Unauthorized Account Changes and Misleading Information

I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding unauthorized changes made to my Vodacom account and the misleading information I received from a purported Vodacom representative. I received a phone call from an individual claiming to be from Vodacom. This person stated that because I do not utilize international roaming and to potentially reduce my monthly expenses, they recommended migrating my existing contract from an unlimited calling plan to a Top Up plan. I was explicitly told that my new monthly installment would be approximately R409.00. Contrary to this information, at the beginning of the Current Month, I discovered that my monthly installment has significantly increased to approximately R700.00. Furthermore, without my consent or prior notification, 1.4GB of data and 100 calling minutes were added to my account. On 07th of May 2025, I visited a Vodacom store where I spoke to a staff member. This representative confirmed that my account had been migrated from a RED Flex 700MB and 50-minute plan to a new, more expensive Top Up plan. The in-store representative stated that I should not have been migrated to a Top Up plan under the circumstances and that the additional data and minutes should not have been added without my authorization. Unfortunately, the in-store representative informed me that they were unable to reverse these changes and advised me to contact Vodacom directly. Subsequently, I contacted Vodacom's call center. The consultant I spoke with informed me that the individuals who made these unauthorized changes were not directly employed by Vodacom but are associated with a trade partner called "Rewards." The Vodacom consultant attempted to contact Rewards without success and provided me with their contact number. Despite numerous attempts to call Rewards, I have been unable to reach them. The Vodacom consultant called me back to follow up, and upon learning that I had not been able to contact Rewards, she stated that there was nothing further she could do to reverse the changes. She advised me to continue calling Rewards until I could get through to them, as they are supposedly the only entity capable of resolving this issue. The consultant did log a query and informed me that I should wait five days for a response. If no response is received, I am expected to continue trying to contact Rewards. I find this situation completely unacceptable. I was provided with false information by someone claiming to represent Vodacom, resulting in an unauthorized and costly change to my account. Furthermore, being directed to a third-party with whom Vodacom seemingly has a partnership, yet takes no direct responsibility for their actions, is highly unsatisfactory. I am a loyal Vodacom customer and expect a higher standard of service and accountability. I demand the following immediate actions: • Reversal of the unauthorized changes made to my account, specifically the migration to the Top Up plan and the removal of the unwanted 1.4GB data and 100 minutes. • Reinstatement of my previous RED Flex 700MB and 50-minute plan or a comparable plan that aligns with my usage and the initial information I was provided. • A clear explanation from Vodacom regarding the actions of their "Rewards" partner and why Vodacom is unable to directly rectify errors made by this partner. • A commitment from Vodacom to prevent such misleading sales tactics and unauthorized account changes in the future. • A credit to my account to compensate for the inflated charges I have incurred due to these unauthorized changes. I expect a prompt and satisfactory resolution to this complaint within 48-72 hours. If I do not receive a satisfactory response and resolution within this timeframe, I will be forced to consider further action, including escalating this matter to the relevant consumer protection authorities. Thank you for your urgent attention to this serious matter.