[Resolved]  Airtel — False Billing & threats

I am sending the text of the letters I have written to Bharti Airtel Ltd. despite these 2 letters sent by REGD A.D. there is no response from AIRTEL. Even after this I have received a letter from BHARTI AIRTEL LTD, yesterday asking me to pay dues.

M/s. Bharti Airtel Limited
7th Floor, Building No.7, INTERFACE
Link Road, MALAD WEST
Mumbai – 400 064.

Kind Attn: Rajiv Bose (Head – CSD)

Sub: AIRTEL MOBILE NUMBER – [protected].

Dear Sir
It is with regret that I bring to your notice the harassment I am being put through & inferior service I have been subjected to by your organization. I am extremely angry & upset at the callous attitude displayed by your organization.

I had purchased a mobile number from M/s. FRONTLINE SALES LIMITED; having it’s office at Nityanand Nagar No.4, Andheri East, Mumbai – 400069 on the 22nd September 2009. This number was sold to me as an additional number by saying I was entitled to an additional number in a promo launched by AIRTEL. The caller identified herself as Ms. Nikita (mobile number [protected]). They sent a representative to my residence with the SIMCARD & I duly made a payment of INR 500/- in cash for which I was issued a receipt the number being 18748 dated 22nd September 2009. The SEF number for this transaction is 1001680 dated 22nd September 2009. I was told by the lady who called that the number will be activated within 24 hours of purchase. The 24 hours passed & there was no sign of the number being activated. However when I kept calling back I was assured by the lady in question that the number will be activated soon. This went on for 10 days & the number was never activated. Whenever I would switch on the phone with the inserted SIM, the message displayed was “SIM CARD REGISTRATION FAILED”. This is the message now too. I repeatedly called the seller but there was no help forthcoming from them. Finally I managed to get through to the CO-ORDINATOR of M/s. FRONTLINE SALES LIMITED – Mr. Moses (mobile number [protected]). He was extremely rude to me & used foul language. He threatened me with dire consequences if I call him again & also dared me to do what I can. Being a law abiding citizen I did not call back for the fear of being humiliated & threatened. However I called up the AIRTEL CUSTOMER CARE @ 121 and told the person at the other end of my problems & also about the language used by the dealer of AIRTEL. I was told that action will be taken against the said dealer M/s. FRONTLINE SALES LIMITED and also Mr. Moses & Ms. Nikita. I was also assured that the number will be activated soon. However that also did not happen. I have called the AIRTEL customer service @ 121 around a 100 times but I was always met with standard answer of – “we shall do the needful soon & sorry for what you had to go through”. I now realise in hindsight that AIRTEL along with its dealer take customers for a ride with false & fake promises & undertakings. I then received a bill for INR 398=20ps on the 12 November 2009 for the said number when the number was not in use & the SIM CARD WAS NOT ACTIVATED from your end. This was the last straw for me. I decided to file a FIR for harassment & cheating on AIRTEL & the DELAER. However I was called by the retention department of AIRTEL & was assured that the issues will be resolved & the number will be activated soon. This was on the 14th November 2009. However after seeing no action or activation from your end I called up the customer care again on the 18th November 2009 and asked for the number allotted to me, to be cancelled & the amount charged to me be falsely be revoked completely. I was assured of the same & also got a message from the customer care about the same on 18th November 2009. The Service Request Reference number for this is 29438944. However even after this I got calls from retention department asking for the entire story again. This happened around 15 times. I had to repeat the whole story again from 22nd September 2009 to date of call 15 times which was even more mentally harassing. I work for a MNC in a senior position & the calls came in at all inopportune times which were highly embarrassing & a mental torture. It is surprising that AIRTEL does not act on complaints by customers. How is it that the SIM CARD cannot be activated even after 3 months? Why is that I am told by your customer care that I am not using the SIM CARD so the number is suspended? You please answer me, how can I use the number when the SIM CARD is not activated. I can prove it to you that the message even now on my mobile phone says “SIM CARD REGISTRATION FAILED”. Why is that so? This is the message I am getting since 22nd September 2009. Why it is that AIRTEL customer care is so callous about customer complaints when they are genuine? Please have all these answers ready when we meet in person. I need to meet you in person to get you to hear the recordings I have of the calls I made to Customer Care & your dealer. You can hear for yourself the assurances given to me every time I called the customer care numbers.

I have now received a notice for recovery of outstanding amount from BHARTI AIRTEL LTD, and I am forced to write this letter to you. I am also going ahead and lodging an FIR today against BHARTI AIRTEL LTD & the DEALER for cheating & harassment.

I am aware that AIRTEL is the worst service provider & it is a mistake on my part that I expected AIRTEL to show some semblance of customer service. I am also aware that you will not take any action against the dealer or the activation department of your organization. I am sure that the attitude shown by you will be for all customers & rest assured, I SHALL NEVER EVER HAVE AN AIRTEL CONNECTION AGAIN IN MY WHOLE LIFETIME. I have been an AIRTEL customer from 2002 onwards in different circles. From the 1st January 2010 when the number portability comes into force, rest assured AIRTEL shall lose 15 customers from within my family. I know that 15 customers will not cost you much but I shall see to it that we do not remain with AIRTEL anymore.

I shall inform you in person of the FIR filed by me against the dealer & AIRTEL. I do not want that any customer goes through what I have gone through.