| Address: 2nd Floor, Thekkekara Mansions, opp. Kavitha Theatre, Kochi |
| Website: southerndetectiveagency.com |
Subject: Urgent Grievance by Senior Citizen Against Southern Detective Agency – Misleading, Exploitative and False Report for ₹17, 000
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mrs. Usha Jayaprakash, a 64-year-old senior woman citizen from Thrissur, Kerala. I wish to bring to your urgent attention a case of consumer fraud and emotional harassment by Southern Detective Agency (SDA), a private investigation firm in Kerala.
On 24 March 2025, I contacted SDA based on the claims made on their website and advertisements: that they had 22 years of experience, a professional team, and offered thorough verification. They initially quoted ₹15, 000. I paid ₹10, 000 as an advance. However, they sent me a receipt quoting ₹17, 000 — an amount increased without consulting me. Given the urgency, I did not argue.
Despite repeated requests, the agency did not provide regular updates. They insisted I pay the balance of ₹7, 000 before seeing the report. I paid it on 8 May. and on the same day, they gave me a report that shocked me:
Only 707 words, with 96 words based on a meaningless 14-second video.
No letterhead, no signature, no seal.
No valid photos, no audio, though promised.
Major facts were wrong. For example, they claimed the woman in the video, walking with the 'subject', is taken home by her husband. She is a known divorcee who has not remarried.
The job title mentioned was just copied and pasted from my initial message.
They completely ignored my key request to investigate a possible criminal background and observe the 'subject' during weekends and holidays. They now claim these requests are beyond the scope of a detective agency and are 'supernatural'. Before taking the money, these were agreed upon.
When I questioned them, they said I had sent “too many messages” — using that as a reason to avoid updates. But I lost ₹17, 000 for a fake report. What else could I do except try to alert them repeatedly? Despite my daughter's pleas for them to revise the report and provide a correct one, they offered no response.
They even said they don’t usually provide signed reports, despite their website claiming the opposite.
I believe these are clear violations of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019:
Section 2 (28): Misleading Advertisement
Section 2 (47): Unfair Trade Practice
Section 2 (11): Deficiency in Service
As a senior citizen, I feel exploited and emotionally harassed. I request the following:
Full refund of ₹17, 000
Compensation for distress and mental trauma
An inquiry into their operations, worklogs and fake reviews
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