Well... this is going to be a bitch-post... I believe, however, I am justified.
Over the past two months I have been charged over 2800 ILS ( more than 750 USD) by Orange Israel. Orange Israel has admitted on four occasions that the charges are incorrect, saying that they will reimburse me, but have not, over a more than a month period. This Sunday, they had said they would reimburse me for ~570 ILS, but instead charged me for 2110 ILS.
In early February, I saw that I had been charged ~200 USD randomly on my US credit card. After tracking the charge to Orange Israel, I contacted them. With Orange, I have a plan for 135 ILS / month, including unlimited calls within Israel, unlimited calls to US (cell and land-lines) and 1 GB data at 3G rates, which is downgraded to a lower speed when I exceed 1 GB. I felt, and still do feel, that this is great deal (especially considering the cost of US companies), and the service was initially problem-free. When I saw this charge, I knew that it was a mistake, since I had only called the US, and I had been fruitfully enjoying the 15 ILS per month for unlimited calls to the US.
After calling Orange (*054), you can very easily get a person who speaks Hebrew or English (maybe Russian too ;P). You will have to wait ten minutes, and for general service changes, I think that it would work great. I however needed to be reimbursed for spurious charges. Throughout multiple calls over a week or so, my 710 ILS charge, that should have been 135 ILS, was never addressed. There is a disconnect between Orange Israel's customer service department and the billing department. Whenever I could communicate the issue with someone, their natural response would be, "We will call you back." Of course, when I would allow them to hang up, they would not return my call; in the morning I would have to call, restarting the whole process again... and again... and again. Eventually, through many painfully awkward complaints, they told me that I had canceled my 15 ILS plan to call the US. One very strange thing is that they said they would listen to our previous conversation, to determine whether or not I had requested the change. Previously to this fraudulent charge, I had never called Orange Israel, so I suppose that they are recording conversations at Diezengoff Center. Also, for the amount I call my family, friends, and girlfriend, all back in the US, why would I cancel this great option? I asked them, "Why would I cancel a 15 ILS charge ( ~4 USD), and then call that place for hours upon hours?"
Eventually I was able to get through to someone who said they would reimburse me for the excess part of the 710 ILS. They promised that this would happen within three days. It didn't.
I gave Orange some buffer time (sometimes things take a while to go through, etc.). I transferred some money to my US account; their fraudulent charge had overdraft my account. I waited a couple of weeks. Nothing came.
Fortifying myself with multiple cups of Turkish coffee, I eventually got up the Chutzpah to call again. I tried to yell (my coworkers say that I'm too American and am not good at it). I did get results though-- after they returned my call-- one of the first times they actually did-- the representative of Orange said that they would pay me back immediately on the 8th of March. I of course, stupidly, said, "Great! Thank you very much!"
On the 8th of March (Friday), I still wasn't returned my money. I decided to wait through the Shabbat, and see what happened on Sunday. Here's what I got for my patience:
For all of my patience and trouble, I was charged 2110 ILS. My US checking account over-drafted again. I was furious.
I called Orange, yet again. I forced myself to yell even harder, declaring that this is a concerted effort by Orange Israel to exploit new Olim and their ignorance. At a point during my monologue, I looked down at my hand and saw that I was shaking.
I still have not been reimbursed.
Please post your experiences with abusive cellular telephone companies. We need collective action with this problem.
I am thinking of writing a petition:
I formally accuse Orange Israel of pursuing a policy of excess charges; the goal of Orange Israel is to spuriously charge their clients. With these fraudulent charges, Orange Israel knows that a certain, significant percentage of complacent customers will miss these "errors," thereby increasing their profit margin in a highly competitive market. They will maintain a customer service department that cannot actually reverse fraudulent charges, but simply exist as an excuse for further complacency. I ask the Israeli government to investigate the criminal organization known as "Orange Israel," to expose Orange's perverted business scheme, and punish those criminals involved.
Update 4/5/13-- Orange has reimbursed me finally for the charges. I had to have an Israeli friend help me to help scare them into it. They offered no compensation for my trouble, although I plan on switching to another carrier when I have time to do so; when I call to cancel my line, I expect to get offered something.
Sauce
Over the past two months I have been charged over 2800 ILS ( more than 750 USD) by Orange Israel. Orange Israel has admitted on four occasions that the charges are incorrect, saying that they will reimburse me, but have not, over a more than a month period. This Sunday, they had said they would reimburse me for ~570 ILS, but instead charged me for 2110 ILS.
In early February, I saw that I had been charged ~200 USD randomly on my US credit card. After tracking the charge to Orange Israel, I contacted them. With Orange, I have a plan for 135 ILS / month, including unlimited calls within Israel, unlimited calls to US (cell and land-lines) and 1 GB data at 3G rates, which is downgraded to a lower speed when I exceed 1 GB. I felt, and still do feel, that this is great deal (especially considering the cost of US companies), and the service was initially problem-free. When I saw this charge, I knew that it was a mistake, since I had only called the US, and I had been fruitfully enjoying the 15 ILS per month for unlimited calls to the US.
After calling Orange (*054), you can very easily get a person who speaks Hebrew or English (maybe Russian too ;P). You will have to wait ten minutes, and for general service changes, I think that it would work great. I however needed to be reimbursed for spurious charges. Throughout multiple calls over a week or so, my 710 ILS charge, that should have been 135 ILS, was never addressed. There is a disconnect between Orange Israel's customer service department and the billing department. Whenever I could communicate the issue with someone, their natural response would be, "We will call you back." Of course, when I would allow them to hang up, they would not return my call; in the morning I would have to call, restarting the whole process again... and again... and again. Eventually, through many painfully awkward complaints, they told me that I had canceled my 15 ILS plan to call the US. One very strange thing is that they said they would listen to our previous conversation, to determine whether or not I had requested the change. Previously to this fraudulent charge, I had never called Orange Israel, so I suppose that they are recording conversations at Diezengoff Center. Also, for the amount I call my family, friends, and girlfriend, all back in the US, why would I cancel this great option? I asked them, "Why would I cancel a 15 ILS charge ( ~4 USD), and then call that place for hours upon hours?"
Eventually I was able to get through to someone who said they would reimburse me for the excess part of the 710 ILS. They promised that this would happen within three days. It didn't.
I gave Orange some buffer time (sometimes things take a while to go through, etc.). I transferred some money to my US account; their fraudulent charge had overdraft my account. I waited a couple of weeks. Nothing came.
Fortifying myself with multiple cups of Turkish coffee, I eventually got up the Chutzpah to call again. I tried to yell (my coworkers say that I'm too American and am not good at it). I did get results though-- after they returned my call-- one of the first times they actually did-- the representative of Orange said that they would pay me back immediately on the 8th of March. I of course, stupidly, said, "Great! Thank you very much!"
On the 8th of March (Friday), I still wasn't returned my money. I decided to wait through the Shabbat, and see what happened on Sunday. Here's what I got for my patience:
For all of my patience and trouble, I was charged 2110 ILS. My US checking account over-drafted again. I was furious.
I called Orange, yet again. I forced myself to yell even harder, declaring that this is a concerted effort by Orange Israel to exploit new Olim and their ignorance. At a point during my monologue, I looked down at my hand and saw that I was shaking.
I still have not been reimbursed.
Please post your experiences with abusive cellular telephone companies. We need collective action with this problem.
I am thinking of writing a petition:
I formally accuse Orange Israel of pursuing a policy of excess charges; the goal of Orange Israel is to spuriously charge their clients. With these fraudulent charges, Orange Israel knows that a certain, significant percentage of complacent customers will miss these "errors," thereby increasing their profit margin in a highly competitive market. They will maintain a customer service department that cannot actually reverse fraudulent charges, but simply exist as an excuse for further complacency. I ask the Israeli government to investigate the criminal organization known as "Orange Israel," to expose Orange's perverted business scheme, and punish those criminals involved.
Update 4/5/13-- Orange has reimbursed me finally for the charges. I had to have an Israeli friend help me to help scare them into it. They offered no compensation for my trouble, although I plan on switching to another carrier when I have time to do so; when I call to cancel my line, I expect to get offered something.
Sauce
If you're getting charged through an American bank account, for fuck's sake, contact your bank and report the charges as fraudulent.
ReplyDeleteThen switch to another company than Orange! Cancel your account, transfer your number, and let them know that their charges have been reported as fraudulent to the bank!
My current cellular company in Israel actually only charges me the 99 NIS/month they actually claim to charge, and my plan is unlimited everything including calls to the US and Canada.
I'm haveing the same problume
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know a number to call orange from america to speak to someone
ReplyDeleteJust keep calling and complaining. Unless they have your signature for something, or a sound recording of you asking for the change, they will give your money back. You will have to fight for it however. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
DeleteTypical narcissistic inconsideration of Israelis, I've had to cancel my cards on account of this
ReplyDeleteI am experiencing a similar problem. They are invoicing me for a second line (never activated - no sim card, not requested). They admitted error after days of trying to speak with someone sensible. As yet - despite their assurances- money has not been reimbursed. Terrible customer care
ReplyDelete