Look how they fleece you!
Today, there was an Airtel ad in the papers promising all existing and new subscribers a free air ticket for travel within India. In the era of low-cost air travel, this gimmick shouldn't come as a surprise... until you read the fine print.
Customers opting for this scheme would be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of Rs. 500, and would also be required to bear airport taxes and surcharges (quoted at Rs. 442). Now that's what we call "taking 'em for a ride" (or " ...on a flight"). God only knows what other charges will be thrashed on the gullible customer.
My father informs me that there was a similar ad targeting prepaid customers, the fine print in this case being a 999-rupee recharge having a talk-time of Rs. 50 (fifty). Well, that's like saying "Give me 10 lakhs, and I'll give you a Honda City for free!" Win-win. Fair deal, eh?
Customers opting for this scheme would be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of Rs. 500, and would also be required to bear airport taxes and surcharges (quoted at Rs. 442). Now that's what we call "taking 'em for a ride" (or " ...on a flight"). God only knows what other charges will be thrashed on the gullible customer.
My father informs me that there was a similar ad targeting prepaid customers, the fine print in this case being a 999-rupee recharge having a talk-time of Rs. 50 (fifty). Well, that's like saying "Give me 10 lakhs, and I'll give you a Honda City for free!" Win-win. Fair deal, eh?
posted by Vijay Krishna Narayanan | 11/17/2005 07:54:00 PM
4 Comments:
* - idhukku moorthi sirusu... adhaanaalaye keerthi* perusu... if u don't watch out for it... bulbu dhaan!
* - keerthi translates as famous. but it is bound to mean notorious!
This reminds me of online trading. Some companies promise five dollar commission per trade except that you have to invest like a million dollars to get that rate. Well as my friend says "somethings are too good to be true".
- Eshwar
If it is Airtel, then be prepared to pay more!!! yes, I saw that 999 offer for one year free incoming in which you will get 50 talktime. Ridiculous is one word that comes to my mind!!
That reminds me of the Citibank offer "fly for sure"
Hope you must have come across that too!
They advertise "Fly for sure" in Big Bold fonts but if you read the conditions that apply, it is definitely another ride al together! All Other taxes and surcharges to be borne by the customer. only 50K customers would be eligible for this offer... (when millions have cards in India and spend looking at this offer without reading in between the lines, donno what would happen?). Should regulators step in and clear the air? Like the Advertising Association or someone should bring in regulations to clearly state the conditions apply in readable fonts.
these guys really think that people can be easily fooled.. and to a certain extent.. this is true..
take the recent cash back offers on cards.. I know a flurry of people who opted for new cards to take adv of this offer.. spend 10 lakh, get 1 lakh back.. they thought.. if only they had read the fine print!!
But then I also know people who were really clever.. who got all the cash back cards and used ALL of them on a single bill, so that they really got back the 10%.. its upto people like this and blogs like this to give back to the companies the treatment they give us!!
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