Abuse through Billing

<p>I have had an account with Markhams - The Foschini Group, for more ± 15 years and over the years I have had many calls.... sometimes because I neglected to pay my account or just to remind me that I must pay my account. Many of the calls were to thank me for being such an outstanding client and they have reviewed my account and I am eligable for a "bigger" account... and I always declined... I had a limit of R2000-00 and that is how I wanted to keep it. Yes sometimes I overstepped my "boundaries" by buying for more then my limit, WHICH THEY VERY HAPPILY OBLIGED WITH... but i always made sure I stay within my "affordability" limit. In the beginning of my "relationship" with this account, I also recieved a magazine...which didn't add any significance to my life, but I accepted it UNTIL I CHECKED MY ACCOUNT ONE DAY AND SAW THAT I WAS PAYING R20-00 FOR IT. Needless to say, I stopped it immediately and ever since then I have been bombarded with calls to "sell" the magazine to me again and I always so "No Thank you". My new SHOCKING DISCOVERY is the reason for this complain and aware making campaign. I was again negligent with my account and when I did my normal EFT payment, I somehow short payed my account wiht R55-00. So, as per ussual, I recieved a call from The Foschini Group to inform me of my mishap and I made the arrangement to pay it. I knew that I would be very busy and maybe would not remember to pay therefor I promised to pay on the 25th of June... making sure that I have enough time to pay and avoid being pestered with reminders that I did not keep my word to pay at a certain date. Then I received another call from them to tell me I am in arrears... and I told them that I have made arrangements for the 25th and I will pay. A week or so later, I received another call and then I got upset because I thought that somehow a Giant like The Foschini Group, would have a Computer system which allows their workers to make notes on a client's account to avoid another person from calling the same client about the same problem....BUT... I had a sudden thought , I believe that was a "eye opener" from God, that maybe these people are calling me because I get billed for every call made to me. So I asked her if it is in fact so and she said yes. I was also encouraged to allow The Foschini Group to email me my statement and was under the impression that it will be a free service... you know what I mean... If I want my statement in hard copy, I will have to use my printer with my ink, or toner and my paper and it is thus no cost to The Foschini group but it's a cost to self and that to me was okay. But to my dismay, I discovered that I am being billed for the email as if it is cost to them. On Friday when I went to Markhams to pay my account, I asked for my statement for the last 2 weeks and lo and behold.... THERE ON THE STATEMENT ARE THE AMOUNTS AND THE DESCRIPTIONS FOR THESE CHARGES AS FOLLOWS: 15/06/17 Phone call fee: R20-58, 15/06/17 Email Charged: R20-58, 13/06/17 Col. Letter Fee: R20-58, 13/06/17 SMS Charged: R2-85, 12/06/17 Interest: R48-69, 12/06/17 Interest: R11-18, and 07/06/17 SMS Charged:R2-85. Yes I faltered on my account with R55 and was penalised with R127-13 for it. I must say that I accept the interest, but the mayhem on my account due to calls and sms' is what is infuriating. I aksed the person who was helping me to call their HO, which he did and when he gave me the phone, I don't know who I spoke to, I asked for a explanation for this alien charges and the phone was dropped. I waited a while because I stupidly thought that we were cut off by accident and that she would phone back but to my dismay, it didn't happen. So I decided NOT TO PAY MY ACCOUNT AND STILL HOPED THAT SOMEONE WILL GET BACK TO ME TO EXPLAIN THESE CHARGES, but I rather got a reminder...AGAIN BY SMS WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME ANOTHER R2-85, that I can pay my account by EFT it I have a problem coming in to the shop. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THIS *********** THAT IS OCCURING. I don't know how long this has been going on, but it is time that it stops. I don't mind to be rapped over the fingers when I am negligent with my account, but I will not quietly accept abuse from GIANT companies who beg you to make credit and then use any and all means to "*****" your money. I would like the public to check their accounts...ALL OF IT... and see how much money we are paying for unneccesary things. OFF COURSE... I WILL BE CLOSING MY MARKHAMS ACCOUNT AND SEVER ALL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FOSCHINI GROUP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.</p> <p>Be Aware.</p>