Aussies getting ripped off by “sneaky” mobile phone plans
<p>A woman from Sydney has placed Australian telcos under a microscope after claiming they ripped her off by $160, labelling them as “sneaky”.</p>
<p>Residing in western Sydney, Samantha Shoaib was on a two-year contract with Telstra where she paid $85 per month for 11GB of data and a brand new Samsung phone.</p>
<p>But despite her contract ending on June 30 this year, Mrs Shoaib was continuously charged $85 per month – even though she had paid off the cost of her handset – until she contacted her provider.</p>
<p>After raising the issue with Telstra, the company gave her a partial refund of $90 out of the total $160.</p>
<p>She also switched to a more affordable plan that charged her $49 a month and gave her three times more data than her previous plan.</p>
<p>Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/aussies-wasting-millions-on-excess-data-and-other-mobile-phone-charges/news-story/14c495a09f0553cfbfc877d0e2fcb9be" target="_blank"><em>news.com.au</em></a>, Mrs Shoaib said that telcos use cunning advertising tactics to trick customers into thinking they’re getting a good deal. Instead of listing the cost of the handset and data separately, they were now “bundled together” with a monthly flat rate, as she claims it’s a “sneaky” way of charging higher prices.</p>
<p>According to Mrs Shoaib, the trick is being used by telco companies around the country as more and more consumers are getting sucked in.</p>
<p>“Technically they are not doing anything fraudulently, but my concern is that while I am of sound mind and should have known better, a lot of people such as the elderly might not understand this stuff and might end up being ripped off for years because they just think it’s how much a mobile phone costs,” she said.</p>
<p>“It’s a sneaky way of handling phone plans these days.”</p>
<p>Matt Jones, the founder of telecommunications company OVO, said that contracts were to blame for customers being overcharged.</p>
<p>“Mobile deals are getting better every month, but you’re locked in to be overcharged for two to three years,” he said.</p>
<p>“Add a handset charge to that and you’re just paying through the nose for something that, because you signed a contract, your telco is under no obligation to let you out of.</p>
<p>“The only way to avoid this is to go prepaid and find another way to pay for the handset.”</p>
<p>The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tio.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/257320/Telecommunications-Industry-Ombudsman-Annual-Report-2018.pdf" target="_blank">Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Annual Report</a> states that in the last financial year, 51,328 complaints were made about mobile phone services. Out of those, 25.5 per cent of complaints where related to charges for service or equipment fees.</p>
<p>Do you think you're paying too much for your current mobile phone plan? Tell us in the comments below. </p>
