AIRTEL DTH DIWALI OFFER RS.1290 - EXTERNAL AGENCY SCAM/FRAUD

Guys , Recently i was just about to fall in the traps of a Airtel DTH Scam/ Fraud and escaped from it by a narrow gap. Thanks to my friend Arun Kumar who somehow got that very important thought in his brain at the right time and asked me to think twice about the Payment method through IVR as he has never done that before.

More on this:

I am a novice for online purchases and last week got a book (What Would Google Do) from eBay. This happened because i had a Rs.50 free voucher from eBay and the book cost was Rs 130 and the book arrived at the right time in a solid package. This gave me some confidence in the online shopping options.

Then i was planing to buy Airtel DTH this Diwali and was browsing through the airtel site for further details. I came across the page below

http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect/dth/bharti+DTH/Packages+for+you/Multiple+TVs/

There was a line which says

To avail the offer,

• sms MULTI to 54325 and our representatives will call you back.

I did this and got a call from the below number instantly and a guy talked to me (mixed some hindi accent in between) and briefed on the offer as below.

Telephone Number: +91 2241304100.

Evil: Hello Sir, Are you looking for a Airtel DTH multi connection service.
Me: Yes, I want to know the price of the Single and multiple connection and whether the Set Top Box differs between HD and SD.
Evil: Yes they are different now you are planing to buy a single connection or multi one.
Me: I am looking for a single one.
Evil: Then you have a special Diwali offer of Rs.1290 and you will get 2 months free subscription of Ultra Pack.
Me: Ok can you guide me on how i can order this.
Evil: Do you have credit card.
Me: No.
Evil: This offer is available only on credit card sir, Can you use your friends or relatives card.
Me: Yes i can do that. Ok then i will call you after some time after informing my friend (Arun).
Evil: Ok sir i will give you call tomorrow evening.

After he didn't call and next conversation happened after 3 days as i didn't find time to do this. Then i was not able to reach the Airtel by any other means for ordering the DTH. Later i thought of sending the message 'multi' and check whether some one calls me. Evil is perfect, And he called me, the same guy (first point of doubt) and he also remembered my name. Then same conversation as previous day and then he showed me some demo of how this transaction will happen over IVR. It was some airtel background tune and a IVR voice asking for CREDIT CARD number and other related credentials and he said i have to send one message to 5676712 in the format PWD **** where **** is the last 4 digits of the CREDIT CARD number and he explained the complete process.

Then he asked me to put my friend on the conference call so that he can explain this again as he is the one who is going to do the transaction. Then i asked him to drop the call and call me after 5 mins. At that time i called Arun and explained him what happened. He expressed some doubt in this process. I was wondering why this guy is showing doubts on this when he never had any doubt while buying a Panasonic Plasma Full HD TV worth Rs 30.000 last month from eBay.

By that time my instinct was also on (i don't use it for everything as it's highly precious) and when the Evil called me again i started asking him about some other means of doing this order and then some reference to this offer online in the airtel site. He started saying that "I am explaining the whole steps na sir and this is the most secure transaction and is only a 2 minute process sir and this is last day of this offer (It was Diwali that day)". My doubts confirmed. I said no i want to do it online or atleast see a reference to this offer in the airtel site. Later he said ok sir i will call you after half an hour and you discuss with your friend and collect all the details then if you are willing to do the order we will carry on else i wil disconnect. Later he called me and this time i started asking lot of details like his name which he said as Sanjay and then he started talking for nearly 3 minutes continuous lecture and then i asked him where he is from whether it is Chennai or not then he said some place which i was not able to understand and i asked that place is in which state and then he said something and disconnected the call. I scared his devil away... Ha Ha Ha...

Later i googled for "airtel 1290 dth" and came across the follwoing link and doubt verified.

http://www.consumercourtforum.in/f53/fruad-airtel-dth-vriti-infocom-pvt-ltd-49359/

Airtel kindly investigate into what's happening here and save your innocent customers from evil beings.

Be careful and Stay away from evil mates.

Thank you god for protecting me.

Happy Diwali All Of You and a special wish to Arun.