[SOLVED] Received my monthly Telstra bill... with $1084 credit...

htk421 on 13/09/2016 - 08:42
Last edited 13/09/2016 - 09:40
Let me paint the scene.

It's Saturday morning. I've just woken up, rolled over to grab my phone and low-and-behold there is an email from Telstra informing me of a newly generated bill.

I open said email to find that I've not been charged for service at all as I had expected, but instead now have $1084.00 credit applied to my account.

Now for the conundrum

I've calculated that this is approximately the cost of a full year of service.

What is the legal stance I have on this money being applied?

Am I obliged to report the error? or is it down to sheer luck and have no need for recourse?

Help me OzBargainers, you're my only hope.

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Comments

  • niner on 13/09/2016 - 08:48
    +3

    THere should be no conundrum. That credit or money does not belong to you.

    Return it or face having to pay it back to Telstra.

    The age of entitlement is over. Stop trying to get away theft.
    If it was an ipad in the bush, then I would say otherwise.

    • Kangal on 13/09/2016 - 09:07
      +11

      Maybe he should hand in the Telstra credit to the Police like the iPad.
      Especially to the Police Station that someone is moving next to ; )

  • 2stroksmokr on 13/09/2016 - 08:49
    +1

    Firstly, its Tuesday morning so unfortunately your a few days behind.

    On a serious note, report. Yes you are obliged to report and nothing is ever free. Systems will pick it up if you don't report.

    Legal status zinch, errors happen and can be corrected.

    • htk421 on 13/09/2016 - 08:51

      Correct, I was speaking with hindsight, so the fact it was Saturday morning is relevant.

      As for the advice, Thanks!

      • 2stroksmokr on 13/09/2016 - 08:53

        Not a problem at all. Have a lovely week.

      • nikey2k27 on 14/09/2016 - 09:25

        let it ride there system are big. i have prepaid phone for over 5 years that was free they just discontent it one day.

  • lj87 on 13/09/2016 - 09:03
    +6

    Telstra loves a good stuff up. I still remember when I recharged my pre-paid once, and got 1300+ day expiry. Obviously not the same as being gifted $1000+, but I certainly didn't report it, nor did it get rectified later on.

  • Gravy on 13/09/2016 - 09:05
    +1

    Have you had any problems with your phone for an extended period of time such as a landline connection with no service? Did you report that issue to Telstra? If so then it may be part of a credit based on the customer service guarantee where they pay you a daily amount for some of the days you were out of service. This can really add up if its a couple of months without phone and used to be able to taken as a cheque payment.

  • Gotchas on 13/09/2016 - 09:11
    -1

    Could be a virus from scam email

  • DarkOz on 13/09/2016 - 09:11

    Two things you could do. Pretend you didn't notice the credit or call Telstra to report it.

    If it's a Telstra accounting fault they will fix it. If someone paid your account accidentally the money will sit in your account until it is reported.

  • alz on 13/09/2016 - 09:11

    Run forest, RUNNNN!!!!!

    • Colombian on 13/09/2016 - 09:37
      +1

      Start the car!!!! start the car!!!!

  • tomsco on 13/09/2016 - 09:19
    +1

    As DarkOz mentioned, it may be a case of someone putting the wrong reference when paying their account.

    In this case, as soon as that person gets an overdue notice, it will soon be rectified.

  • Yorkshire-Man on 13/09/2016 - 09:25
    +3

    Just leave it. See what happens… they will pick it up but I wouldn't bother to call them…

  • htk421 on 13/09/2016 - 09:36

    Thanks for all your replies.

    I'm on LiveChat with a Telstra consultant, sorting it all out now.

    • bobbified on 13/09/2016 - 09:58
      +1

      Let us know how it goes - I personally would've just ignored it and let it sort itself out (which I'm sure it would, eventually!)

      • htk421 on 13/09/2016 - 10:14
        +1

        Apparently they hadn't charged my account correctly months ago so their system has auto-generated a credit to balance out the deficit as it wasn't due to anything I did.

        It applies to the account then balances out over the next few billing cycles.

        I'm just happy I don't have to do anything to resolve the issue. (Got that in writing as well)

        • HarmonicMelody on 13/09/2016 - 10:48

          Is it money they owe you? Or "credit"?

        • bobbified on 13/09/2016 - 11:37

          Thanks for coming back to let us know! :)

    • [Deactivated] on 13/09/2016 - 09:58
      +2

      Result?

      I would have cancelled account and moved on with my refund in hand. Hello ALDI mobile.

  • djones145 on 13/09/2016 - 10:05

    so what happened?
    I got 450 bucks credited to my optus internet, said they didn't meet some customer service guarantee, I'm like meh, free internet for 6 months

  • CyberMurning on 13/09/2016 - 10:12

    you clearly didnt read newspaper alot..

    remember that malaysian student and lots of designer bags story?

    • htk421 on 13/09/2016 - 10:15
      +1

      This is an entirely different thing.

  • Spending2Much on 14/09/2016 - 12:08

    I once had an Optus post paid service….just for a couple months flipping between deals.
    Haven't been with Optus all year, maybe coming up 12 months now.
    Received a letter saying couple weeks back saying I was due a $30 credit and I would recieve a cheque, I scoffed and threw paper in bin. And then received a cheque from.Optus for the $30
    Banked it and it cleared and happy days.

  • simmos on 14/09/2016 - 15:00

    When in doubt, DO NOTHING.

    No crime was ever committed doing zilch.

  • goosegog on 14/09/2016 - 17:04
    +1

    Because of a Telstra stuff-up between themselves & Foxtel a few years ago in billing, we didn't pay for Foxtel for almost 3 years. Even upgraded to an IQ2 in that time fully expecting the whole scenario to come to light, but nothing happened.
    In our defence I did contact both Telstra & Foxtel when we first realised we weren't being charged so as not to receive any back payments but nothing happened - for almost 3 years!! When someone in the office finally woke from their long hibernation & contacted us they didn't even suggest back payments but unfortunately we now have to pay again. Oh well,it was great while it lasted.

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