This is regarding a single charge of Rs. 501 on my Airtel Mobile # 9748731945 on an invoice dated 27-01. They claim that there had been a call made to 5664474 (a TV game show), where the charge is Rs.12/minute. What kind of a TV show would charge Rs.12/minute, when even ISD calls cost much much less in this age of advanced telecommunications technology?
I certainly do not remember making such calls and I would be insane to do so, with this call rate. Out of curiosity, after this billing, I turned on the TV and searched for this game show. In there, I saw that there were half-faces of 2 well-known Bollywood stars displayed on the screen, and viewers were asked to call in to identify them. I also heard that there were several fake callers with obvious false responses. This would force the genuine callers to stay on the line and allow the mobile phone companies along with the TV show to milk money. Anyone living and breathing in India would recognize such widely public faces. Also, I heard the host babble about all sorts of worthless things, but never once on the call rate. There was no indication of any other sort on the screen mentioning the rate of Rs.12/minute. Out of curiosity, callers may call in for a first time to such shows. The show banks on these hapless callers. There would never be second round for these callers.
How can such scheming and devious rigs be allowed to run on Indian national television that openly rob consumers of their hard-earned income? Such shows provide no consumer entertainment value and are solely money-making schemes for the mobile phone companies along with the TV show. Isn't there any monitoring body or national board, that can actually save and protect the rights of consumers by taking justifiable action against such corrupt companies?
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