TPG Tried to Scam Me - Beware

Techefy on 04/01/2025 - 19:17
Last edited 04/01/2025 - 19:24 by 1 other user

I know, I know - if you pay peanuts, you get peanuts, and I already knew TPG’s customer service was below average when I signed up with them.

Here’s the short story:
• Nov 20: I requested to cancel my NBN connection with TPG (I was paying $60/month instead of the original $74). The cancellation date was set for Dec 20, covering their 30-day notice period.
• Dec 3: I was charged $60 for the billing cycle from 10/12 to 10/01.
• Dec 10: I was charged $74 and got an email saying the connection would be canceled in 10 days. I called them, and they confirmed it was an overcharge, including a cancellation fee, even though I had given proper notice. They said they’d manually process a refund on the cancellation date.
• Dec 20: My connection was canceled, but no refund.
• Jan 3: I called them to chase the refund for the overcharge. They said no refund was recorded in the system. After checking with their billing team, they said they’d refund $74. Then, I asked for the unused portion of the billing cycle refund (since I only used 10 days of service). They put me on hold and eventually agreed to refund that portion too. (Still waiting for the refund to hit my bank account.)

Takeaway:
I’m pretty sure they overcharge intentionally, even when customers give proper notice, knowing most people won’t notice the extra charges on their bank accounts. Not refunding the unused portion initially also seemed deliberate until I asked for it. In a world with most systems are automated it’s surprising they still play these ‘oh we missed that transaction’ cards.

What a set of scumbags. Beware if you’re planning to cancel your connection with them!

TPG #TPGSCAM #TPGCANCELLATIONSCAM

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Comments

  • Dollar General on 04/01/2025 - 19:21
    +130

    Way too much overuse of scam on this site when it’s not a scam but an error or disagreement of terms and conditions

    • HeWhoKnows on 05/01/2025 - 08:12
      +17

      Agree 100%
      Its more like poor internal communication or functionality

      ie terrible customer service as is well documented

      Nothing intentional here

      • borrisz0r on 05/01/2025 - 15:16
        +4

        Is this proper use of the reply function? Well done champ, uncle borris is proud of you.

        They grow up so fast.

      • RedHab on 06/01/2025 - 09:06
        +2

        Nothing intentional here

        Maybe. Odd how it's often so much easier to sign up than to cancel, though!

      • sackrace on 06/01/2025 - 19:29
        +3

        Bullshit, TPG has been doing stuff like this or keeping refundable deposits for over a decade. It's 100% systematic and intentional.

    • cloudy on 06/01/2025 - 15:32

      The only scam here is OPs title.

    • johnno07 on 06/01/2025 - 21:08
      +1

      I feel like people have forgotten what the word scam means. It requires intention on behalf of the guilty party.

      Remember Hanlon's Razor:

      Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity

      EDIT: Just checked OP's post history. The definition of the word "scam" is not all they don't understand.

  • TightLikeThisx on 04/01/2025 - 19:32
    +6

    I've had a totally different experience with them.

    Saw a deal posted for new subscribers only and they signed me up even though I was an existing one and got a better connection for less money which I can downgrade for free once the promo ends.

      • TightLikeThisx on 06/01/2025 - 19:13
        -2

        I've been with them for 18 years.

        If they overcharge me honestly I would probably be fine with it considering:

        • I can't remember the last time I had a dropout.
        • I used to 2x my monthly download quota when I had ADSL by queuing up a bunch of downloads on the last day of the month.
        • I'm currently getting 900mbps down and 110 up for $70 a month.
        • mboy on 07/01/2025 - 01:53

          I'm currently getting 900mbps down and 110 up for $70 a month.

          On what plan??

    • Pratty on 06/01/2025 - 10:10

      What a great policy. Others could learn a thing (superloop…)

    • Qazxswec on 06/01/2025 - 11:11
      +1

      ive been with them for 20 years, i can only go from my experience, i've never had a drop out, solid speeds, and any problem i have had has been handled quickly, my line was once severed by someone and they told me they would do their best to get it fixed, said it could take atleast 3 weeks, i took 2 days

  • RogerLoger on 04/01/2025 - 19:37
    +5

    Apart from the rigmarole to cancel and account (do they really need that many 'relationship' managers to cancel an account🙄), I never had a problem with TPG overcharging or not paying a refund when due. The few dollars they get from an overcharge would not be worth the flack they would get from the ombudsman and bad PR. It's likely you struck administrative incompetence.

    Keep pursuing them. Make sure you do it via email, so you have a written record if you do need to take refer to the Ombudsman. If they call you or offer to call, tell them, "I prefer we deal via email so we have a written record".

  • 87percent on 04/01/2025 - 19:40
    +17

    Hashtag Whyputaunnecessaryhashtag

    • Ramrunner on 06/01/2025 - 16:13

      WatchingTooMuchLoveIsland?

  • Loopholio on 04/01/2025 - 20:05
    +8

    Wait.. am I on Facebook again? This looks like a Facebook post but everything is white and orange.

    Anyway, yes TPG is garbage. They were garbage 20 years ago and they still are today. I think you managed to chose the very bottom of the barrel. It looks like you got out so that's some good news!

    Superloop are okay. Aussie Broadband are often recommended. I've been with them and they are reliable.

    • Daabido on 05/01/2025 - 13:02
      +3

      Superloop has a 30 day hard cancellation also. You say you want to give 30 days notice and they will cut you off at that 30 days. Aussie does not.

      • ruddiger7 on 06/01/2025 - 11:46
        +1

        Yep I got caught by this recently. My last 3 ISPs never had a notification period so I never suspected it. I had moved house too so effectively paying for something I cannot even use.

    • Qazxswec on 06/01/2025 - 11:17
      -3

      not from my experience, they were solid 20 years ago and they are solid now - https://imgur.com/a/tpg-speed-VD9Vy25

      • Loopholio on 06/01/2025 - 16:33

        I'm taking about a reliable connection. No dropouts, constant speeds at peak times, usable support and so on.

        • Qazxswec on 06/01/2025 - 17:10
          +1

          that is exactly what i am talking about, i can honestly tell you, i cant remember 1 single dropout in the 20 years i have used them, it just doesnt happen, as for speed, it doesnt change, it is 900mbps all day every day on ethernet, and 500-600mbps all day everyday on my laptop(faster on my phone), support has also been very good, i am going to guess as far as dropouts and constant speed, we must live in different areas which i guess will give us different experiences

  • CyberMurning on 04/01/2025 - 20:20
    +11

    This is what happen when company outsource their service to overseas…

    • Protractor on 05/01/2025 - 11:23
      +3

      FTFY
      This is what happen when companyAustralia outsource their services and sovereignty to overseas…

    • doinks on 05/01/2025 - 22:47
      +1

      Not entirely true, youi insurance plays somewhat a similar game, service is local but they are tricksters.

  • LVlahov on 04/01/2025 - 20:34
    +11

    I can beat that: Nov 18 provided 30 days notification to cancel (on Dec 18), and on Dec 18 received a notice from them "we are sorry for the delay in actioning your cancellation request, we have processed it now and as per our terms and conditions we will cancel your service after 30 days on Jan 18".

    Obviously after I called them I found a person to reverse the decision and accept the original cancellation request date (as it was their processing delay not mine), and they've promised a refund although as yet I don't recall seeing anything come through.

    Plenty of people are adverse to contacting customer service and would have just let it slide and I guess that is how they make their money but effectively playing for a 60 day paid cancellation period to me is beyond the pale.

    • Save 50 Cent on 05/01/2025 - 14:20
      +7

      I found out making a complaint with TIO is much easier than trying to chase these scummy and incompetent internet providers. I only give them one chance to make it right. Otherwise, I’d rather spend 10 min filling in an online form than being mucked around when trying to call them again.
      Within a week, someone (likely from Australia) would call and apologise and offer me at least what i asked for on the complaint.

      • Mugsy on 05/01/2025 - 17:17
        +1

        Agree. I do the same.

        If the correct government process is followed it's amazing how good can be.

  • bloom on 04/01/2025 - 21:01
    +4

    I had similar with Optus, they sent me a modem even though I didn’t request one. It has a monthly rental unless you stay with them for 24 months which I contested so they said I could keep it for free.

    After I canceled in 6 months sure enough they charged me for the modem.
    Attempt 1: we’ll credit your account
    Attempt 2: sorry forgot to credit your account
    Attempt 3: we’ll follow up with accounts
    Attempt 4: escalating again
    Attempt 5: success

    4h of my life I’ll never get back 😒

    • Save 50 Cent on 05/01/2025 - 14:22
      +6

      Next time, straight to TIO after attempt 1 or 2 (depending on how nice you are). Less time and headaches and they also get hit with a fine.

  • datafellows on 04/01/2025 - 21:33
    +7

    I got overcharged by Optus some years back. I called them multiple times and refused to pay the extra amount. My bills always showed I was owing $60+. After 8 months or so they called and threatened with collectors so I thought f it and paid.

    Then eventually switched to other Telco and after 1.5 years I received an cheque in mail from Optus stating that I have overpaid. Oh well :D

  • MrFrugalSpend on 04/01/2025 - 21:35
    +10

    "I know, I know - if you pay peanuts, you get peanuts, …"

    I believe the saying is actually, "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys"

    • Baysew on 04/01/2025 - 22:02
      +2

      In a world with most systems are automated it’s surprising they still play these ‘oh we missed that '

    • Protractor on 05/01/2025 - 01:00

      I think they are quoting the optimistic monkey variation of the quote, aka ^

  • MrFrugalSpend on 04/01/2025 - 21:39
    +4

    I know someone who moved house, moved their TPG connection via calling them and telling them they were relocating (this was a while ago), so they relocated their deal and all…. then almost a year later they realised they were being double charged, both for the old address and the new one - one was billed about the start of the month, and one about in the middle of the month direct debit on a credit card used for everything, so with the transactions still being spaced a couple of weeks apart, it wasn't immediately obvious they were charging twice.

    It was only a long time later then they logged in to look at something in the account and saw the billing info. It took a bit of effort to get a refund, at first they argued they hadn't received a request to cancel the old address, so would cancel it going forward but not give a back refund i.e. blamed the customer, and it had to be escalated - this person had to find something to show they specifically contacted them about relocating and they had to check no one had been using data against it - and it was many hundreds at stake!

    • cloudy on 06/01/2025 - 15:45
      +1

      Wow, almost a year to realise you’re paying twice every single month….cant say your friend isn’t at fault.

      • Ramrunner on 06/01/2025 - 16:18
        +1

        I'm with you. Checking your credit card and bank transactions once a month isn't a luxury but a necessity these days.

        A year to realise the overcharge does show some fault with the end user here for sure….

  • c64 on 04/01/2025 - 22:01
    +9

    incompetent is probably a more apt word rather than scam

  • Protractor on 05/01/2025 - 00:59
    +3

    Doing business with a company who bought iinet when it was at gutter level performance support and trust wise??
    That's what I call a flaming stick in the eye. From a stellar beginning westnet (and hence now TPG) became the visible standard in how NOT to run a business. Even based on how many faceless offshore ppl have access to you,your life,your data and financial details? Yep/nup. Never ever/ Why would you. It could be free and I would still say no.

  • churningNburning on 05/01/2025 - 07:56
    +5

    Very similar happened to me when I disconnected. It isn't a scam, they're just crap.

  • DingoBilly on 05/01/2025 - 08:04
    +3

    Never attribute to malice that which is explained by incompetence.

  • hazzad on 05/01/2025 - 09:15
    +3

    I left and would not go back to tpg for these tactics. Their additional charges such as phone deposit, mobile phone port out fees. Plenty of other providers about that don't do this and you have to argue with them to get these deposits and port out charges refunded. Best to just avoid them.

  • Mugsy on 05/01/2025 - 09:49
    +3

    When Dad was leaving westnet about 3-4yrs back, he had been a customer for over 2yrs but had upgraded his plan 6months earlier on the advice from Westnet that it wouldn’t reset his contract. On receiving the leave request, they charged him a contract break fee.

    Anyway, we had all the written evidence that he wasn't liable for the exit fee, submitted the ACCC complaint and Dad got his money back.

    Why did TPG have to buy up some of the best ISPs of the 2000s?

    • netjock on 05/01/2025 - 10:10
      +2

      Why did TPG have to buy up some of the best ISPs of the 2000s?

      Probably because they were crap and needed a refill before investors find out.

      TPG been used as a cash cow to take over Vodafone etc so basically people are just funding them for their corporate expeditions. Companies who seem to only grow on basis of acquisitions never end up well.

  • Protractor on 05/01/2025 - 11:26
    +1

    Did David Teoh, consider himself the Elon Musk of telecommunications?

  • BigTriangle on 05/01/2025 - 12:16
    +1

    Having billing under staffed and under resourced using unfit for purpose systems so customers get double billed etc is more and more common. When a company sees customer service as a cost, we get screwed. Adobe, I'm looking at you.

    • Protractor on 05/01/2025 - 12:27

      The difference in this case is our govt is allowing company after company to have our services located overseas, where our data,ID and financial details are accessed and collected by total strangers.It should be illegal,period.It costs consumers inestimably, and contributes to lower employment rates here( higher profits for companies) .I am so sick of hearing Nimrods justify this model as being "good for our super".What utter BS.

  • DontNeedThis on 05/01/2025 - 13:08
    +7

    The fact that you need to give notice to an internet provider is surreal. Notice for what?? What a scam!

  • Pufff on 05/01/2025 - 18:09
    +9

    I'm surprised at the comments about this not being a scam.

    If I had a shop and short changed every customer and it was up to them to correct me is that not a scam?

    Can I just say oh it's up to you to notice.

      • JakeyJooJoo on 05/01/2025 - 22:42
        +4

        How isn't it the same? It's almost exactly the same. If you want an even more exact comparison, it's like leasing a car for 2 days, but they seemingly consistently charge customers for 3 days unless you jump through a bunch of hoops to get your 1 day refund.

        • Pufff on 05/01/2025 - 22:48
          +2

          Thats right.
          The family is worth billions dont forget.
          People really think they dont know whats going on? Are they running TPG from their garage? Give me a break.

  • scooba on 05/01/2025 - 18:10
    +3

    The old saying is "if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys".

    I know a few people that went through this exact scenario with TPG and they ended up contacting the ombudsman about it. Sounds like TPG is still giving the same sub standard customer service even after being reported to the ombudsman, what a sham…oops I mean shame.

  • Bargain2020 on 05/01/2025 - 21:45
    -2

    We’ve been with TPG for nearly 10 years with FTTB and we have had no interruption to service, excellent speeds, and fantastic customer service.

    • THICKnSLOW on 05/01/2025 - 23:33
      +2

      Same experience. Over 12 years of consistent service and fairly quick outage resolution in the neighbourhood, tech support were usually knowledgeable and polite.

      It was only when I churned to another provider that TPG decided to continue to bill me for the month in advance, despite TPG sending me an email to acknowledge that I will be cancelling the service the month before! As though two different departments cannot communicate to each other in the same company, too complex?

      Speaking with customer support they notioned that I am supposed to give 30 days cancellation notice (after 12 years and being on month to month basis I suppose I should ASSUME I need to give 30 days notice to my landlord…) and they weren't going to refund me month in advance but eventually after 1 hour of being on the phone with them they decided refund what was owed.

      I'm also glad to be away from TPG Marketing, regularly emailing and calling me during the day to try get me to switch to Mobile NBN because 'discounted promo'.

      My advice is if you do decide to churn, call or email TPG to give 30 days notice of cancellation, and start with your ISP in 30 days (if their offer allows you to start in 30 days).

    • dane on 06/01/2025 - 17:30

      I thought I was similar, but I noticed the FTTB service quality deteriorate in the last year (dropouts and lower speeds at peak), and then they increased the price twice to almost double within a year. I signed up with a competitor and called to cancel TPG and they offered me the original rate, my response was "too little, too late". I've now got 1Gbit/s FTTB instead of their 100Mb/s FTTB from another provider, I'm happy with the price, and I wouldn't have known about this if TPG hadn't tried to simultaneously lower the service quality and increase prices.

      Similar to the OP, I also had multiple problems with cancellation and ended up having to go via the TIO. I won't consider TPG again now, which seems wild from being an advocate for over a decade. Very disappointed with what TPG have become.

  • mountaineer on 06/01/2025 - 09:01

    Their actual service maybe OK but their customer services were terrible to say the least… top down from the owner… never trust them …. not going to use them even if they pay me to, period.

    • Morphio25 on 06/01/2025 - 13:33

      You know Teoh isn't the owner anymore right?

  • iknowtj on 06/01/2025 - 10:52
    +1

    Based on what's been written, your premise that it is a scam is laughable.

  • Morphio25 on 06/01/2025 - 13:32
    +1

    The real scam here is the 30-day cancellation period TPG and other ISPs impose. Sorry but WTF is that?! Processing an order in the NBN portal takes all of about 5 minutes as it's entirely automated (or I suspect it still is as it was when I used to work for InteriiTPG), so the minute a cancellation is requested, the service should be able to be cancelled straight away. If the service has been cancelled NBN aren't charging the ISP for another month, so why do they get to charge me? Superloop tried to pull the same shit on me 6 months ago and I forced them into "waiving" the 30-day notice period.

    • Ramrunner on 06/01/2025 - 16:23

      Thanks for clarifying that. Was wondering whether it was an NBN thing (30 days notice) but you've clarified it isn't.

      In that case I DO agree that the 30 day cancellation thing is a scam.

  • kiriakoz on 06/01/2025 - 14:14

    I called TPG and said that I was paying too much for my ADSL, they reduced it by $20 a month for the next year with no contract, no lock in, nothing. I definitely think they don't have the greatest service but don't think they're scamming. I have no loyalty towards them because their service is nothing special, but they're fine in the scheme of things.

    • Ramrunner on 06/01/2025 - 16:24

      You still have ADSL??? My last customer finally got transitioned last year after his ADSL dropped below 3Mbps.

      • kiriakoz on 06/01/2025 - 17:48

        sorry, i meant nbn, my bad.

  • Logical on 06/01/2025 - 15:09
    -4

    What a troll post. Utter BS. Hold your horses and they will get the refund to you.

  • gimme on 06/01/2025 - 15:27

    Just remember this and your life will (might) be more pleasant - "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity/incompetence"

  • Hangryuman on 06/01/2025 - 20:33
    -1

    without reading the TLDR I seem to recall that TPG charged you in advance, so when you want to cancel they're gonna extract another month's worth out of you

    so yeah - is it a failure to read the fine print - then "OMG how did that happen … !?!?"

  • MrMoo on 06/01/2025 - 20:40
    +1

    $8 billion market cap company triest to scam some guy. You caught them, that's how they make their billions, they just scam people $60 at a time hoping no one realizes. Then they use that money to advertise to other people to scam. What a ponzi scheme.

    OP you said you were cancelling with them. How long were you with them for? I suggest you go through your entire bank statement to check if they charged you 2-3 times without you noticing over the period you were with them as it would be even less likely you would have noticed them charging you extra and they can skim even more money from you.

  • Fysh on 06/01/2025 - 23:32

    The real scam is paying in advance and also 30 days cancel policy. Its 2025 people if you cant see I tra sfered to anothrr provider and stop billing me .

    They basically offer you $10 x 6 months discount at the front of the contract and then recoup a % of that when you leave because you transfer to early.

  • Misha Bakunin on 07/01/2025 - 09:59

    You generally every now and again have to spend hours with their team but I've had them credit me and give me a free modem for nothing…

    Slow, annoying, but I got what I wanted and more in the end.

    I'll stay with them.

  • Protractor on 07/01/2025 - 10:51

    The moral is ,if you pay peanuts you get peanuts monkeys offshore support.
    [ who are paid peanuts.It's a business model ]

  • illogicalerror on 07/01/2025 - 13:13

    Monthly internet agreements are calculated monthly and if you pay in advance and opt out part way through the month it won't be calculated until the next invoice day, at which time a new invoice with a negative balance will be generated. No need to get upset this isn't happening in the middle of the month, it's just automated system stuff.

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