Telkom SA SOC review: Unlawful subscriptions without permission

To whom it may concern

Your urgent assistance with this matter will be highly appreciated.

I have been a client for many years at Telkom, always paying my contract(s)on time.

During this year from April to August of 2023 my small business suffered immense losses because of break-ins and theft. The building where I and other small business owners rent had all together 9 break-ins during this time… my case nrs: Durbanville CAS451/05/2023, CAS238/06/2023 and 407/06/2023.

Unfortunately no apprehensions or positive ID’s of the suspects. I also stated that the rooter was stolen in the police statement.

I used my Telkom data contract at my business and during one of these break-ins my wifi rooter with sim card ([protected]) was stolen.

According to me I had a contract with Telkom for 20gig at R209pm. That is what I used to paid monthly all these years.

After my rooter got stolen I paid my contract as per normal. I had such a lot on my plate after the break-ins and with Telkom customer’s care that takes two hours to answer the phone I gave up.

I decided that I will pay my contract until I have the time to go to Telkom myself to do a sim swap.

At the end of Oct I realised that my account was approximately a R1000 more than usual and I thought it was an error on Telkom’s side which I will try and sort out as soon as I have the means to go to Telkom myself.

Last week I received an account via mail of more than R788790. I nearly flipped!

I logged a dispute with Telkom’s billing department.

The person(she was rather unhelpful and would not even try to understand what I am explaining to her)at the billing department then sent me a itemised statement of transactions:

Hundreds of calls has been made(and I thought I had only a contact for internet data)

Daily charged subscriptions to AKINGA VERTICAL SERVICE, and data bundles has been bought for over R6000. Nowhere can I see to what the suspect actually subscribed to, if possible that is a way to trace the suspect?

So my question is how on earth can someone change my limit without my details(name, ID, etc) and I thought I had sign up years ago for a contract for only 20gig. I wasn’t even aware about changing limits! And how can someone subscribe to something with a stolen nr?

The contact details for Akinga Vertical services is nowhere to be found on the internet. How do I even stop/cancell this daily charges?

I have myself to blame for ignorance when I thought that 20gig was my limit. And I was happy to pay my contract as per normal until I had the time and means to go to Telkom myself.

I really really do not have the money to pay this massive Telkom account. I was ransacked during all these break-ins and I am REALLY down&out because of all the damage to my small business during these break-ins.

The person from the billing department demanded that I must pay this massive invoice.

Unfortunately I cannot, if I had the means I would have paid for it, to be able to get all this behind me, to move forward and forget all the negative of 2023. It has been tough on me as well as my business.

Your help regarding this matter will be really appreciated.

Kind regards

Sanet Slabbert