I wish to lodge a formal consumer complaint against Bharti Airtel for unfair trade practices, forced upselling, and denial of refund.
Details of the Complaint:
I approached an Airtel store in Bandra West, Mumbai 50 for reactivation of my previously deactivated mobile number (80XXXX0), with a clear request for a prepaid connection. However, I was informed that prepaid options were “not available” and was compelled to opt for a postpaid plan instead.
Further, I was pushed into selecting a higher-value postpaid plan involving issuance of two SIM cards, despite having no requirement for an additional number. This was done without proper disclosure or informed consent and amounts to forced upselling.
Although the services were subsequently activated upon payment, the core issue remains that I was made to take a postpaid plan and an additional number that I neither required nor used.
Despite raising this concern, no refund or reversal has been provided for:
1. Charges incurred under the unnecessary postpaid plan, and
2. The secondary number/SIM which was never used or requested.
Grievance Redressal Issues:
I have attempted to raise this issue through Airtel’s official channels; however, I have been unable to effectively register or escalate my complaint due to the following:
1. The Airtel mobile application repeatedly loops and does not allow complaint submission.
2. The “Ask Airtel” chatbot does not provide an option to escalate or connect to a human representative.
3. The customer care helpline (198), designated for grievances, does not facilitate proper complaint registration or escalation.
This creates a significant barrier to grievance redressal and reflects poorly on the service provider’s compliance with consumer protection norms.
Grounds for Complaint:
Unfair trade practice (forced postpaid conversion and upselling)
Lack of transparency and informed consent
Charging for services not requested or utilized
Deficiency in grievance redressasal mechanism
Pratik
Mumbai 400050, Maharashtra
Email: pxxxxxxxx3@ymail.com
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