Airtel Fiber: Got cheated by Airtel employee

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Ssreek

Ssreek

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I decided to get Airtel Fiber in December, and submitted request through their website.
Next day Airtel guy called me, explained plan details and said if I pay 3 months advance rental amount, no need to pay installation charges.
So I submitted all docs and paid the amount. He asked me to pay to his UPI number (Rs.3.5k).

While everything went well for the first month, in the 2nd month I got billed.
I contacted airtel and they said the first 30 days were free. They said only 1500 was deposited in my account and they deducted it as installation charges.

Now when I called the guy he doesn't answer my calls. If I try with another number he cuts as soon as he hears my voice. Damn.

I complained to airtel about this, they said being "Airtel black" - priority resolution blah blah, still no resolution yet and every day I have to keep mailing them and talking to them about what's happening about resolving the issue and they keep saying we are working on it. 121@airtel.com doesn't seem to be as fast in resolving issues or replying to emails.

Moral of the story: Don't pay to airtel employees directly, don't even pay with cash. Make sure they deposited the amount in your airtel account.

Any suggestions to resolve the issue are welcome.
 
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Go through their escalation matrix. Have you tried writing to appellate and nodal officers? and once you start, put everything on emails/paper or call recording.

Airtel

Airtel
www.airtel.in www.airtel.in

Secondly, does the website offers to make payments or tells you how the payment must be made (like cheque/NEFT)? If yes, it is tough to go legal as airtel would specify that clause.

If there is no information specified at all on payments, you can use that against them.
 
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kalph09 said:
Go through their escalation matrix. Have you tried writing to appellate and nodal officers? and once you start, put everything on emails/paper or call recording.
Click to expand...
I have to do that from tomorrow. 121 cc have told me issue will be resolved by tomorrow morning but i believe they will simply close the ticket.

kalph09 said:

Airtel

Airtel
www.airtel.in www.airtel.in

Secondly, does the website offers to make payments or tells you how the payment must be made (like cheque/NEFT)? If yes, it is tough to go legal as airtel would specify that clause.

If there is no information specified at all on payments, you can use that against them.
Click to expand...
I think there is such clause about that. I got that sms but only after I made the payment, submitted details and connection got initiated.
But I too thought about this and asked their customer care whether it is okay to pay to their employees and they said it is fine and told me to collect receipt for cash payments. I took screenshot of this conversation as well. Will this do fine?
 
Ssreek said:
I decided to get Airtel Fiber in December, and submitted request through their website.
Next day Airtel guy called me, explained plan details and said if I pay 3 months advance rental amount, no need to pay installation charges.
So I submitted all docs and paid the amount. He asked me to pay to his UPI number (Rs.3.5k).

While everything went well for the first month, in the 2nd month I got billed.
I contacted airtel and they said the first 30 days were free. They said only 1500 was deposited in my account and they deducted it as installation charges.

Now when I called the guy he doesn't answer my calls. If I try with another number he cuts as soon as he hears my voice. Damn.

I complained to airtel about this, they said being "Airtel black" - priority resolution blah blah, still no resolution yet and every day I have to keep mailing them and talking to them about what's happening about resolving the issue and they keep saying we are working on it. 121@airtel.com doesn't seem to be as fast in resolving issues or replying to emails.

Moral of the story: Don't pay to airtel employees directly, don't even pay with cash. Make sure they deposited the amount in your airtel account.

Any suggestions to resolve the issue are welcome.
Click to expand...
Buddy, either file a police complaint against that Airtel guy for duping you or else ask your friend to call him from his contact number, talk normally to that Airtel guy and request him for a new Airtel Fiber connection at his place. The moment that Airtel guy arrives at the said location, catch hold of him and take your money. Do take your friends with you.
 
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Paying employees directly is a red flag. Park the evidence.

For now, produce the receipt and push for a refund or billing adjustment.
 
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Ssreek said:
Moral of the story: Don't pay to airtel employees directly, don't even pay with cash.
Click to expand...
First, I've heard of an airtel employee asking for money and I've been with them since 2006 :oops:

Which city are you in?
Ssreek said:
Any suggestions to resolve the issue are welcome.
Click to expand...
How do you prove you actually gave him the money? No way

You would not even have his photo but maybe they could help you ID him and then file a police case.

He said, she said, back to square one.

I had my electricity meter changed recently for a digital one and the guy who installed it was asking for a tip.

I told him paying my bills was how he was getting his salary. I find these guys always have the hand out :bored:
 
kalph09 said:
Paying employees directly is a red flag. Park the evidence.

For now, produce the receipt and push for a refund or billing adjustment.
Click to expand...
Well I called to customer care and submitted them the UPI screenshot as well, they said like we will get refund issued to you don't worry blah blah... One cc woman actually put me on hold and called him, but that guy didn't answer her call either.

anikptl said:
Buddy, either file a police complaint against that Airtel guy for duping you or else ask your friend to call him from his contact number, talk normally to that Airtel guy and request him for a new Airtel Fiber connection at his place. The moment that Airtel guy arrives at the said location, catch hold of him and take your money. Do take your friends with you.
Click to expand...

Well it would be great if I had friends in this city. Regarding police complaint and all, I doubt if police will be interested in this at all, given how well they seem to usually respond to even serious cases.
blr_p said:
First, I've heard of an airtel employee asking for money and I've been with them since 2006 :oops:

Which city are you in?
Click to expand...
Hyderabad

blr_p said:
How do you prove you actually gave him the money? No way
Click to expand...
UPI screenshot, phone call recording. Will these not suffice?

blr_p said:
You would not even have his photo but maybe they could help you ID him and then file a police case.

He said, she said, back to square one.
Click to expand...

I doubt if police will even listen to complete issue. But have to try as a last resort.
 
Ssreek said:
Well I called to customer care and submitted them the UPI screenshot as well, they said like we will get refund issued to you don't worry blah blah... One cc woman actually put me on hold and called him, but that guy didn't answer her call either.



Well it would be great if I had friends in this city. Regarding police complaint and all, I doubt if police will be interested in this at all, given how well they seem to usually respond to even serious cases.

Hyderabad


UPI screenshot, phone call recording. Will these not suffice?



I doubt if police will even listen to complete issue. But have to try as a last resort.
Click to expand...
I suggest you to first post it on Airtel’s Twitter handle (@Airtel_Presence & @airtelindia), informing them about this act by an Airtel employee, and then seek help. They’ll surely help, as I’ve had a great experience with Twitter. I basically use Twitter just to post complaints and get them resolved quickly! :p

They should get this thing resolved either by refunding you the amount or through bill adjustments.

If this communication via Twitter doesn’t yield result then approach the police.
 
anikptl said:
I suggest you to first post it on Airtel’s Twitter handle (@Airtel_Presence & @airtelindia), informing them about this act by an Airtel employee, and then seek help. They’ll surely help, as I’ve had a great experience with Twitter. I basically use Twitter just to post complaints and get them resolved quickly! :p

They should get this thing resolved either by refunding you the amount or through bill adjustments.

If this communication via Twitter doesn’t yield result then approach the police.
Click to expand...

Tweeted them and they asked to explain in dm..Done the same..
Next step is I will email to all the regional managers and grievance managers of airtel, if this doesn't resolve by tomorrow.

Update: Getting only generic replies from twitter and they seem to repeat the line " your bill is generated as per your plan".
Meanwhile Airtel cc is simply closing the complaint tickets without resolving anything.
 
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Update 2:
I mailed all their appellate and other higher-ups, and they are basically saying the same thing, we billed u as per plan and since the employee is not answering their calls, they cannot do anything.
I am really shocked at how lazy the appellate authority is replying.
Do you guys suggest complaining in Ingram/Consumer helpline? I am sure Airtel will say the same thing there as well and simply escape. I didn't think Airtel has such crappy support.
 
Threats work better than actual actions.
All channels you wrote to (Airtel Twitter, officers, CC) tell them you're about to go to the consumer court for it and you have all proof with regards to call recordings, whatsapp chat messages, emails etc.

Worked for me in a similar situation, the Airtel employee said ₹1500 were 'security deposit' against the DTH box and will be refunded at time of closure of account, but they were actually supposed to be free with 3 months advanced payment. I also had paid to the employee UPI.

But Thankfully for me, the number I paid to, was mentioned in an sms by Airtel as 'installation will be done by EMPLOYEE NAME (EMPLOYEE NUMBER)' , after I had requested for installation.

Got it adjusted in bill.
 
I would cancel the connection and lodge a complaint with the police against that employee and Airtel for fraud. I know police won't do anything and nothing will come out of the complaint, but it will get in police records and some day Airtel or that employee will contact you to get their name off the record. Then ask them 25k for your trouble. Be shit to them since they're acting like shit to you now. All the quiet spoken people get shafted in my experience with companies. The people who shout out loudly get pacified by the company since they don't want too much trouble.

No use keeping the connection since you already know the company and their employees are cheats and don't give af about stealing from customers. Just think you got a costly lesson. If you still think about using that connection in future, who knows how many times they will steal money from you?
 
napstersquest said:
Threats work better than actual actions.
All channels you wrote to (Airtel Twitter, officers, CC) tell them you're about to go to the consumer court for it and you have all proof with regards to call recordings, whatsapp chat messages, emails etc.
Click to expand...
I have mentioned the same thing in all emails and conversations, I even shared the UPI screenshot when they asked several times. But the only thing they do is closing the ticket as "resolved". Happened twice and now only 1 ticket is pending. Even appellate's response exact copy of 121's reply.

napstersquest said:
Worked for me in a similar situation, the Airtel employee said ₹1500 were 'security deposit' against the DTH box and will be refunded at time of closure of account, but they were actually supposed to be free with 3 months advanced payment. I also had paid to the employee UPI.

But Thankfully for me, the number I paid to, was mentioned in an sms by Airtel as 'installation will be done by EMPLOYEE NAME (EMPLOYEE NUMBER)' , after I had requested for installation.

Got it adjusted in bill.
Click to expand...
Damn. You too got cheated? I checked their twitter handle and there are several people having the same situation. Looks like it's a usual thing for them.


6pack said:
I would cancel the connection and lodge a complaint with the police against that employee and Airtel for fraud. I know police won't do anything and nothing will come out of the complaint, but it will get in police records and some day Airtel or that employee will contact you to get their name off the record. Then ask them 25k for your trouble. Be shit to them since they're acting like shit to you now. All the quiet spoken people get shafted in my experience with companies. The people who shout out loudly get pacified by the company since they don't want too much trouble.

No use keeping the connection since you already know the company and their employees are cheats and don't give af about stealing from customers. Just think you got a costly lesson. If you still think about using that connection in future, who knows how many times they will steal money from you?
Click to expand...

I am prepared to cancel their connections and would even port my sim. They caused this much trouble and I had to repeatedly create complaints because they are simply closing the complaint every 2 days mentioned as resolved. How irresponsible.

I have zero hopes on police and I don't think they will even listen to me at all considering the issue and the money lost. I will try this as a lost resort.
Everyday this is like a headache for me. I don't like that their own employee cheated and they wouldn't take any action and the guy continues his work without facing any consequences.
Even appellate and nodal officers don't care about my email, what's the use of being with such a company.
 
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Paying the guy directly was a mistake. I also got an Airtel black connection just this week- got a direct link from Airtel to pay (even when I applied via sales guy).
When I got Jiofiber, the sales agent carried CC machine, also had official Jio UPI code to scan and pay.
If the sales guy is not with Airtel, nothing can be done now
 
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alekhkhanna said:
Paying the guy directly was a mistake. I also got an Airtel black connection just this week- got a direct link from Airtel to pay (even when I applied via sales guy).
When I got Jiofiber, the sales agent carried CC machine, also had official Jio UPI code to scan and pay.
If the sales guy is not with Airtel, nothing can be done now
Click to expand...
In my case, taking airtel itself was a mistake.
I asked their customer care if it's okay sending money to employee, they said it's okay take receipt when paying in cash.

I'm really shocked how airtel doesn't care about the issue by giving generic replies. It won't take them 1 minute to find the employee and ask him what's going on, as I provided all the details. Nah, they won't do it.
 
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