We’ve solved your ghost calls puzzle, says Safaricom

What you need to know:

  • We got in touch with Safaricom for an explanation to your concerns. The telecom firm responded to us last week, saying that it had got in touch with you and solved this matter

If my memory serves me right, I suspect there was some tampering with my calling charges about a year ago. Unfortunately, for various reasons, I did not keep track of these calls until on the weekend of Idd ul Fitr holiday this year.

Before then, I had started topping my calling credit with Sh100 and Sh200, unlike previously when I used to buy airtime cards for Sh500 or more. I even stopped using my Safaricom line except for M-Pesa services.

Be that as it may, on the Friday before Idd ul Fitr holiday, I topped my phone with Sh300 airtime. However, just before I could make a call, some friends visited me.

It was not until after 8pm that I was free to make the intended call, only to be told that I did not have “sufficient funds”.  I dialled 100 immediately and was informed that I had used up all the money that afternoon, speaking to a number that turned out to have been my husband’s.

The customer care staff further told me that I usually make very long telephone calls and as evidence, he said that at or about 2am that day, I made a call lasting an hour and two days before that, at or around midnight, I had made similar calls within an interval of 15 minutes.

He said somebody made the calls from my phone, which is not possible because its only my husband and I in the house and it would rather talk to him in person than call.

After a long talk, he gave me that last three digits of the number that I had supposedly called. I did not recognise it immediately, perhaps because I was in shock.

I was advised to seek help from the police in case any criminal elements were involved. He also gave me a number to enable me lock my phone and a way in which I could download all calls from my phone to my computer to review them.

However, as I attempted to lock my phone, I blocked it because I had not taken the correct numbers.

Surprisingly when I recounted my conversation with the customer care staff to my husband, he recognised the last three digits as his. It is then that we decided to report the matter to the police.

We went to the Safaricom offices before going to the police on the Tuesday after Idd ul Fitr. At Sarit Centre Safaricom customer care shop, it was confirmed that those calls had indeed been made and that somebody from the company would call me within 48 hours. As I tender my complaint with you, I have not received that call.

I am concerned that somebody is connecting my number with my husband’s to use my credit, which I consider criminal. I do not know what would happen if the purpose of these calls is criminal and the police intercept them.

I am surprised that Safaricom, through its established channels, has not seen it fit to solve my complain. I want to be compensated for the credit lost through these calls and time spent following up on the matter.

— Miriam

Hello Miriam,

We appreciate that you found time to share your problem with us so that we can assist you get a solution from Safaricom.

What you have described here indeed sounds like suspicious activity going on with your phone which, if proved to be of criminal nature, could land you on the wrong side of the law.

We got in touch with Safaricom for an explanation to your concerns. The telecom firm responded to us last week, saying that it had got in touch with you and solved this matter.

On this end, we hope this has happened and that you now have peace of mind. We tried confirming this with you through the telephone numbers you provided but our calls went unanswered.

Kindly let us know if this complain has been sorted out.

Kenya Power is still silent about the ‘overly stated’ bill

I have just received the electricity bill for the period May 18, 2012 to June 15, 2012. The statement indicates that I have consumed 4,160Kwh within that time.

Based on the past 13 readings, my monthly average consumption is 403Kwh. This means that the June bill is over 10 times more than the monthly average.

Clearly, the said level of electricity consumption is outlandish. But I have settled the bill in full although much of it is unrealistic as I wait for a clarification. My Kenya Power account number is 2200987-01.

— Kahara

Hello Kahara,

Thank you for sharing your concerns about your power bill. Indeed as you stated, the bill you received was more than 10 times the average for the past 13 months, going by the data you gave us.

However, your evidence is not enough to justify your contention that you did not consume the electricity Kenya Power stated in the June bill.

However, we sought answers from Kenya Power in order to understand what caused your June bill to rise so sharply.

It has been two weeks since we wrote to the utility provider and despite several reminders, the company has not got in touch with us.

We advise that you visit their offices and demand an explanation as to what could have transpired in the period between May and June so that you get a clear understanding of the issue and take the necessary action.

In the meantime, we will keep pushing for answers from Kenya Power.