Disputing charges and complaint

<p>Hi Vodacom, I am lodging an official complaint. 22 May 2014 I took out a U-choose Flexi Saver contract out, which was R158.50 with R150 airtime. Each month for 2 years, as per my contract, I was debited R158.50. I then got emails from Vodacom in 2016 advising me I am due for a upgrade. For most of May 2016 I was struggling to get anyone to assist with my upgrade as all of Vodacom was upgrading to new systems. Eventually I managed to upgrade ONLINE to exactly the same deal just slight difference in price --> A Flexi Save 200, meaning I get R200 airtime and pay the device fee, total package per month is R567.49. I was not explained at the beginning that there would be additional charges for the upgrade, bringing it to R717.49. I received my phone beginning of June 2016, and amount debited off my account end June was R158.50 as apparently you bill in arrears. As mentioned I was not advised of the amount being higher the 1st month, so I did not expect the R717.49, so that amount was in the account which is for my debit order, resulting in a penalty charge of R100.00. After calling and querying this with your accounts immediately (feel free to check my call history via my account ref 1- ********** 4444), I was advised that the details on your system showed I was with a top-up plus I was paying extra for 1 gig. I confirmed that was not what I had agreed to. I advised them to cancel any data bundles being given to me as well as check and ensure I was on the correct contract of a Flexi Saver. I then went immediately to the nearest branch and paid the R717.49 as you forced me into making this payment (proof of payment can be provided) I then got a sms advising I still owe Vodacom the penalty fee of R100.00, which I went back to the store and paid, as I was again forced to do so (proof of payment can be provided).--> THIS WAS FOR JULY MONTH. Then August month came and I kept receiving smses stating my account is at 50%. I called Customer Care, and they advised me that I was not in arrears and owed Vodacom nothing, I even had a online chat with Mapule Fredah (One of your Accounts Consultants) and they confirmed that messages have been sent to me in error and that my account was all up to date, payment wise. (I can provide screenshots of this chat) End of August came and I was debited the correct amount of R567.49. I thought this nightmare was over! THEN CAME SEPTEMBER... Vodacom randomly deposited money into my account R768.60. Since it was in my account I used R256.20 of that money. A few days later Vodacom took R512.40 in two parts back (R256.20 deducted by Vodacom and another R256.20 deducted- proof can be provided of these deposits). I then got a call from your insensitive Vodacom automated machine to say I owe Vodacom R256.20 which I then paid on 23 September 2016 (as per the call, you can select a date which they give you & proof of this payment can be provided). While all this is happening, please know that my debit order date is set at 29th of each month. I also received a call from Mondo offering me a sim with additional 5 gig of Data, at a price of R199 per month. As I never got the sim at the beginning of the month I was advised by Mondo that I would not pay the full R199, for the 1st month. For September, my debit order never went off, so I called Vodacom immediately only to be told I am in arrears of R1500, which when I queried, the RUDE consultant assisting me could not explain how and why I owed that amount, this was on 3 October 2016. I then went immediately to the nearest Vodacom Customer Care branch for assistance, also to be told I am in arrears of now R1149 (not sure how these amounts changed) but the consultant could also not assist me any further and could only refer me to your useless call centre, which I have been dealing with non-stop. As per my September statement I owed Vodacom my normal R567.49 amount PLUS new sim R119.70 = R687.19 and due to it not going off from my bank account,since you tried debiting over R1000, I had to pay yet another penalty fee of R100.71 bringing it to R787.90 (proof of payment can be provided). That same evening, 3 October 2016, I complained about the pathetic service of Vodacom via Twitter & was contacted almost immediately by the Social Media Team, Fergie. He said I was only in arrears of R159 based on the payment I made that day. He even sent me a statement which I advised him to contact me the next morning rather as I was disputing that amount. 4 October 2016, Rick from Vodacom social media team calls me, checks my account and confirms I am up to date with payment and don't owe Vodacom anything (proof of this statement can be provided) THEN I received a sms from Vodacom on the 7 Oct 2016 stating that I owe Vodacom . (that's all the sms said, me owing Vodacom a full stop- WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!!) 8th October I got a automated machine call from Vodacom saying I am in arrears of R1400. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! I then complain again via Social Media and received a call from a different agent, while on the call she confirmed I owed R1400. I then asked to speak to a manager which could not be done as there was no manager in on a Saturday!!!!! I confirmed that I dispute all of these charges and that I have been paying but Vodacom keeps coming back wanting more money that does not align with my Vodacom statements, invoices or contract I took out!!!! I emailed the Social Media team on Monday 10th Oct and got assisted by Olivia, & Denise, both of them escalated my complaint to accounts & stated I would be contacted within 48 hours. Today is Wednesday 12 October and I have not heard back. I have queried it with Vodacom social media, only to be told "the query is in hand with our administrator"- WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!!! All while this is going on, I am being harassed by the Vodacom automated machine calls ( ********** ) stating I must pay! I will not take these calls. I am not paying R1500 for anything, as I do not owe this amount to Vodacom and dispute these charges. I have been complaining and my complaint is just being sent from one consultant to another and management is NOT GETTING INVOLVED- WHY???? I also demand to be refunded all the penalty fees I have had to pay, as a result of all Vodacoms errors. If this is not resolved within the next week, from this date, I will be approaching all media in an attempt to put the spotlight on Vodacom with regards to how you treat & harass your customers, as well as highlighting how your staff do not know what they are doing, nor do they understand how to work with your systems. IF ANYONE IS GOING TO BE CONTACTING ME REGARDING MY DISPUTE & COMPLAINT, IT MUST BE SOMEONE WITHIN SENIOR MANAGEMENT, WHO I WOULD HOPE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING! If not, please do not waste my time with your consultants contacting me as I will therefore be taking this matter further externally. ALSO PLEASE ENSURE YOUR SYSTEM IS UPDATED FOR THAT AUTOMATED MACHINE TO STOP CALLING ME FROM THE NUMBER ********** -as I will not be accepting these calls.</p>