GTT refuses to refund credit

Dear Editor,

On Wednesday, November 23, 2016, I received a message from GTT at 1.16pm saying “Due to a mobile network system upgrade, customers will be unable to buy data from 6 pm today to 8 pm. We regret any inconvenience.” After reading that, I decided to deactivate my ‘After 2 Service’ using *100*7#, as is shown in a message GTT sends you from a 620-1111 number. After doing so, I received a message saying, “Your After 2 Service has been cancelled on your request.” Editor, please note that I had decided to deactivate the service because the last time I received a message like that, I was charged for every message sent, even though I was eligible for it free of cost.

After receiving the cancellation message, I decided that I was not going to send any messages or activate the service for about three days. However, unfortunately, I received a message from the 620-1111 number saying “Your GTT After 2 Service has been renewed automatically and your balance has been charged $30. To stop the automatic renewal dial *100*7#” at 10:32pm” on November 23.

I called the following day and explained to a Mr Lakeram what had happened, and he refunded the amount I was charged. I went home and told the tale of how Mr Lakeram is so great at what he does and that I hope GTT would get more staff like him. But then came the automatic renewal message from GTT at 10.32pm on November 24. I didn’t made contact with GTT until after 6pm the following day ‒ November 25 ‒ and after the usual long wait a representative by the name of Gail answered. She told me the service was cancelled and there were other charges for calls made. She also told me that I had sent a message to a 661-8175 number (Editor, I am the holder of that number). I asked her why I would want to send a message to my own phone, and reminded her of the reason I had called. She told me that the matter would have to be “investigated”.

I called on November 26, and after more than thirty minutes Suzanne answered the call with the welcoming message. She asked me to hold and within two minutes she was back telling me that I had used the wrong option to have the After 2 Service deactivated, and as a result I was charged for the service on the 23rd, 24th and the 25th.  I then spoke to her supervisor, Roxanne, who also said I had used the wrong option to have the service cancelled. She did not change her decision even after I told her I had used the option shown in the Gtt message and I had even received a confirmation message from the company.

I think by right I should be refunded my credit immediately after Gtt reads this letter. I also want to advise Gtt to have the correct “option” sent to their “valuable customers” like myself, who should be accurately informed about how to deactivate the service.

Yours faithfully,

Jamaal K Thornhill