund of P1,533.71?

This is completely unacceptable. Firstly, you paid off the loan in full and they need to stop taking your money. It's not complicated. I'm also not impressed by your HR Department. Don't they realize that it's their job to ensure that the company workforce is fully motivated to do their work? If the microlender they invited into the company is misbehaving, they need to start doing their job and help fix this.

However, what's more concerning is the microlender and their pathetic excuses. Their laptop is water damaged? Is it possible they only have a single laptop? And no backup facility? No disaster recovery plan? No money to buy another laptop? They can't be trusted.

Actually this isn't surprising. Although the microlending company is still registered with CIPA, they are not on the list of regulated lenders held by NBFIRA. I contacted them and they made some excuses about the renewal of their licence and said they are entitled only to recover existing debts and not create new ones. They assured me that you'll be refunded very soon.

Is it worth it?

Hello Mr Harriman. Yesterday I bought a certain Forex booklet from someone for P300. However upon reading it I realised I wasn't satisfied with the information that it contained, more so I was expecting something different. I have a similar one I downloaded from Google. So I told him and asked for a refund of which he is refusing do give. I'm I wrong or right to ask for a refund because I'm not satisfied?

There's a lesson here for all of us. This is how many forex gurus and Get Rich Quick peddlers make money. They start by offering "education" and "training" on their particular money-making scheme, often in the form of electronic booklets like the ones you bought. However, your experience is a common one. The material many of them offer is either freely available on the internet somewhere, incredibly basic or both.

These days it's even easier. As an experiment, I asked my preferred AI tool to generate a forex guide and less than a minute later, I had a booklet better than the one you paid money for. All for free.

The lesson is simple. Anyone who invites you to join their money-making scheme wants to make money FROM you, not WITH you.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Is it legit?

Can you please check for me if a company called Tigris Capital UK is indeed legit. I heard from a friend who is selling me the idea that those are financial funders. They are investor who are willing to invest in Africa, that they are willing to invest millions to a billion dollars. I can send you documents for you to see.

I'm very glad you contacted me before you went any further with this. It's a scam. There is absolutely no doubt about it.

The first clue is that this is not how lending works. Lenders from foreign countries don't give billions, millions or anything to total strangers in foreign countries. It's hard enough getting a loan from a local bank so it's unbelievable that a company in another country will lend you so much money.

The second clue can be found in the material they sent you. This included South African company registration documents, BEE certificates, industry regulator compliance documents, copies of passports and even bank confirmation letters. These very convincing documents might have been persuasive if they'd been for the right company. Instead of "Tigris Capital UK", they were for a South African company with a totally different name. I suspect these are all genuine documents but for an innocent company with no connection to this scam.

However, the biggest clue was in the contract from "Tigris Capital" you were sent. Alongside lots of fancy contractual terms was this: "2.7 Facilitation Fee: A total facilitation fee of (6%) will be payable by the Borrower on disbursement of the loan."

That's what this is all about. As soon as you've agreed to accept the loan, YOU have to pay THEM a lot of money. That is the payment that gives this scam its name: an "advance fee scam".

Please spread the word to everyone you know so they, like you, can avoid this and similar scams.

Where's my refund?

Last week Saturday I bought a headboard at a furniture store and paid P7100 cash. They told me that they will deliver it on Sunday the following day. I waited for them the whole day on Sunday and they didn't deliver it. On Monday they told me that they don't have that headboard in stock even at the warehouse so they had to refund me. I've been calling them the whole week for my refund and they are telling me that they are still trying to raise my money because they don't have any cash.

This is ridiculous. This is a major chain of furniture stores who claim they don't have any money? And why do they even need to pay you in cash? If they had any sense they'd get your bank account details and they could refund you in a moment. That's surely the simplest solution?

I contacted senior management at their Head Office and alerted them.

Update: They contacted the customer and promised to refund them the next day.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Where was it damaged?

Hi. I need your help I bought a couch from a furniture store in August last year. I transported it myself. No assessment on the couch was done but upon arrival the couch was broken, and it shows that the couch got damaged at the shop. I informed them the same day I found out. They told me they will assist me. Till now It's only back and forth with them. They are not willing to help me. They are not answering my messages.

Finally, they contacted me and they said I should bring the chair to them. For me to bring the chair it means more costs. I already transported it from Maun to my place and it costed me P500.

Unfortunately, this is a complicated situation. I contacted the store and their position is that the furniture was fine before it left them and because you elected to transport the goods yourself, whatever happened while they were being transported was your responsibility, not theirs. You sent me a photo of the damage, saying that it proved it was damaged while at the store but they claim that the same photo shows that it was damaged while with you.

The store suggested that they will inspect the furniture if you can return it to them but I know this will cost you even more in transportation costs. The manager suggested if they have another delivery in your area they might be able to collect it but there's no certainty when that might be.

The lesson here is to inspect any major items before you take them from a store and refuse them if they show any signs of damage. Another lesson is that transporting goods yourself isn't always a good way to save money. This store told me that they charge less than the P500 you paid someone else and if there is a problem, they collect and redeliver things for free.

Can I return the phone?

I humbly need your help. I bought a Huawei Y62 phone on the 9th of January 2025 at a store in Pilane. I bought it because I used to have it in the past and I thought I knew everything about it, but upon reaching home I realized that the phone does not have the same features like the one I used to have. The next morning I returned the phone to the store but they refused to accept the phone telling me that they don't accept cellphones that are being returned. Now, when I bought this phone, they didn't tell me about their policy of returning goods, I would have maybe bought it at my own risk. I will be keeping the phone in the box until you guys help me.

Firstly, I think there might be some misunderstanding about the phone you bought. I checked and the Huawei Y62 was only launched in January last year. Are you sure it was the same model as your previous Huawei phone?

If you had your previous Huawei phone a few years ago, it's possible that what you're seeing is the change Huawei had to make when they were forced by the US government to stop using the Google App Store and moved to their own app store.

Either way, the question that matters is whether the phone works. Remember that we only have a right to return things to a store if they are faulty or if they were mis-sold. If they made any promises about the phone being the same as your last one, you can argue that it was mis-sold but I don't think that's what happened? I think the best thing to do is accept your new phone as it is. From what I read online it's a very nice phone.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

New Years Resolutions

It's that time of year again, when we think about New Ideas for the New Year. In 2024, as with previous years, we've seen people make serious, costly mistakes and we need to stop making the same mistakes in 2025. None of these ideas are actually new, but they are really important.

Technology
Change your passwords. Do it right now and do it again in the future. Do it often. Just as importantly, choose passwords that are hard to guess. Don't use your birthday or the names of your children, use a phrase that contains numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols.

Contracts
Read all contracts BEFORE signing them. If you don't understand something in a contract, don't sign it. If necessary, ask for advice from someone who knows more and who cares about you. Remember that contracts are often one-sided and designed to protect the large company that can afford lawyers, not to protect you and me. One we sign a contract, we're committed and there's no way out. Saying we didn't understand it after we signed it is too late.

Ask questions
Don't ever be afraid to ask 'stupid' questions. Whether you're buying a house, a car, a laptop or a cellphone, ask as many questions as you need to understand what you're buying and what it means for you. The question you think is 'stupid' is often the smart question that the company doesn't want you to ask because they don't want to answer. They know that if you knew the answer, you'd walk away and take your money somewhere else.

Slow down
Don't make impulse decisions, particularly with expensive items. No matter how tempting and attractive it is, that item will still be there tomorrow almost certainly at the same price. Don't give in to pressure from the sales staff, particularly if they say you'll only get the special deal today.

Insurance
If you're thinking about getting a funeral plan, consider life insurance instead. A funeral plan covers just one thing, burying you or your loved ones in a hugely over-priced coffin. A life insurance policy, even though it can be more expensive, it covers a lot more. If you pass away, your children will be better looked after with a life insurance policy

Change companies
Don't be afraid to change banks, network providers, insurance companies, any service provider. They need to know that you'll be willing to move to one of their competitors. And then, if necessary, do it. Maybe, if you're feeling like having some fun, tell them company that you're looking to move and see if they can't get you a better deal. Make them work for their fees.

Alo, understand that the large service providers you think you love don't love you in return. They just want your money. Loyalty must be earned, not given.

Money-making schemes
It's critically important to understand that anyone who invites you to join their money-making scheme wants to make money FROM you, not WITH you. It's the same with so-called 'miracle money'. The miracle they talk about is taking money FROM you, not giving it TO you.

And anything that's offered for free? Ask yourself why would they do that? What do they really want in return?

Finally…
Please be very careful. Way too many people still fall for scams and we need to stop it. Please spread the word to your family, friends, workmates and neighbours and then we can beat these criminals in 2025