Outrage rises as Optus allegedly fails to resolve billing issues costing customers millions - Are YOU affected?
- Replies 6
In a recent incident that has left numerous customers overseas infuriated, Australian telecommunications provider Optus is under fire for ongoing billing problems and subpar customer service.
Customers have been repeatedly charged for roaming services despite following Optus’ instructions, leading to frustration and financial losses.
Some customers have even accused Optus of stealing millions of dollars from its unsuspecting customers.
One disgruntled customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared their experience, highlighting the recurring issues they faced.
On March 7th, they activated roaming to receive a one-time code for banking purposes and were aware of the associated charges. Following Optus' advice, they switched their phone to flight mode to prevent consecutive charges.
However, they were surprised to receive an email on March 15th stating they had been charged for roaming, despite their phone being in flight mode.
Seeking clarification, the customer contacted Optus through their app, only to be advised to remove the SIM card entirely.
Despite complying with the suggested resolution, the customer encountered the same problem on March 24th.
Per Optus' instructions, they contacted the company and were told to wait until their end-of-month bill.
However, the charges had already been deducted from their bank account, causing further frustration.
This pattern repeated on March 27th, with the same explanation provided, and charges were withdrawn once again, despite the SIM card remaining absent from the phone.
After a brief respite, the customer reached out to Optus on April 18th, requesting an immediate refund. In response, Optus suspended roaming on their account and assured them they would have to contact the company for future roaming needs.
However, the issue persisted on April 20th and 21st, with Optus repeatedly disabling, roaming and refunding the charges upon request.
On May 1st and 3rd, the same scenario unfolded. Optus claimed the previous representatives had only suspended roaming; this time, they allegedly removed roaming from the customer's account entirely.
Frustrated by the recurring problem, the customer escalated the matter to a supervisor who made a startling revelation.
According to the supervisor: ‘Multiple people are experiencing this issue, and we have a dedicated team investigating it.’
This statement shocked the customer, who questioned how Optus could be unaware of the problem if several customers were affected. The customer expressed their disbelief, suggesting that Optus might be inadvertently stealing money from its customers.
Even after the implementation of a ‘protection’ on the customer's account, charging for roaming persisted. Outraged, the customer threatened to contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for a resolution. Optus responded by offering to pay the customer's bill.
Unfortunately, the problem continued on May 6th. Exhausted and frustrated, the customer demanded answers from Optus but received only a $100 credit as compensation. Determined to resolve the issue, the customer insisted on speaking with the customer relations manager, who promised to contact them within 24-48 hours.
However, as of May 10th, the customer had not received the promised call. Infuriated, they confronted a different customer relations manager, only to be informed that the protection had been removed on May 27th, a date yet to arrive. Clearly exasperated, the customer underscored the ineffectiveness of the so-called protection.
Currently, the customer is exploring options to switch to another provider, considering the persistent billing issues and unsatisfactory customer service experienced with Optus.
This incident has only intensified their dissatisfaction following a recent data breach, leaving them with no intention of ever using Optus again.
It should also be noted that this incident is not an isolated case. Other customers also spoke up about similar experiences with the telecommunications company.
One user shared: ‘I had the same problem travelling with my daughter through the USA in April. So many hours wasted trying to get them to stop automatically activating roaming, multiple charges for both services, even removing the sim made no difference.’
‘We had both previously spent several weeks in Japan where nothing like this happened, so not sure whether it is a per country thing.’
Another customer, who is currently overseas, shared their recent experience receiving an email from Optus charging them $5 for roaming. However, they assert that they were using a different SIM card altogether, making it impossible for them to have utilised Optus' services for the mentioned phone call.
Optus has yet to comment on the issue.
The story serves as a reminder of the importance of researching a service provider and checking your account for unexpected changes or suspicious payments.
Have you had a similar experience with Optus or another service provider? Tell us about it, and what tips you have for avoiding these billing issues? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below.
Customers have been repeatedly charged for roaming services despite following Optus’ instructions, leading to frustration and financial losses.
Some customers have even accused Optus of stealing millions of dollars from its unsuspecting customers.
One disgruntled customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared their experience, highlighting the recurring issues they faced.
On March 7th, they activated roaming to receive a one-time code for banking purposes and were aware of the associated charges. Following Optus' advice, they switched their phone to flight mode to prevent consecutive charges.
An Optus customer accused the telecommunications company of ripping them off roaming number charges despite not using the service. Credit: Shutterstock.
However, they were surprised to receive an email on March 15th stating they had been charged for roaming, despite their phone being in flight mode.
Seeking clarification, the customer contacted Optus through their app, only to be advised to remove the SIM card entirely.
Despite complying with the suggested resolution, the customer encountered the same problem on March 24th.
Per Optus' instructions, they contacted the company and were told to wait until their end-of-month bill.
However, the charges had already been deducted from their bank account, causing further frustration.
This pattern repeated on March 27th, with the same explanation provided, and charges were withdrawn once again, despite the SIM card remaining absent from the phone.
After a brief respite, the customer reached out to Optus on April 18th, requesting an immediate refund. In response, Optus suspended roaming on their account and assured them they would have to contact the company for future roaming needs.
However, the issue persisted on April 20th and 21st, with Optus repeatedly disabling, roaming and refunding the charges upon request.
On May 1st and 3rd, the same scenario unfolded. Optus claimed the previous representatives had only suspended roaming; this time, they allegedly removed roaming from the customer's account entirely.
Frustrated by the recurring problem, the customer escalated the matter to a supervisor who made a startling revelation.
According to the supervisor: ‘Multiple people are experiencing this issue, and we have a dedicated team investigating it.’
This statement shocked the customer, who questioned how Optus could be unaware of the problem if several customers were affected. The customer expressed their disbelief, suggesting that Optus might be inadvertently stealing money from its customers.
Even after the implementation of a ‘protection’ on the customer's account, charging for roaming persisted. Outraged, the customer threatened to contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for a resolution. Optus responded by offering to pay the customer's bill.
Unfortunately, the problem continued on May 6th. Exhausted and frustrated, the customer demanded answers from Optus but received only a $100 credit as compensation. Determined to resolve the issue, the customer insisted on speaking with the customer relations manager, who promised to contact them within 24-48 hours.
However, as of May 10th, the customer had not received the promised call. Infuriated, they confronted a different customer relations manager, only to be informed that the protection had been removed on May 27th, a date yet to arrive. Clearly exasperated, the customer underscored the ineffectiveness of the so-called protection.
Currently, the customer is exploring options to switch to another provider, considering the persistent billing issues and unsatisfactory customer service experienced with Optus.
This incident has only intensified their dissatisfaction following a recent data breach, leaving them with no intention of ever using Optus again.
It should also be noted that this incident is not an isolated case. Other customers also spoke up about similar experiences with the telecommunications company.
One user shared: ‘I had the same problem travelling with my daughter through the USA in April. So many hours wasted trying to get them to stop automatically activating roaming, multiple charges for both services, even removing the sim made no difference.’
‘We had both previously spent several weeks in Japan where nothing like this happened, so not sure whether it is a per country thing.’
Another customer, who is currently overseas, shared their recent experience receiving an email from Optus charging them $5 for roaming. However, they assert that they were using a different SIM card altogether, making it impossible for them to have utilised Optus' services for the mentioned phone call.
Optus has yet to comment on the issue.
The story serves as a reminder of the importance of researching a service provider and checking your account for unexpected changes or suspicious payments.
Have you had a similar experience with Optus or another service provider? Tell us about it, and what tips you have for avoiding these billing issues? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below.
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