Pattaabhi's JumboTweets
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AIRTEL - FRAUD OR NEGLIGENCE
SUSPECTED FRAUD OR MALPRACTICE IN AITEL OFFICE
I had a Reliance Number that needed to be ported to Airtel. I had received the Code and went to the Airtel Office on 12th Road, Banjara Hills adjacent to the Pizza Hut (near my house) on 18th January 2018 at about 1 P M. The staff on duty could not operate the Aadhar verification Finger ptint mechanism due to some problems of connectivity and they directed me to the Airtel Office in Punjakutta ( near Himalaya Book Depot) about 2 to 3 kms away. I went all the way there, took a token and waited and finally was directed to a counter, The executive at the counter verified the porting details in the system, completed my Aadhar Verification successfully at about 2 PM and this young executive gave me an Airtel pouch of SIM Card and asked me to open and insert the SIM after a week. He wanted me to pay Rs25 but I had a Rs 100 Note and he had no change, He said “ Don’t worry Sir, you can pay me during your next visit” . But as I was not planning to come this far again for this purpose, I got the change from a shop outside and paid off the RS 25, thanked him and left
I later received an SMS from Airtel saying that the new No will be activated by 22nd or so.
Yesterday,23rd, I went with the SIM Pouch to the Airtel Office 12th Road near my house and to my dismay, the lady executive in the counter told me that the SIM inside the pouch is Reliance SIM and not Airtel SIM. She said she can give a new SIM if I pay Rs 30. Or alternately go to the Airtel Office at Punjakutta and complain and get a new SIM.
As I was going out of station for about 15 days and I had a lot of things to do, I chose to pay Rs 30 and get a new SIM. She said that it will take 4 hours to activate. I am waiting with the fingers crossed,
I am wondering whether It’s normal for Airtel and its franchisees to indulge in this type of malpractices for small amounts to cheat trusting customers.
I don’t know whether any responsible person at Airtel or TRAI and any other regulating body will take note of this and take suitable action. It’s not a question of Rs 25 which is a small amount ,but in principle this type of cheating is reprehensible.
I look forward to some response from Airtel
Pattabhi Raman P M
DGM-SBI (Retd)