Hefty bill with added insult shocks Telecom customer
13.02.2002 By AMIE RICHARDSON
Telecom has ordered an investigation after a customer received an account charging him a "penalty for being an arrogant bastard".
Auckland businessman James Storrie discovered the $337.50 charge, printed under "product or service", when he opened his mobile phone bill on Monday.
Mr Storrie said he complained to Telecom last week that his phone had been disconnected. He was told it was cut off after being reported stolen - although it had not been.
He was unaware of having any enemies within Telecom, or any friends who might have sent the account as a practical joke.
Three years ago he made a complaint because of a problem with a Yellow Pages advertisement for his company, but that was settled last year.
"How can they speak to their clients like this?" he said. "It's downright rude."
The wording appeared as a normal piece of information under the "rental and activity" section of Mr Storrie's monthly bill.
Telecom spokesman Andrew Bristol said the company was "absolutely aghast" by what had happened and had apologised.
Mr Storrie has said he will accept a confidential compensation package and will keep his account with Telecom.
Mr Bristol said the company had launched an internal investigation into the unusual "penalty" and the mobile disconnection that Mr Storrie had questioned.
Telecom could not explain how such a "penalty" could have been printed on the account. A reference number which preceded the $337.50 amount did not mean anything.
"As far as we were concerned, it couldn't happen," he said.
He could not say if anyone would lose their job over the incident, because it was too early in the investigation to know what had taken place.
Consumers' Institute chief executive David Russell said there was no consumer law that protected a customer from being called an "arrogant bastard".
However, in civil law, it could be viewed as defamation.
-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002