Insurance ***** and device theft (***)

<p>On 12 May 2016, I submitted a claim form to MTN pertaining to having my iPhone 6 screen fixed. The screen itself worked perfectly, it was just the glass that had cracked. After submitting the claim – I heard nothing. Eventually after many calls to them and sitting on hold for ages each time, I was able to arrange for collection of my phone to be repaired. I won’t bore you with the details on the amount of e-mails, tweets and phonecalls I had to make to ensure that that happened. The phone was collected on 24 May.</p> <p> </p> <p>In true MTN style, I then heard nothing. A week later I called and managed to get through to the insurance department and was told nothing had been done on my phone as I had not disabled the “Find My iPhone” feature. Never mind that no one had contacted me regarding this. I stated that I do not understand why that feature has to be turned off to fix a screen, and was told that it is the required process and they will do nothing until it is turned off, so I logged into iCloud and disabled it. I then contacted MTN on twitter and asked numerous times as to why exactly the “Find my iPhone” feature had to be turned off to fix a screen and also, how they were able to see on their end that it had not been turned off. This raised some concerns with me – are they able to access my phone? I continuously received generic answers about it being standard procedure.</p> <p> </p> <p>A week went by and no update – even though the previous week I was told that my phone will be ready to be delivered in a week. Again, I called, sat on hold for ages, and eventually get told that they are awaiting payment of my excess, which I have not received anything about. I wait another two days for the quote (7 June).</p> <p> </p> <p>Here is where things get interesting – despite the fact that the claim form CLEARLY states that a first repair claim comes with an excess of R150, I am quoted an excess of R1050. And why? Because the “repair cost” is R6500. To repair a screen, which I know from the multitude of quotes that I got, costs between R1500 – R2500 to fix. So essentially – my excess is paying for the majority of the repair. So glad that I pay R170 premium’s every single month. </p> <p> </p> <p>So I obviously respond with e-mails notifying MTN that I disputed the quote, send tweets and advise them of the dispute that I have now lodged with the Consumer Commission. All communication goes unanswered for days and days and days. Every time I try and call, my calls get dropped. It goes without saying that I have been harassing MTN on this issue for over a week – wanting answers as to why the repair cost and excess is so high.</p> <p> </p> <p>On Sa****ay I manage to get through to the call centre – only to be told that, guess what? MTN DOES NOT REPAIR IPHONE SCREENS! So a month and HUNDREDS of messages, calls and emails later, I NOW get told that they don’t repair screens? After I specifically asked them why it is required that I turn find my iPhone off for screen repairs, at least 5 times. No, they do not repair screens and they give you a replacement phone. But not a new phone – a “refurbished one”. Now, my phone, other then the cracked screen, worked perfectly. I have absolutely no desire to be given a “refurbished phone” that will no doubt come with all sorts of other issues. I also can see right through MTN’s plan – they will fix my screen and sell it off to someone else as a “refurbished phone”. I accordingly informed MTN on Sa****ay that I want to cancel my claim and have my phone returned to me and I will just get the screen fixed myself, seen as I will be required to pay over R1000 anyways.</p> <p> </p> <p>My phone arrived on Tuesday – only it is not MY phone – it is one of these “refurbished” phones! So I would like to know MTN – WHERE IS MY PHONE?!?!?!?!?! Have you already fixed the screen and handed it off to someone else?!?! Before I even confirmed that I was happy with the quote and excess payable?</p> <p> </p> <p>This is EXTREMELY dishonest of MTN – you request your customers to turn off the find my iPhone feature, as “standard procedure” when you know full well that it is because that person will not be getting their phone back. Not once in a MONTH was I ever informed that iPhone screens are not repaired. How is it actually possible that I was never informed of this? And how is it possible that when I ask for my phone to be returned – I am not given MY phone? Have you accessed my personal information on my phone? This raises serious concerns regarding my personal information, as well as ethical issues.</p> <p> </p> <p>Obviously I have tried to contact MTN – emails, calls and tweets go unanswered!</p>