When Paytm was started, it was indeed a very nice company. I came to this website through Google, as it gives coupons (however, they’re not always useful for me) without any restriction of amount. But one thing was there which didn’t had any use, promo code field. Yes, that time Paytm had that field but not promos by which that field can be used.
Then customers started pressurizing them (as they do with most websites) to start the promos to utilise that field. Firstly, they started a promo in partnership with Timesdeal.com, that’s the starting point of their loot. They had condition written in the middle that this offer is only applicable for new customers. As this was their first loot, it was like most of others which have the condition(s) in their favour. I was not looted as I didn’t bought that deal, but many others were.
The first fraud of Paytm with me started with the ’Cash in on Cricket’ offer during the IPL 2012 in which users will get a cashback of ? 10 as Paytm Cash in their account when they will recharge their mobile phone with minimum ? 20. The offer started from 25 April 2012 and the offer functioned with a countdown timer when any wicket fallen, or any team scored 100, 150 or 200 runs. The countdown timer was of 2 minutes when any team scored aforesaid runs and it was of 10 seconds when any wicket fallen. The users had to reach the offers/deals page (coupon[s] selection page) before the timer done 00:00. This offer lasted till the finale of IPL 2012. So initially, I got benefited as promised in the offer. But one day during the Deccan Chargers V/s Delhi Daredevils match, I recharged my BSNL mobile number with ? 1100, but didn’t got any cashback while I reached the offers/deals page even before the 1 minute from the timer turning 00:00 (maybe because they had greed to get rather than give too after looking such a big amount at that time). Then I contacted them but with no success in getting that deserving cashback. Then the little frauds (I’m calling their frauds as ’little’ because they were eating up small bucks) of them with me regarding refunds continued, I can’t tell the entire history to all of you as I’m not writing a book here. But now (I mean my latest case with them), they have crossed all their limits. They have swallowed my entire ? 150. My order number of the latest case is 57092363 and the whole ’drama’ began since 20 November 2012. I recharged my Vodafone mobile number with "swallowed money". But the recharge didn’t happened, I waited for refund in Paytm Cash but that didn’t happened. So I waited for the recharge to happen within 2 hours (as written in their FAQs that the maximum time limit of the recharge to be done is 2 hours) but when the recharge didn’t took place even after 2 hours, then I decided to write them on the next day as it was night at that time. Then I wrote to them through ’traditional’ email support which is in full control of them. Firstly, they assigned Vikrant to my case whosoever replied to me after 25 hours and 3 minutes, though their automated reply promised me to "be sure to reply to by 5 PM tomorrow(sic)" on 21 November 2012 but itna to chalta hi hai. He said that "We’ve checked and it shows up as a successful recharge on our system. We suggest you check with Vodafone on the status of your recharge. Your reference number is 1112956745.(sic)". Then I contacted the Vodafone’s Customer Care, but their executive wasn’t able to help me (as usual) and just for the comprehensive details of my case, I would also like to tell you all that I contacted their (Vodafone’s) customer care even before the reply of Vikrant on the same day at morning, so their executive said in response to my query that "Why would we prevent the talktime of the top-up from being credited to the concerned account? We instantly credit the talktimes to the concerned accounts after receiving a credit order, even when the orders come from third-parties.". Then, I wrote to them on Twitter (as their Twitter team has given me satisfactory responses in the past) but this time, they were also not able to help me. The whole conversation can be viewed here: https://t.co/wyWdKsBh.
Then I again wrote to them citing all events, now at that time, they assigned Tejasvi in place of Vikrant to my request/ticket. Maybe because she is more ’cunning’ (means more trained and experienced in dealing with preys/victimised customers). Well, she replied apart templates that "We’ve checked and realized the recharge was unsuccessful due to a glitch with vodafone . You can relax because Rs. 150 is stored safely as Paytm Cash. We’ve made the money available to you for immediate use next time you’re on Paytm.com. You have the option of refunding the amount to your bank account which could take up to 21 days to reflect.(sic)". She was right in saying that the money has been refunded into Paytm Cash, but not about the option of refunding the money into bank/card account as there is no entry of that transaction in Paytm Cash logs. Then, I told her the same so I can refund my money into my source account if I want to and also asked about that ’glitch’ which caused that recharge to be failed and they and their system were considering that the recharge was done successfully. Then she replied that "Due to technical glich the recharge got failed. we have refunded the money into your bank account. Within 7 to 21 working days it will reflect into your bank account.(sic)".
Then I replied that I know that "you meant ’technical glitch’ by the word ’glitch’ but I want to know that what was that ’glitch’ as this is a rare situation and by knowing the cause of the problem, I may exercise caution in the future". Then she did whatever she can, she deleted the concerned request/ticket of the case from the Paytm’s help desk. Then, I waited for 7 days to get a refund (as my bank process all the refunds in 7 days since the processing of it from the payee’s side but all the refunds from their side were being completed in 2 days since the processing of it from their side). So when I didn’t got the refund, I had to create a new request/ticket referring the old ticket number. Then, they crossed all their limits by suspending my entire help desk account (means support account, not the actual account whereby users do e-commerce with them). So it is indeed very true that ’’companies become rapacious when their customers started growing’’. I would recommend everyone to not use Paytm as you may fall prey of them at anytime. "Beware of Paytm!"
Main point of this story for all of you: Did anyone thought that how Paytm gives daily discounts greater than all other websites in the category? Giving discounts is good for its customers as it makes the customers happy and is beneficial for a company too as discounts attracts new peoples thus new customers are born and this expands the company’s customer base which means more business (in most cases). But how do they cover the loss they get by giving discounts (as they too have investors which expects greater profits otherwise...)? The answer is the main point of the story above.
"..." means you know what am I saying.
Disclaimer: This is not a personal attack on their executive Tejasvi. I just called her as ’cunning’ in frustration but if you will read the whole review, then you may understand that I’m not wrong in my point.