The Consumer Protection Council, CPC has given MTN Nigeria 14 days within which to pay N1.85m to a winner of its Ultimate Wonder Promo, Mr Omeje Fidelis for lack of due diligence.
The order was sequel to a complaint of underpayment lodged by Omeje Fidelis who was declared winner of MTN Ultimate Wonder Promo in 2012.
Omeje said that he participated in the promo and was called through MTN customer service line 180 on October 10, 2012 that he had won N2m in the Ultimate Wonder Promo and that on October 12 of the same year he got a text message informing him of the presentation ceremony scheduled for October 19 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
Omeje said that during the ceremony, he was presented with a dummy cheque of N2m with his name on it, interviewed and paraded before the media and the world as a winner of the said amount.
He added that he was shocked to receive another call from MTN customer service line 180 on November 2, 2012 that his winning was N150,000 and was subsequently given a Verve ATM card for that amount.
MTN however denied the complainant's claim saying that he was from the on-set informed that his winning was N150,000 but he deceitfully presented himself when winners in the N2m category were called forward on the day of the prize presentation.
MTN also said that Omeje’s antics were discovered at the verification of winners, which was done after the ceremony and he was thereafter contacted through its 180 customer service line on his misrepresentation following which he apologised.
However, the CPC said that MTN refused to provide the call data of the communications of the 10th of October 2012 when Omeje was informed of his winning of N150,000.
In a statement signed by the CPC Spokesman, Mr. Abiodun Obimuyiwa, the Council said that MTN refused and neglected to comply with the request made both in 2012 and 2016.
“The CPC, in its Orders, frowned at the consistent refusal of MTN to provide the call data records evidencing details of communication with the complainant, declaring that in the absence of this material evidence which is solely in the possession of the respondent the CPC must resolve the issue in favour of the complainant.
“The process of the MTN Ultimate Wonder Promotion whereby the verification exercise was conducted after winners were identified, declared and winnings presented publicly is grossly flawed, lacking in transparency, inequitable and apparently calculated to deceive consumers.
”The CPC, on the strength of these observations, therefore directed MTN to pay within 14 days of receipt of Order, the sum of N1,850,000 being the unpaid part of the N2m prize won by the complainant in the 2012 MTN Ultimate Wonder Promotion."
The Director General of the Consumer Protection Council,
Mrs. Dupe Atoki, reaffirmed that businesses have an obligation to desist from promos that are not honest, transparent, equitable and faithful or designed to deceive consumers.
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