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Thread: What does TMobileSA do?

  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    What does TMobileSA do?

    I've got a line item on my cellphone bill that I'm pretty sure I didn't order. It falls under the content services section and reads:

    Total data: 0
    Access point description: Cointel
    Service description: 00500@TMobileSA
    Data charge: R4.38

    Now I'm a relic when it comes to using my cellphone. I make the occassional phonecall and I send the occassional SMS. I also receive the occassional SMS, phonecall and (very rarely) an MMS.

    I don't download ringtones. I don't send MMS's. I don't browse the internet (I've got a 3g contract for that, thanks). I haven't subscribed to any WASP service (that I know of - I've heard rumours of some sharp practice in that department).

    Cointel, I see, was bought by Vodacom in 2007.

    The TMobileSA website is less than informative.

    So what the heck does TMobileSA do?
    And any ideas as to what they might be doing on my cellphone bill?

  2. #2
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    TMobile is a guerrilla marketing type company who sell specialised cell phone products. You might have incurred the charge by someone downloading a ringtone or maybe you hit the navigator button on your phone by accident one day. There's also a good chance that they randomly generated your number one sunny day and just decided to slap you with a charge as a marketing exercise to make sure you don't forget their name.....and believe me, by the time you've spent two or three days in their customer service system you won't.

    Bon voyage, bon chance, bon appetite...take your pick you're gonna need it if you decide to pursue this.

  3. #3
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    If it is on your phone bill then your contract holder must be able to give you a proper explanation as to why you are paying for their services. Secondly you can demand to see the paperwork on their services. Then if the service in question is a subscription then force your contract holder for a cancelation on the service in question.

    Demand for contact information! When you have the requested information go the consumer council and register a complaint. I would also open a case of fraud against the service provider in question and allow for criminal charges to be placed against them “once again if they are doggy that is”
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  4. #4
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    An update:

    I called Vodacom before I even made the first post here. Basically they couldn't tell me why I had been billed, but assured me that TMobileSA would be calling me.

    They didn't.

    So I've just called Vodacom again. The operator, bless her, called TMobileSA while I waited on the line. Again, I'm assured TMobileSA will call me, but fortunately this time the Vodacom operator gave me TMobileSA's telephone number and who to ask for.

    Within seconds I get an SMS with this message:
    You have been successfully removed from our database
    and I got it again a couple of minutes later for good measure.

    However, no phonecall. Still none the wiser as to why this charge has been levied.

    So I called (012 644 0838 ask for Lusanda - just in case that proves useful ).

    Lusanda goes "Oops - I was supposed to phone you, wasn't I"
    I thank her for the SMS, but point out that what I wanted to know was what I was charged for in the first place.

    "Oh - it's either a subscription service or for receiving a promotional message."

    I double check on that last possibility. Yes, I've got it right - you can get billed for receiving a promotional message! Even for one you haven't asked for.

    OK. I'm pretty sure this is fraud now and point this out.

    Well, at the mention of fraud (which of course requires intent) apparently there is one other possibility according to Lusanda. They've been migrating across databases or something and it's possible that the files got corrupted and the bill was raised in error.

    Is anyone buying this?

    Certainly not me.

    I'll be sending a formal written request for detailed information on Monday and I'll keep everyone here updated.

    But in the meantime, it might be an idea to scan your cellphone bill. I strongly suspect I'm not the only one who's been taken for a ride here.
    Last edited by Dave A; 19-Feb-10 at 05:11 PM.

  5. Thank given for this post:

    AndyD (19-Feb-10), daveob (19-Feb-10), desA (19-Feb-10), tonyflanigan (21-Feb-10)

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Oh - one more thing. According to the Vodacom operator, one of the tricks apparently is you get an MMS and when you open to read/view it, you get subscribed to a service.

    Now surely that's fraud too!

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    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    I take back my first post and also take my hat off to you. Your results on this were far beyond my expectations. I'll be even more in awe if you actually get a credible explanation out of these scum suckers.

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    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
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    I'll be even more in awe if you get your money back from the scamsters.
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

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    What would happen if this happened to a pre-paid user? As you not get an invoice at the end of the month - how would you check?

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    I have a real problem with our service providers being so laid back and not caring when it comes to this kind of problem aka rip-off. The thing is how do they bill you? Surely the service provider must provide a system for these people to work trough otherwise they will not get paid in the first place.

    So the service providers cannot claim that they don’t know. The truth is they do know they are providing the “pay system” still there is no result other then frustration. With the information in hand as is it will be difficult for them to prove that they haven’t taken your money. There is no consent on your behalf and that is the key factor.

    Take them to the cleaners!
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  11. #10
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    just think when you are on pay as u go you dont get an itemised bill and cannot be on a per minute rate only per second rate which costs more in the long run...so how do you monitor this type of thing

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