Could I call them as ISP robber?
UPDEATED:
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I have difficulties with the supplier of my project here yesterday evening. I was headache to solve the difficulties caused. Well, I received a call from Malaysia at 3:32am (local time) today.
Just imagine you were in the bed on that time and suddenly you received a call from home. “Early morning call is not a good call” this is a saying we used to hear. It is true!
The call was made by a debt collecting company on behalf of TM Net. She was rude and impatience in the phone. I was awaken by her, how can I answer her with CLEAR mind?
She told me that I still unsettled my Streamyx bill for the year 2005. She asked me wish to pay or not. She also told me that I was blacklisted by TM Net due the unsettled bill. WHAT !!! Now is 2007 !!!
I told her that is ridiculous. I have terminated my Streamyx contract on August 2005 before I left Malaysia. I remembered well I have cleared my remaining balance at TM point in Kajang when I went there together with my ex-housemate.
Guess, what she said? “Do you have any letter to prove it?” I told her I have no idea where the letter was now. She told me: “That is why lah, you should keep the letter to prove!”
Hey, that is ridiculous! Does she mean TM Net will say you still owe them money anytime although you already terminated the service? We are in internet era now. They are so-called Internet Service Provider but they sounds like they don’t understand what database is or what IT is? You see, they called me after one-and-a-half year to tell me that.
It really doesn’t make sense. As Streamyx user, you have to go to the so-called TM point to terminate the service and clear the unpaid balance. Now, I was told I still have unsettled balance with TM Net and blacklisted by TM Net.
I feel like the consumer rights are not well protecting in Malaysia. How can it happen like this? It sounds like we are a piece of meat on chopping board; they can “chop” us any time they want.
Other people may think it just a small amount to pay, pay it and settle the problem. I would like to say this is not the correct way. We don’t fight for our consumer rights hard; however, we surrender it without a fight and choose to be the meat on the chopping board. Do you think this will help?
Just imagine, there are 11.016 million (2005) Internet users in Malaysia. Let’s say 0.01% of these users have experienced same case as me and they pay to settle the problem. You know how much TM Net already collect by doing so? Do you think this is the correct way?
This sentence in Elizabeth Wong’s blog is great. To quote:
TechTags Plugin [ TM Net | Streamyx | ISP | robber | Malaysia ]
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 am
!!!!!!
omg… i also have a phone fixed line termination at 2005 at kajang tm point…
=.=||
i need to check now…
i burnt the letter and eat the returned deposit already…
KJ: Har?
You better figure out how to paste them together in a piece. You see, you have to keep the letter for generation in order to avoid this kind of problem.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 am
what??? so what will happen? will you have to pay? :roll: tell me something coz i am not technically inclined, can they check whether you have used the services or not. coz since if you haven’t used it, how can they charge you for it, right? perhaps you need a lawyer? hahhaa — anyone?
KJ: Susan, I don’t know I should pay or not. But, I really don’t think I should pay. I have terminated the service on August 2005 and paid all unsettle balance there. After that, the staff terminated my Stremayx’s port in front of me through his computer. That was in TM point (shop) Kajang.
My Streamyx log in ID and password were become invalid on the same day. So, how can I use the service? They have switched the Streamyx port to my former house-mate’s Streamyx account. Therefore, there was no way for me to use the service under my account.
I really don’t understand, how can TM Net still charge me? They don’t have their database up-to-date? They are in the IT field, they are the only ISP in Malaysia. They must well aware this. If they can’t handle well so-called IT knowledge, then, we should not be blamed.
This just like you buy goods in supermarket, you pay and you leave. On the next day, you receive a call from supermarket saying that you are not pay for the goods you have bought. How come?
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
This is ridiculuous! How did they have your number in the first place? CIA? Ir your brought over your Malaysian SIM card?
Write an e-mail to the CEO of TMNet ceo@tmnet.com.my and link this blog to voice your dissatisfaction!
KJ: Howsy, that is my Malaysia mobile number. I have included it in my previous Streamyx contract. I still have that number active for banking purpose and emergency usage for my family members. I told that lady I’m abroad and it is early in the morning now. She seems doesn’t understand abroad. She keep on talking and I keep on Tu-Ku (sleepy) while listen to her.
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Streamyx chased me for a bill i settled eons ago. I went to see them and they acknowledged their mistake but that didnt stop their bills coming for 2 years. in the end they gave up. my name must be in some black list too. it is called efficiency
KJ: Bengbeng, that is why I mentioned this
“This just like you buy goods in supermarket, you pay and you leave. On the next day, you receive a call from supermarket saying that you are not pay for the goods you have bought. How come?”
I told my colleagues about this matter (because I look sleepy today. How to get sleep after awaken by this lady?) they really hard to believe it. Well, I make TM net famous again for bad news, this times is 9000km away from Malaysia.
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
seem like either their system got problem or someone have taken the money
KJ: Frankie, then TM net should lodge a police report instead of come after harmless and poor consumer, right? \o/
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Well, if TM nut isn’t a robber, no one else. I paid my bill but they sent me a warning letter few days ago asking for payment. Can’t imagine how TM nut can manage their business this way…
KJ:
See, see… They really need to go back to study what management is and what IT is.
March 24th, 2007 at 5:40 am
I guess it’s never ending issue with Telekom
I disconnected my telephone service with them and paid the difference in 1998. Until 2005 they were still sending me red lettered letter asking for the balance. Despite numerous times of refaxing my bill of settlement to them prior to terminating the service, they still sent me the letter of warning.
Finally, in 2005, I managed to call them again, but this time I was very firm. I told them if they do not stop this “erratic” behavior of theirs, I will consider bringing this to the press. The case was closed in that year.
In the first place, we cannot have our account terminated without having to go to Telekom for the necessary procedure. So, I don’t know if that is a smart way to “screw” money out of the innocents.
KJ: Daphne, it is TM net in this case. From your experience, we can guess how much they have collected by doing so. I just wonder how many of us will act like you firmly to fight although the amount need to pay was little. You are so right about the procedure to terminate an account with either Telekom or TM Net.
March 24th, 2007 at 8:33 am
It was telekom … normal phone line.
KJ: Noted. Understand. :)
March 25th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Well, i encountered 3 incidents.
1) I terminated a phone line. Settle all the bills and they have never ever returned the deposit to me. I have no proof to chase for it. :mad:
2) My old 1515 account, although terminated. But never has any records. Every year still keep sending the renewal annual fees. Just dun have time to get it settled. May be one day they will come after me…..
3) Terminated a company Streamyx line for moving to new office. Paid by MayBank2u. The appointed company also has been calling and chase for outstanding phone bills. Lucky i can provide the Reference ID for the transaction and the amount tally. :mrgreen:
Hopeless on the what we are now…… Although with the sophisticated ICT technologies and whatever intelligent system you name it. Wonder why this incident keeps happening and worst than our grandfather age.
You comment it.
KJ: Yes, how true!
March 26th, 2007 at 5:33 am
Dear Kean Jin,
Don’t have to pay. Just ask them to go ahead with what they want to do. If the amount is not exceeding RM 5k, they can only go to Small Claims Tribunal. No lawyer is needed in small claims tribunal (but if they really take you to small claims tribunal, get a lawyer to advise you la)
My advice is write a letter to TMNet and explain everything you have written here. Then wait for their further action. Btw, I am not a lawyer ya ;p
cheers,
lih kang
KJ: Thank you. Thank you. You are a “lawyer” \o/ \o/ \o/
June 15th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Hey there, i got the same problem with you, now i have no idea whether i should pay for the fees or not, tmnet really make me feel disapointed with them. next time i wont use my name to register tmnet services anymore.
KJ: KayeChow, you should not pay them even the amount is small! This is all about the consumer rights, if you don’t fight it no one will fight for you. I had wrote a letter to Consumers’ Association of Penang, a letter to TM Net and a letter to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for this matter. I attached my payment receipt together with those lettes.
June 26th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I have similar experience with another company… what I suggest is to ask for contact to person that have the direct authority to settle the issue, and call or write (they will most likely ask you to write in anyway) with details to cancel the ‘debt’. It worked for me… it should work in most cases.
Lots of the debt collectors these days are out-source, there’s no point reasoning with them, they can’t do anything in the end besides trying to sequeeze your money, it’s their job.
I can understand the anger… but calming down and finding the solution is the best thing to do. Cheers, and good luck.
KJ: I already done it on May 2007. I wrote letter to TM Net, CAP, and MCMC.
SO far, no response.UPDATED: I received letter from MCMC, e-mail from CAP and call from TM NetJune 28th, 2007 at 8:18 am
[...] I wrote several letters to TM Net, CAP and MCMC with my receipt attached after received the debt collector’s call on 16th March for my streamyx “outstanding balance since 2005” (You may want to refer here). [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
if it is Streamyx account, there is a minimum subscription period of 1 year (or 2 yrs depend on which package u take) in which if you terminate the account before the minimum period, the service will be terminated but ur billing will still continue. (Yes absurd! they really rip u off dead meat..hehe but then again it was stated in the contract n u signed it which meant u agreed on the terms n conditions of using their services) Watch out on this yeah coz a lot of ppl felt like being conned although it is considered legit, n i wonder why nobody made a case abt this, the terms are really absurd.
Is your case due to this problem? Or is it just a problem of inefficiency in their record database?
KJ: I had subscribed the Streamyx since year 2002 when TM Net began the broadband service.
July 3rd, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I have the same thing happen to me today. HSe was rude to me as well. I refuse to pay the so called outstanding bill from the closing of the account. Can I know the name of the girl who was rude to you? I will apparecaite it if you can email me her name so I can lodge the complain again if no actions is taken.
KJ: J, I don’t remember her name, since she was so rude she doesn’t deserve for me to remember her name at all. Besides, I was awoken by her call early in the morning (local time) I’m still sleepy on that moment.
July 10th, 2007 at 4:37 am
[...] second call from TM Net (first call was on 28th June 2007) regarding the matter I had mentioned in my previous post entry. After that matter, I wrote letter to MCMC, CAP and TM Net. MCMC had instructed TM Net to response [...]
July 24th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
[...] Could I call them as ISP robber (1)? [...]
August 17th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
[...] my complaint about my streamyx “outstanding balance since 2005” (You may want to refer this first, follow by this, then [...]