POPI act waiting for TFG

In the usual polite business world people escalate matters gradually. This is not the case with TFG.

I have opened an account with them just to get a credit score to buy a house. My motto is:"don't spend what you don't have." I have therefore bought a few items on my account, and immediately settled my account after each purchase. I bought something in February and again settled the account. I have however not received any account statement since January 2021. The last statement I have received indicated that TFG owed ME money...

Then all of the sudden a few months later my HUSBAND received a phone call from debt collectors. He passed his phone to me and the collectors explained that I owe TFG some money.

As anybody can understand, I immediately tried to phone TFG, but with little success, as every number I called kept on cutting off. The lady at the reception just kept on trying to put me through until she just put the phone down in my ear. At this point I was amazed how a big company can just send your details through to debt collection without any warning, account statements, phone calls, SMSs or even a smoke signal... So I got into my car and drove to the nearest Total Sports store.

I spent an half an hour at Total Sports to phone TFG from their telephone. I eventually reached the customer service and the phone call concluded the following: They did not have my personal cellphone contact details or email (which I gave them when I opened the account). They charged me R20 per phone call to a number that is not mine. (I know that they had my cellphone details previously, as they sent me an SMS to confirm my card was ready to be picked up at TS). They somehow also signed me up without my knowledge for various magazines and some kid TV thing. Meanwhile, I have never received any magazine and no kid TV. Whilst on the phone with client services, I gave them my current cell number and they supposedly lodged a compliant.

I have not heard from them since and went back to Total sports to check if they changed my details, low and behold, nothing changed. Again, a worker at the store said she would follow up and contact me the next day. It has been 4 days and I have not heard from anybody at TFG.

Answers I need: 1) Where did TFG get my old information and how did they lose my cell number that they used to confirm that my card was ready for pick up? 2) Who signed me up for various magazines and kid TV? 3) What was the date of the last issued account/bill and TFG's proof that it was sent to the address that they have 4) How many other people don't look at their statements and are paying off magazines and kid TV???? 5) If TFG can just lose your details, are they legally fit to give people credit?

Suggested course of action: 1) You can reverse all the ad-ons which I did not sign up for 2) You can reverse all the R20 phone calls you bill against a cellphone number that is not mine. 3) You can clear my name at the credit bureau for not sending my account statements to me. 4) You can close the account 5) Before sending people's information to debt collectors, get your own house in order. Train people to be fit for their positions and roles, especially on the administration side of things who seems to lose information. TFG might just be able to save money not paying debt collectors if their own house is doing their duties diligently.

Alternatively: Since TFG can bill me for things I did not sign-up for, I can always send you my bill for keeping me out of work. Our half hourly rate is R12'500. You are welcome to pay the outstanding amount on my account, close the account and pay the rest to me.

If this keeps on dragging along, I am afraid that we can always wait for the POPI act to be enforced end of the month...