As You Buy Talk-time, Beware!
Sub: My Airtel Mobile No.[protected]
On Dec 4, I was recharging my prepaid account –as usual -- to build up talk time [vide Transaction ID[protected]]. And as usual, the screen flashed, ‘Recharge Successful.’ So I went my way.
But it has proved to be a case of ‘operation successful, patient dies,’ as I’ve since learned. That was when I found a day later that the recharge had made hardly any difference to bolster the health of my talk-time balance. The balance showed no change whatsoever even after the recharge.
To my shock, I now gather that the amount has been credited not to the usual talk time balance – but elsewhere. According to Airtel’s Customer Care, they have credited the cash into a new ‘Dedicated Account 11.’
Whatever that be, I have no idea. When have they opened that ‘Dedicated Account’ for me? And why, all of a sudden? As a consumer, I have little knowledge about these things. I have not sought such a facility. Nor have I asked for any 3G data – supposedly against that ‘Dedicated Account.’
Should the customer be taken for a ride?
A company may be eager to sell a product in the market. Welcome. But the customer, too, has a choice to buy whatever he or she wants. And just nobody – not even the country’s leading mobile service provider -- can dump a product on an unwilling consumer, if the person chooses not to consume it. Surely, there could be no question of the consumer paying for a service he or she hasn’t asked to buy.
Let me repeat I have not asked Airtel to open the so-called Dedicated Account.They have done so without my consent in the first place and then hijacked the regular recharge amount into that new account, again without my consent.
In the event, the least I expect of them is to undo the Dedicated Account and credit the amount in favour of talk-time, as intended.
Dharmarajan
7 Dec 2011
Aug 13, 2020
Complaint marked as Resolved 
Airtel — Billing misconduct
I made a payment of 326/- on 23-sept-2009 against my aug bill through Airtel website (Easy Pay option). I used my credit card for the payment. The payment was successful and the amount was debited from my account. After a month i got a call from airtel for making the payment (again). The payment that i made, was not reflecting in my airtel account. I lodged a complaint to verify my payment. Since October '09, I've been given several calls for paying the amount, several talks to the cust care, their managers. I've been helping Airtel to resolve this issue. I provided them whatever they asked - transaction number, date, amount, mode of payment, credit card bill copy, and even my CREDIT CARD NUMBER.Finally on 11-Feb-2010 Airtel responded that they cannot look into the details because there in no data in Airtel logs and I'm required to enquire my credit card bank to revert my money back to my account.
Till then, I've been facing more than 10 times, my services being barred. And now they have disconnected my number.
Scenario is that, Credit card bank has a max limit of 60 days (after transaction date) to enquire for any transaction, after that they cannot see details.
Why am I, a customer, required to run around the payment that i made using Airtel website. If their website/application is not capable of taking the money, then there in not my fault. I'm using the services and making the payment on time.
Airtel cannot give me the services back till the time i do not make those 326 Rs payment again, and CC bank cannot revert my money after 60 days of transaction.
This delay is from Airtel only because of which i'm in this condition.
Please suggest what to do?
Thanks,
Shashi