Ramanisblog

Tag: Telecommunications

  • Truth Behind +375 Calls

    I have received a message that receiving calls  on the Mobile from the number starting from +375 result in being charged $15 to $30 if the number is called back.

    I checked with Hoax Slayer and this is the finding.

    My view is that if you do not any one by this number better not to call back.

    ”
    Message circulating via SMS, social media and email warns you not to return missed calls from numbers starting with +375 or +371 because you will be charged between $15 and $30 for each returned call and your contact list and financial information will be instantly stolen from your phone.
    There are elements of truth to the warning but the information it contains is nevertheless highly misleading and inaccurate. Reports indicate that many people have been caught by a scam in which they were charged international call fees for returning a missed call from +375 or +371 phone numbers. However, this fee was reportedly much less that $15. Moreover, the claim that simply returning the calls can result in personal data being instantly stolen from the user’s phone is nonsense. It is not possible for information to be stolen from a phone in the way described.

    Message Received.

    ”

    People have been receiving calls from +375602605281, +37127913091 or any number starting with a +375, or +371 number.

    One ring & and they hang up, leaving a missed call message. . If you call back it’s one of those numbers that are charged $15-$30 & they can copy your contact list in 3 sec. If you have bank or credit card details on your phone, they can copy that too. +375 is from Belarus and Afghanistan.. 371 is code for Latvia…

    Hoax Call.
    Missed Call Message.

    Don’t answer or call back.

    Please FORWARD AND SHARE this to your friends and family.
    This message, which has circulated widely via SMS, email and social media in recent months, warns users not to call back missed calls from numbers starting with +375 and +371. According to the message, those who do call back such numbers will receive an immediate charge of $15 to $30. Moreover, claims the message, calling back one of the numbers will allow scammers to instantly copy the contact list from the caller’s phone and also steal any bank or credit card information stored on the phone.

    While the warning contains an element of truth, it is otherwise highly misleading and inaccurate.Reports indicate that, in recent months many people have indeed received suspect calls from numbers starting with +375 and +371. The calls typically ring once or twice and are then disconnected. 375 is the country code for Belarus. 371 is the country code for Latvia. Depending on their location, those who call the numbers back may be charged an international call fee, a portion of which may be paid to the scammers making the missed calls.

    However, the claim that users who call the numbers back are automatically charged $15 to $30 appears to be unfounded. The figure of $15 may be a misinterpretation of reports that statedthe calls were charged a fee of 15 Indian rupees (about 26 cents USD).

    Source:

    http://www.hoax-slayer.com/missed-375-calls.shtml

     

  • Airtel,Thugs and Your Call Records

    I had blogged on the way Airtel cheats its customers

    http://ramanisblog.in/2012/02/24/does-airtel-cheat-customers/

    I am reproducing some more complaints.

    “Airtel cheats !!!!!!

    English: Logo of Airtel
    English: Logo of Airtel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    sir,
    My Mobile no is 9901934737, it is prepaid; I had recharged on 21st FEB & 25th Feb of 2012 for Rs. 444/- for 4 times that is total Rs. 1776=00 but this amount has not been credited to my number, the same was complained to airtel complaint forum & their appellate forum on 28th feb 2012 but till today no action is taken; every time each new executive calls up & assures to resolve the issue within 3 days, but till today nobody has taken the initiative to resolve the issue. Each time I have to start the explanation from the beginning for every new executive who calls me, which is just frustrating; they have asked all the details like my statement & transaction ID which I have forwarded duly. Every time they acknowledge only with assurance but not resolving the same.
    I am giving the complete details of mails below for more clarity.
    I request your good self to take this on highest priority.

    Thanking You.
    Kiran M.N.

    Dear Mr. Kumar,

    Ref: e-mail dated 07/03/2012, regarding the non-receipt of online recharge benefit for your airtel mobile number 9901934737.

    Warm greetings from all of us at airtel.

    We regret for the inconvenience caused to you in this regard.

    We would like to inform you that we have registered your concern. For your reference, the unique Service Request number is CONRC3030920025100. Our respective team will contact you by 14-Mar-2012, 09:09 AM with an update.

    We request your kind co-operation until such time.

    We would like to thank you for taking out the time to voice your concern. At airtel, we believe that our customer¿s feedback is a valuable input, which helps us to improve our services and ensure that we strive towards achieving customer satisfaction.

    We hope that we have been able to assist you suitably.

    Please feel free to speak to our call center executive on 121 regarding any query/ request and 198 (Toll Free) for any complaints. You can also email us at 121@in.airtel.com.

    If it is still unresolved, you can get in touch with the Nodal Officer with your earlier request or complaint number. You may send an email atnodalofficer.kk@airtel.in or you may call at 9972534865 from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday to Friday. The Nodal officer will provide a resolution to yourcomplaint in 10 days.

    If you do not receive a satisfactory response from Nodal officer you may send an email at appellate.kk@airtel.in or you may call at 9972544865 from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday to Friday.

    Assuring you the best of our services.

    Warm Regards,

    Kiran K S
    Appellate Office
    Bharti AirtelLimited”

    http://www.consumercourtforum.in/f49/airtel-cheats-68925/

    “On 12-Nov-2011, I submitted 3G postpaid service cancellation request to Airtel via email. On 14-Nov-2011, Airtel Corporate Services (Ms.Dimple) contacted me and offered 50% rental discount for 3 months and requested me to stay back. Accepting their offer, I stayed back.

    But Airtel didn’t provide rental discount in December 2011 bill. I contacted them on 23-Dec-2011 for clarification. Ms.Dimple replied “50% rental discount has been updated to ur num you ll be recieving conformation message shortly”. But I didn’t receive any confirmation message. However, I paid the full bill amount thinking I can resolve this billing issue in coming days and adjust the excess amount in next bill.

    Things turned worse; Airtel didn’t provide rental discount in Jan 2012 bill too. I contacted Airtel for clarification. I didn’t get any response for my emails. I decided to cancel the connection forever. I sent the cancellation email and also demanded final bill with 50% promised rental discount applied. But airtel kept on unethically insisting me to pay the full rental. I disagreed and requested airtel to fulfil their promise. I told Airtel that I am ready to make the payment if proper bill is produced.

    Airtel threatened me through their collection agents on 28-Feb-2012. Meenakshi Bora, Solomon, and Monika are the people who contacted me and demanded immediate payment. I patiently explained all the details and request Airtel to fulfil the promise. They said they will look into this issue, but never came back with a response.

    Today Airtel has sent me legal notice asking me to appear before Lok adalat on 31-May-2012. I am going to present all the email proofs to the judge and make my point clear. Truth is at my side. So I don’t have any fear. I need to take OFF from office to attend this court proceedings. This is the price that I am getting for getting Airtel Postpaid service.

    Their irresponsible attitude is NOT appreciated. Airtel has stole my time and had given mental agony. I need Airtel to fulfil their promise and compensate me for stealing my time and giving mental agony. I have email evidence for all these communications. Airtel you have to answer the court for your irresponsible and unethical behaviors. Airtel, please Don’t cheat people for earning money.”

    http://www.zimbio.com/Mobile+Tips/articles/G9U5zHHpna0/Airtel+Cheats+bill+amount+Post+Paid+Customers

    Follow the Links above for more complaints.

    Here below is a complaint on their accessing your call records.

    “my number WAS +919972228864.  Along with this number, they provided a GPRS connection that I was informed was free for the first 700 MB during the first month and would be billed @ Rs. 0.10/10 KB from then on.  I was NOT informed by their executive that there is a plan for Rs. 99/- for 1 GB.  Not sure why he would hide this!  Not sure if anyone in the world would take-up such a plan after knowing there is a Rs. 99 one.  It was hence a clear violation for not having explained the complete offer.
    In the middle of the month, I received a message that my credit limit exceeded.  I was concerned and called-up customer care.  They said NOT to worry, it was just that my discounts and offers were not applied as on that date and that would be adjusted once the bill is generated.  They also asked me to pay some money to increase the credit limit.  I did so without knowing that my GPRS was actually metering to a huge amount.
    I received a final bill for about Rs. 6,500/- most of them being for the GPRS.  I followed-up SEVERAL times with customer care mentioning about the miscommunication.  They were ready to reduce the bill amount by Rs. 1,000 or Rs. 2,000 (not sure why they would do this if they knew for sure that the billing was right) but they were not ready to write it off.
    I told them clearly that I won’t pay the additional money because I was neither informed of a better plan available nor was I warned that I reached the ceiling.  All the more, when I called up to inquire, they said NOT to worry!
    I paid all except Rs. 2,900 and odd leaving it as money on dispute.  They are now resorting to cheap ways such as calling up my contacts and asking ‘Is the thief there?’.  I have had a miserable experience on all Airtel products viz. mobile, broadband (I got 10 GB exhausted in less than a week! and I didn’t watch a single movie!) and TV.”

    The complaints fall into the following Categories.

    1.If you can get hold(which is a rarity) of Airtel Help Line, you will not get a solution.You will be informed that ‘they will check and let you know” Well, you are never contacted again.

    2.Not divulging facts bout the Scheme Details.

    3.Unauthorized deduction of pre paid connections.

    4.Over charging Post paid Customers.

    5.Lying on Broad Band speed and over charging.

    Now Airtel has graduated into intimidating its customers and their contacts by accessing their call records ,through thugs who pose as recovery agents and use abusive language when you with hold the disputed amount.

    You would think they would send their Executives to sort out.

    No, the same chaps who were literally at your feet to get you subscribed them vanish into thin air the moment you get connected.

    If here is any dispute, the Business procedure is to send communications  and if payments are not forth coming serve a legal notice. Airtel does neither.

    Airtel accesses your call records of your disconnected mobile , calls up your contacts use abusive language .

    The idioms and the local language belong to Thugs.

    How is it that the Consumer Court is keeping quiet despite numerous complaints?

    And how is it a Mobile Service Provider can access your call records and use it for their personal use?

    How legal is it?]

    Some more complaints received

    ‘I dont know how, yesterday i recharged for 350 and today i got an sms saying , 99rs deducted for downloading “TheAvengers” dont know what this either a game or some movie.. nothing in my phone downloaded to be seen. looters of a different class.”

    I suggest those affected by Airtel may send their complaints with documentation to enable me to file a collective case in the Consumer Court”

  • How to Block Calls, SMS Ads in Mobile.

     

    Here is how you can register your preferences for receiving commercial or advertisements communications by: Dialing toll free number 1909; or Sending SMS to 1909

    When you dial the toll free number 1909, you will be prompted to register either through the customer care executive or through the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).

    You can register for the Fully Blocked category in which NO COMMERCIAL CALL OR SMS will be allowed or for the Partially Blocked category. If you opt for the Partially Blocked category, you WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMERCIAL CALL BUT WILL RECEIVE SMS ON SUBJECT(S) THAT YOU OPT FOR.

    Procedure For Registration through by Customer Care Executive.

    1. Dial 1909, listen to the instructions and choose one of the following for registration of preference: a) Through customer care executive b) Through IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System).

    1. Ask the customer care executive for registration of your preference i.e. whether you would like to register in the fully blocked category or the partially blocked category.

    a. Fully Blocked Category (No Call & No SMS) or b. Partially Blocked Category (No Calls; SMS on selected subjects)

    2. If you opt for the fully blocked category, the customer care executive will record your preference in the Providers Customer Preference Register (PCPR) and will inform you of the same through SMS indicating your unique registration number.

    3. If you opt for the partially blocked category, the executive will inform you of the various subjects available as per the list given below:

    1. Banking/Insurance/Financial products/credit cards,

    2. Real Estate,

    3. Education,

    4. Health,

    5. Consumer goods and automobiles,

    6. Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT,

    7. Tourism and Leisure.

    4. The customer care executive will ask you to exercise your preference(s).You can opt for one, or a combination of some, or all the subjects.

    5. The customer care executive will confirm your preference(s) and register the same in the Provider Customer Preference Register.

    6. You will get an SMS confirming the preferences exercised by you along with your unique registration number.

    Through IVRS.

    1. After calling the toll free number 1909 and selecting the option to register through IVRS, follow the instructions prompted by the IVRS.

    2. The IVRS will prompt you about the categories available for registration of customers’ preference i.e. the fully blocked category or the partially blocked category.

    a. Fully Blocked Category (No Call & No SMS) or b. Partially Blocked Category (No calls; SMS on selected subjects).

    3. If you opt for the fully blocked category, your preference will be recorded in the Providers Customer Preference Register (PCPR) and you will be informed of the same through SMS, indicating your unique registration number.

    4. If you opt for the partially blocked category, the IVRS will prompt you to opt for one or more of the following subjects on which you wish to receive SMS:

    1. Banking/Insurance/Financial products/credit cards,

    2. Real Estate,

    3. Education,

    4. Health,

    5. Consumer goods and automobiles,

    6. Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT,

    7. Tourism and Leisure.

    You can opt for one, or a combination of some, or all the subjects.

    5. Your selected preference(s) will be confirmed by the IVRS.

    6. You will get an SMS confirming the preferences exercised by you along with your unique registration number.

    Through SMS.

    1. You can register your preference(s) for commercial communications by sending an SMS to 1909.

    2. The procedure for opting for various categories/subjects is given below:

    I. To opt for the fully blocked category, send SMS “START 0” to 1909.

    II. To opt for the partially blocked category, send SMS “Start <option>” to 1909 as given below:

    1)  “START 1” for receiving SMS relating to Banking/ Insurance / Financial products/Credit cards

    2) “START 2” for receiving SMS relating to Real Estate

    3)  “START 3” for receiving SMS relating to Education

    4) “START 4” for receiving SMS relating to Health

    5)  “START 5” for receiving SMS relating to Consumer goods and automobiles

    6)“START 6” for receiving SMS relating to Communication / Broadcasting / Entertainment /IT,

    7) “START 7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and Leisure

    Note 1: To opt for multiple preferences from categories send SMS “Start

    <option1, option2, option3,…>” to 1909. For example for receiving commercial SMSs from Banking/Insurance/Financial products/Credit cards and Real Estate, send SMS in the format

    “START 1, 2”.

    Note 2: Preference ‘0’ will always suppress other preferences. If ‘0’ is sent with along any other customer preferences, it will be treated as a fully blocked preference. For example, “START “0,2,3”, will be considered a fully blocked option.

    3. On receipt of an option exercised through SMS, the access provider will send an SMS to confirm the options exercised.

    4. You have to send a confirmation SMS so that options exercised are implemented.

    5. On getting the confirmation SMS, the Access Provider will register your preference and send you an SMS indicating your preferences along with your unique registration number.

    Websites of mobile phone operators through which you can also register your preference to block all calls and SMS.

    1 Aircel

    2 Bharti Airtel

    3 BSNL

    4 HFCL

    5 IDEA

    6 Loop Mobile

    7 MTNL Delhi

    8 MTNL Mumbai

    9 Reliance Communication

    10 Reliance Telecom

    11 Shyam

    12 Spice Punjab

    13 Spice Karnatka

    14 TATA

    15 Uninor

    16 Videocon

    17 Vodafone

    Related:

    TRAI will impose Rs 5000 fine on telecom service providers for first unsolicited communication, and it would go upto to Rs 20,000 for each subsequent communication. While the telemarketer would have to pay a penalty of Rs 500 for the first unsolicited communication, and Rs 1,000 for every subsequent communication.Hope these measures will curtail the telemarketing menace.

    If you have not registered with the Do Not Call Registry, you can register by sending an sms or calling 1909. Registrations can be done either by calling or sending SMS with keywords “START DND” to “1909″. Telephone calls/SMSs to this number are FREE of cost. You can register your phone number to 1909, if you are using any of the following telecom service providers like Aircel, Airtel, BPL,BSNL,Idea, Reliance Communcications, Reliance Telecom, HFCL,MTNL Delhi, MTNL Mumbai, Tata, Spice Karnataka, Spice Karnataka and Vodafone. Within 10 days, your telecom service provider will acknowledge it. It will be activated after 45 days. After 45 days, if you still get unsolicited marketing calls then you cancomplain it to your telecom service provider.

    http://infobytes.in/rs-5000-20000-fine-for-unsolicited-telemarketing/

  • URGENT Notification from BSNL-On Terrorism.

    DOs  and  DON’Ts  IN MOBILE PHONE
    Don’ts
  • Please do not click photographs with your mobile phones without permission from the people or authorities concerned. You may be  invading the privacy and possibly indulging in an illegal act.
  • Do not send obscene / pornographic text / images using SMS.
  • Do not send obscene / pornographic text / images using MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
  • Do not receive from or reply to SMS / MMS  of strangers.
  • Do not transmit obscene/ pornographic material, as it is an offence under Information Technology Act –2000 which carries a punishment of 5 years of  imprisonment and 1 lakh rupees fine.
  • Do not make calls to the unknown phone / mobile numbers you get while chatting or which are exhibited on various profiles on the Internet. If you do, you may be causing harassment to the other person.
  • Do not keep your Blue Tooth  open at all times-you may receive obscene / pornographic text, images and viruses.
  • Do not give your mobile numbers while chatting on INTERNET to avoid “STALKING”.
  • DO not handover your mobile phone to unauthorised service centres, to avoid CLONING.
  • It has been reported in the press that some unscrupulous elements may contact your mobile saying that they are from government agencies or Service Providers and request you to press #90 or #09.  It is reported that doing so would transfer control of your SIM to the caller.  SO DO NOT PRESS #90 or #09 when asked by unidentified persons.

  • DOs
    • Note down your IMEI number.
    • Security pin code should be used to avoid misuse of your mobile phones.
    • MMSs / SMSs  received should be checked for their source before opening.
    • Delete all obscene / pornographic text, images, SMS /MMS from your mobile phones which you might have received or stored. Otherwise this may land you in trouble and unwanted embarrassment.
    • Anti-virus software should be loaded in the mobile phone.
    • Mobile phone keypad should be locked after every use.
    • Use your mobile phone only when necessary .
    • http://www.chennai.bsnl.co.in/News/MobileDosNDonts.htm