I got a Post paid card from Airtel Chennai in Nov 2003 (100 Rs plan). This was a very limited plan for Government employees and Credit card users. This connection was linked with my ICICI credit card. The payment mode was ECS (Electronic Clearing System). I was told that at the end of every month they used deduct the bill amount from my credit card.
After a week, I got a job in Bangalore. I called up the customer care to cancel my connection. He told me that I have to come in person to cancel the connection. Since I was busy in relocating to Bangalore, I ignored it.
After relocating to Bangalore, I again called up the customer care regarding my cancellation. He asked me to send a Fax or mail a cancellation letter to Chennai Airtel. I tried to Fax my letter but it was engaged ever time. So, I mailed a letter to Airtel Chennai regarding my cancellation and requested them to take the bill amount of (100 + 20 Rs) from my credit card immediately. Mean while I took another connection from Airtel Bangalore (I didn’t link this connection with my Credit card).
By the end of the month, I received my ICICI credit card statement, in which I didn’t see a payment for Airtel Chennai. I didn’t know the reason for this but thought the connection was cancelled. This happened for another 3 months.
But in my credit card statement for March 2004, I saw an amount of 908.11 Rs Airtel SI (dono what “SI” stands for). Since I didn’t have any outstanding for Airtel, Bangalore, I called up customer care and was told such an amount was not taken by airtel. So I called up ICICI credit card customer care and told the situation and they marked that transaction as Dispute.
After 45 days ICICI people send me a copy of my credit card, which I have given to Airtel Chennai while registering. Confirming that Airtel Chennai has taken the amount.
From this I understood those people (Airtel, Chennai) never took the bill amount on November and even didn’t consider my cancellation letter and latter after 4 months they charged me 908.11 Rs. Airtel bangalore people are helpless to explain the situation and asked me to contact Airtel Chennai. I have contacted Airtel Chennai and didn’t receive a due reply from them.
This is how Airtel respond to their customers. So please be careful while u cancel a connection (more specific if u have linked to Credit card). And never opt for ECS payment method, because u would never have the control of transaction done in your card.