This is one long post but please read it till the end if you can (what I want to know is if I should really go to extreme extents to tell Telstra that it is not okay or I should just let go)
I basically ordered three $30 simcards (cashrewards.com.au had a deal where you could get these simcards for $15 plus a $10 cashback essentially making it $5, see https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/205519). I had to make a different order for each sim card since the cashback was per order. So, then I received an email stating that my Telstra order was processed and would be sent to me shortly. Shortly afterwards, I receive a text message stating that my orders have been put on hold and I would need to call the Telstra control group on 1800096566. I then called them up and asked them what the issue was. They then said that I would need to take my licence or passport, medicare card, proof of address and payslip (or anything that confirms my employment). I was outraged and told them that while I had no issues in providing my identity or address proofs, I would not give them my employment details and they had no business in knowing about my employment as it was a prepaid service). To this, they answered that it was a process that they had to follow to establish my account (which was bull crap as I had ported in my Vodafone prepaid number a couple of months ago to Telstra without providing them with any detail except for my passport). I insisted that I be transferred to an Australian call centre as I did not think he had any idea about what he was talking about. The documents he required for, are for postpaid services and not prepaid. Telstra's own link https://www.my.telstra.com.au/activate? ti=TR:TR:june12d paapp repaidactivationa states that you either need a passport OR a licence OR a medicare card for prepaid activation. AMTA website has similar information www.amta.org.au/files/AMTA.Individual. ID.Form.pdf Fast forward a few days, I went to the store with my passport, medicare and a letter from ATO. The store rep stated that she did not understand why all that information was required and that a passport should suffice (and she even left notes on my order that only primary id is required). Despite this, I got a call from control group again, stating that while they did receive the documents I submitted at the store, they would need MORE IDS. They said that they would need a utility bill on my name and I told them that I do not have one and I live with my family. They then said that they would need a written statement from my cousin (who owns the house) that I am living with him (get this! THEY ARE READY TO TAKE A HANDWRITTEN LETTER FROM MY COUSIN BUT A LETTER FROM ATO ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!) All this, for a PREPAID SERVICE THAT I PAID UPFRONT FOR!
Now, some of you may come back and tell me "just do not use Telstra if you do not like them". My answer to them is that regardless of whether I want to be with them or not, they have no right to ask me for information that is not needed to process my order and I also do not want anybody else (there could be a few who have access to only Telstra network where they live) to go through the same amount of frustration and I am going to shame them so much that they would effectively lose so many customers (complained to TIO already, my next stop is VCAT and consumer affairs because they are still holding to the money I paid them despite them telling me that they would not provide me the service. funny how they think I am fraud and would not give me service but hold on to 'fraud's money'). I am planning to post this everywhere, on social media, on change.org, print a few copies and put them in public places.
So, today, I received a call back from a Telstra rep in Melbourne who acknowledged the complaint and tried to tell why Telstra control group need what they need. The reason my account was flagged was because I had a different address than what I had a few months ago (I moved! I do not see that a person moving from one place to another would make you think that he could be a fraud. Almost everyone in Australia would have an address change at least once in their lifetime). To this, I replied that I did indeed move and hence the change in address and that I do not see that as a reasonable cause for suspicion. She also said that all they were trying to prove was I was me. I then advised her that I took originals of my passport, Medicare and an ATO letter to a store and that my passport had a photo of me. She then says that there had been instances where people have forged passports, entered the country illegally on fake passports and in some instances, people have taken their friends/partners' ids without their consent and use them to to obtain services. I was outraged when she stated this and I told her that she was indirectly stating that there is a possibility that I may have done one of those. To this, she accused me of putting words in her mouth. Why on earth would she state these if she is not indicating the possibility of me doing something similar? I then told her that for a prepaid service, Telstra does not need to know my employment details. Furthermore, I told her that if she or Telstra thinks I may have been a fraud, how difficult would it be for me to make a payslip if I could make a fake passport or a Medicare card or a ATO letter (I only told her this because she gave me those crappy examples and not because I have anything fake). I also tried to make her understand that while payslip is merely a pdf document that is easily editable, the documents I have provided are not. Telstra actually have systems in place to check the visa details and validity of the passport just from a passport number, they use a system called VEVO http://www.border.gov.au/vevo. They can also check authenticity of my Medicare using a similar system. To this, she replied that we cannot proceed unless we get your employment history or Centrelink statements (an indication of her or Telstra's belief that I could fake passport or Medicare or ATO documents but not employment documents). I told her that they do not need these documents and I would not provide them. To this, she replied that I do not have to take the service if I do not want to provide these documents. I then asked her for an email address that I could use on change.org and she did not have one.
I have already convinced one of my family members who pays north of $120 every month to have the services cancelled and more cancellations would be happen shortly.
Should I take this further or let it go?
I had a similar issue about one year ago. There are flaws in Telstra's process for online prepaid orders. I pointed out all the issues to the complaints team (and the person at the complaints team understood and agreed it was an error with the control group). I also raised my concern that this will happen again if Telstra elect to do nothing about it (and was told at the time that the control group will be notified to do the right thing moving forward). Obviously, problems are still there.
Here are the problems in Telstra's process:
Due to the issues with the control group (to them, everything is postpaid and they don't even know by blocking a prepaid, the order will be cancelled in a few hours), the flaw in the prepaid workflow for online purchases (few hours to complete ID check and have to keep the stubborn control group happy, are you serious??), the best way to handle a prepaid ID check notification is actually let the order cancel and place another order. It is also likely that due to your past relationship with Telstra, they stuffed up your accounts (instead of one, they probably created multiple accounts for you and one of them has the wrong info causing problems when you purchase new items online). However, it could be worthwhile to see if Telstra made a mistake in one of their systems so that they had one of your old accounts with incorrect data (getting that fixed will help reduce the chance of future online orders reaching the super annoying control group).
I found the complaints team okay (they do have a better understanding of products and the processes). Try explaining what I mentioned before and see what they can do for you.