Africa: The African diaspora telephone fraud.

Choice and Wild Africa are phone services that provide amongst other things calling from New Zealand to in our case the DR Congo and Uganda.

These guys are thieves. They are in fact the same company and the products are identical.

They also have a third card and you have to ask why ?

They have just attempted to rip Significant Other off. They do this on a regular basis.  We call Africa and the call fails to go through and the card is debited. I wouldn't mind if this had happened once but it happens every time a call fails to go through.

We call customer service and then the run around happens. First they call or pretend to call the number we have called. I am not at all sure what the purpose of that is. Perhaps they don't believe we tried to call or maybe they want to demonstrate that they know how to dial   international numbers. It is the most fucking illogical, pointless and stupid thing they could do so I assume that is why they do it. It is either that or it is outright intimidation. We got through and that means we can charge you because you didn't get through. Something that with us inevitably fails intimidation doesn't work, it is interesting to note the attitude change when I come on the phone and they have to contend with a Kiwi accent and an English as a first language speaker.

The next stage in the nonsense merry go round is the insincere apology for stealing and make no mistake that is exactly what has been attempted. Then a promise to put the money back onto the card, we just have to wait 24 hours. That is the second attempt to steal the money and it is usually around this point I start participating. Incidently the money isn't credited back, you have to make yet another call 24 hours later to get it done. it is usually sorted at this point.

Back to tonight's adventure Significant Other explained that she needs to call her family they said no problem wait for 24 hours, she said no that she needs to talk to them now.  Embarrassed silence then a sorry that isn't possible you must wait 24 hours. I grab the phone at this point and teach the person fronting for the thieves what real intimidation is. I am very polite and explain that 24 hours isn't acceptable. Clearly my participation is a game changer particularly when I say that it is fine  we will wait 24 hours but I will be reporting the incident to the NZ Commerce Commission.

Strangely enough at this point they seem to discover the ability to credit the card the stolen amount within 5 minutes. 

Choice,Talk and Wild Africa calling cards are little more than a scheme to camouflage theft. It is long passed time for the regulatory authorities in New Zealand to prosecute the bastards.