MTN HORROR STORY!!! Be careful with online/telephonic contract applications.

I ordered a black Friday deal via the MTN webpage. An agent contacted me to finalise the details the following day and my application was approved. So far so good.

However, it all went VERY wrong from there.... I received the incorrect device which was on the incorrect contract at almost double the cost monthly for 36 months and not 24 months as per original contract I wanted. (R 199 per month for 24 months VS. R 369 per month for 36 months). So started the long and arduous saga of returning the phone..... what a nightmare. I managed to do this within the cooling off period and received an IRMS number from an MTN supervisor at the Sandton City (MTN Owned) store. Then I had to endlessly nag Mondo to confirm that the contract was in fact cancelled..... very many emails were sent.....

A week or so later I was in the Cresta Shopping Centre so swung by the MTN store to confirm if the contract had been cancelled or not. I put my thumb on the biometric scanner and the consultant confirmed that, YES my contract had been cancelled! Imagine how relieved I felt! Wonderful!

So I was completely horrified to see that MTN had debited my bank account on 03/01/22 for an amount of R 8870.57. What an awful shock! What is even more horrifying is how difficult it is to get hold of a person to try and rectify the situation.

I have had some contact from Mondo personnel to say the debit order was taken in error, but they cannot confirm if the full amount will be refunded or when this might happen. Is this not tantamount to theft? I have nothing from MTN in my possession, they acknowledged the return of the device and sim card.... WHICH WAS THEIR MISTAKE NOT MINE!!!! THEY SENT THE WRONG DEVICE AND PUT ME ON THE WRONG CONTRACT!! As yet I have not received any refund. I have however received an sms to say that my monthly invoice has gone to my email address, however the email address is incorrect and I therefore cannot view any of this documentation. Why am I still getting invoices when the contract is supposed to be cancelled?!!???

So in summary:

1. MTN SEND WRONG DEVICE ON WRONG CONTRACT AT ALMOST DOUBLE THE PRICE. 2. I SPEND MY TIME GOING IN STORE TO RETURN UNOPENED, IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING DEVICE. 3. MTN SUPERVISOR ACCEPTS DEVICE RETURN. 4. I SPEND HOURS OF MY TIME TRYING TO CONFIRM CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT/DEVICE BECAUSE OF MTN ERROR, NO FAULT OF MY OWN. 5. CONFIMATION FROM MONDO & MTN THAT CONTRACT IS CANCELLED. 6. R 8 870.57 DEBITED FROM MY ACCOUNT. NO EXPLAINATION WHY OR WHAT FOR. 7. MTN ADMIT ERROR BUT WILL NOT CONFIRM WHY, WHEN OR IF ENTIRE AMOUNT WILL BE REFUNDED. 8. INVOICE SENT TO INCORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS????

So the question is can I open a case of ***** with the SAPS? This is all very suspicious to me and I have not received my money back. Is this pure incompetence or has someone willfully tried to de***** me? Any advice would be appreciated.