Cell C
reviews and complaints

I have been having debit issues with Cell C since month 1.

I took out the contract at cell c in phoenix plaza, where the advisor at the store had incorrectly cancelled the new line application as a fault on her own had to redo the application.

As the first months debit order was due, we were advised that it would be the contract premium, plus an additional R200 for activation fees as a once off, which we accepted.

Debit date comes, and the debit order bounces back - so naturally we query it as there was more than sufficient funds in my account for the debit order, only to find that the debit that was set by the agent at the store was R13 000+, our contract premium was supposed to be R520+R200 = R720.

After multiple calls to the call center and speaking to that store agent it was finally rectified and we were advised it would be a double debit on the new month.

Mays debit date comes through and the debit goes out as agreed R520 + R520 + R200- Alls good and well.

Junes debit date comes along, and we're now debited extra, after calling the contact center, we're told the extra funds that was taken out is due to a bounced debit order in April (which was Cell C's fault) to which we advised the agent of, she then changes her statement stating that the excess is due to a cancellation - so we query the cancellation which she says she cannot track - so regardless of either outcome that she depicted - we shouldn't be debited extra due to faults from Cell C.

We ask to speak to a manager - the agent states that there was no managers on the floor, she will get someone to call back - which from past experiences with cell c never happens.

SO I ask if my partner could speak to her - after explaining how the contact center floor and management works, she says that there are managers on the floor who are not available due to being on other calls - so we advise her we will wait for one to become available.

She tells us that she needs to help other customers - How can you help someone else if you haven't helped me? and this question was posed to her - and she suddenly gets a manager - call is transferred to a "manager" who just Breathes on the line for a few minutes and then the call is muted for 45 minutes!

Being a customer of Telkom and cell c I can assure you, we DO NOT have issues like this with Telkom.

We do have problems now and then like everyone, there are humans working on the other end so mistakes can happen, we understand that - however, they OWN UP to their mistakes and most importantly RESOLVE IT.

I called cellc on Monday 26 June to change my banking details. I was told this would take effect as of end of July, I have to make a munual payment end of June, which I did on 30 June. I again called on 30 june to confirm no debit will go off and I can make a manual payment..

Low and behold, they STILL took a debit order. It's debicheck, so no reversal is possible. How do I feed my kids? I paid 2300, they debited over 3215.. that's 5515. That's ridiculous guys.

Good Cell C

My account was handed over to the lawyers and I made all the payments that was due on the 28 of June 2022.

Today (30 June 2023) I was trying to apply for a loan and they said I owe Cell C so they can’t help me. What annoys me the most is that It’s been over a year since I made the payments and yet my status has not been updated. When I called the customer service I was told that I need to wait 48 hours for them to respond.

I need a paid up letter urgently to prove that I have paid up my account and I need to be cleared. I will attach my proof of payment below 👇

Good day Cell C

I called in on the 22 of June requesting to blacklist my phone because it was stolen and request for ITC number.

I called again and I was given [protected] as ITC number, now I am being told that the number is not an ITC number instead a case number.

While I called more than once to confirm the ITC number and kept on giving me the same number, I am so disappointed at your customer service agent.

I am so frustrated I need that phone blacklisted for me to get an ITC number to claim from my insurance company I don’t even have a phone to use now,

TODAY I called in AGAIN the lady tells me that the phone cannot be backlisted (REASON THE IMEI NUMBER WERE NOT IN USED TOGETHER AND NEED TO BE VERIFIED) what is this the sim card was in the phone the number [protected] since last year.

Can I PLEASE BE ASSISTED TO BLACKIST THE HANDSET PLEASE I NEED A PHONE.

Alt number to call is [protected] that is my mother’s number because I don’t have a phone.

Regards

Thabile

Good Day , I am Ilhaam Stoffels & I would like to complain about the service of my contract being handed over & I have called so many times , went into branches to atleast get a statement saying how much I owe Cellc , but no one can provide me with such information . I really think that it is unfair & unprofessional that i have not even recieved a phone call or email from your laywers or anything to make payment arrangements , I could have closed this account 2 months ago but yet here I am still waiting for replies or phone calls .

My contract period with Cell C ended and went to month to month. Cell C should have notified me of any changes to my billing prior to the contract ending. I notified them in March and after many weeks, finally received a refund. However, the refund amount due was over R 600 and I only received a refund of R 45.92. It took two months to receive the refund and countless hours spent trying to resolve this and now another month where my correspondence is met with an acknowledgement of receipt and a consultant will contact me in 24-48 hours. Yet have been totally ignored.

Cell C take money erroneously and then frustrate a customer so much that I'm sure they do it so customers will just give up.

You owe me money and your customer service is non existent!

In 2015 I took out a phone contract with cell c - the service is good and everything is wonderful. In 2019, I went in for a month to month data contract for home use, mainly for my daughter's school work. In 2022, I extended my dstv subscription to include fibre because we wanted to enjoy netflix. Then I went to cell c to cancel the month to month router. They refused telling me that the month to month was changed to a 2-year contract... By who, because I never requested for it and never signed and documents to that effect. They said to call customer service, cs were unhelpful and directed me back to the branch. All this while i'm no longer using the router because we have fibre, and cell c continued to debit my account for this router. I started reversing the debit orders every month because they are not helping me, they just refuse to cancel the router. This router was given out in 2019 it was falling apart, it has selloptape all over. Now if it was a contract, would they not have changed it in 2021? This is so frustrating, this account is now affecting my credit rating and cell c now refuses to upgrade the phone contract which was due in may 2023. Please assist especially for my credit rating. It's taken a lot to clean up my finances... I don't need this stress from cell c

I had a contract with cellc, after the contract term was finished they continued deducting, came a few months later and said I owe them r4000 rand, I paid it off monthly as it was effecting my credit score. After I paid everything, they said I owe another r2000, while other supervisors and dept. Says I am paid up. It is effecting my credit record for the past 4 years now. Cant get credit, home loans, car loans, or anything due to cellc accounts still showing active and unpaid on my credit record. Still not receiving any guidance.

I have called the cell c customer service regarding sim swap for my contract,i was told that they will not assist me as the sim shows no usage. How can I reguest for sim swap of I am using the sim card? I am disappointed because they told me to go to cell c outlet and where I am staying there is no outlet. Please help me as I am paying for my contract every month.

I am again so upset with Cell C. I made numerous attempts to get hold of the account / billing department by phoning from my wifes number and sending emails to make payment arrangements after loosing my job.

Since end of April I realized that my sim is not working, it states not registered on network. I phoned customer service on 084145 to find out what is going on.

Agent informed me that my sim was hard locked and R1400 (75% of amount) need to be paid. Then they will remove the hardlock and put it on soft log until balance is fully paid.

I did inform her that I would only be able to pay the amount end of May.

On the 31st I phoned to inquire the amount and I decided to pay the full amount of R1980 that my sim can be opened again.

I also made sure when I make the payment that an email gets sent of the proof of payment to billings department and customer care.

I phoned again the customer care number the next morning to confitm if payment was received. I was informed to give 24 hours then it will be reflecting, She also said she will escalate the payment confirmation query, I then also requested when my simcard will be reactivated, she informed me she will include the request for reactivation with the escalation of query.

When I phoned back on the 2nd I was informed again that she will escalated my query to billings department.

I phoned back on the 4th of June for feedback because the sim card was still not working.

I was shocked with the feedback I was given,I Iwas informed my simcard is deactivated permanently and I need to visit branch to reactivate it they can't assist me.

I phoned the nearest Cell C store to me via phone and the lady informed me that the customer care must assist me due to the fact she would not be able to access my account she also needs to phone 084145 for this to he done.

On the 5th I received 2 disturbing emails

The one from Cell C with a statement where R2292 was added s well as R70 for not honoring payment arrangement, but I did keep to arrangement payment was made on the 31st, so new balance of R2871.

The other from MBD that the account was handed over.

When I phoned the call centre to inquire where does this amount come from I was informed that it is the remaining amount for the rest of my contract term until April 2024. And that the simcard is deactivated permanently.

I inquired why because I paid the fullo utstanding balance and why I was handed over.

I also informed her about the emails sent to make payment arrangements since May month. No one phones to discuss my payment arrangement request.

Worst of all is my account is up to date. How can they do this.

I waisted R300 of airtime during these few days because my cell c sim does not work and my wife's metwork is Vodacom.

My name is Edna Collins, my I.D number [protected].

My email is [protected]@gmail.com

I've reported a matter on 9 March 2023 about a data package that was activated on 22 February 2023. I was offered a month-to-month contract for data because I top up frequently on my number [protected]. I called the customer service, and I was told that it was 24-month contract. I told the agent that I'm unemployed and currently in arrears with my existing contracts. I've asked that they should listen to the call, however it seems like no one understands Afrikaans? I have so many reference numbers for the emails I've sent to the customer care. My last interaction was on 06 June 2023 to date no answer. The turnaround time is apparently 24 to 48 hours...did someone lose track of time. This is very unfair that its 3 months and my query is not resolved, and I get billed monthly.

All I'm asking is that the data contract must be cancelled please, I'm not willing to pay a cancellation fee. I'm unemployed and the agent overcommitted me with a contract I did not ask for.

My reference for my last email is SPI008562897/[protected] Query.

Good day,

I purchased Cell C airtime via the banking app. I immediately realise that I made a payment to my previous contract account. I phoned CELL and asked for reimbursement or assist me with adding it as minutes to my [protected].

I made several phone calls to Cell C customer service and find the agents not really listening to your actual issue and not listening to you.

I eventually got through after speaking to 4 agents and then transferred to a back office who eventually assisted me and said sh as escalated it and the turn around is 7 days.

The 7 days was on Thursday (8 June ). I phoned back on the 1st to follow up and was assisted by a very rude agent and not at all helpful and just tried to get me off the phone and said i must wait for the 7days which was on that day and someone will contact me Friday (09 June).

This is now day 10 after it was escalated and should have been resolved. I phoned back and was promised someone will make contact me at 1230.I am still waiting and had to phone back again and still waiting on Nompumelo who was going to phone me back. This service is pathetic.

Good day,

This is the 2nd year happening to me. A person from CellC phones when my contracts are due for an upgrade. We agree to an upgrade only to find that a new contract is issued and I have to pay and cancel the new contract. This time around I realized it in advance, as I was phoned again for an upgrade on the same line I did the upgrade. I however did not accept the parcel and return it via the couriers as advised by a CellC consultant only to find a new contract to be paid by 15 June 2023 of R509.75 (new contract [protected]). I lodged a complaint on 5 June just after receiving my bill with case number [protected], followed up on 7 June and again on 13 June with no feedback or progress to date. So CellC expect me to pay a fraudulent contract since someone at CellC is busy for more than 2 years issuing new contracts instead of doing an upgrade but your customers should just pay? This is unacceptable and the person in question should be easily traced through your systems. I need urgent intervention. I can not pay for a new contract I did not agree to nor equipment I did not receive! The complaint lodged is also not making any progress. Hanlie [protected]

You always pay your contract a month in advance right? Well I paid mine from the 15th to the 15th in advance. I cancelled two of my contracts because after more than 20 years Cell C declined my upgrade. So I cancelled 2 months before my contracts end date. My contract ended middle October. So my last payment went off 15 September to cover for the full month of October. So now Cell C handed me over because I apparently still need to make a payment for November although they ended my Service before the end of October. I cancelled both numbers 2 months before the end date. So why must I pay for November? Both numbers was cancelled the same time. And both ended the same date.

I send emails to Cell C but they ignore me.

I phoned CellC in March 2023 to cancel a 30GB Top Up data contract which was to expire 24/05/2023 as I was moving over to a fibre option they supply (The SIM card also stopped working middle of March and there was no data on it) The end of March 2023 I was debited the full amount (R367) and called them in April 2023 to query this. They then told me that the contract was not cancelled and is still running after I requested it to be cancelled. After confirming this in April, they said it was now cancelled but because of the late notification, there will be another debit of R555 end of May 2023. This was not a late notification as I requested this cancellation the month prior. I have now received an invoice from them for another R784 which they want to debit on 30/06/2023. Why am I still being charged for a contract that I cancelled, and now the debits are increasing and this due to their incompetence.

The incident happened in March 2023. I renewed my contract with cell c as I am a customer for about four years and I told the call center operative I wanted the same contract that I previously had. They offered me a new cheaper contract which apparently is now in 4k? This does not work with my phone and my router is only connecting without internet. I was not informed of this I have since called to call center twice and they assured me its working and it's not. I went in store to galleria mall and they said they can't help me as I was sold the incorrect contract and I must lay a complaint. What is the point of having a service on the phone if the agents are going to mess up like this? I went to galleria on the 04/06/23 and logged my calls to the call center on 04/05/23 at 12:11pm and 04/05/23 at 12:58pm. I am still being debited for the past three months and yet I still don't have internet access. Please help!

Dear Cell C

CASE NUMBER [protected]

CELL NUMBER [protected]

Please can someone please look into this matter urgently.

I no longer live in South Africa. Please do not try to contact me on this cell number, but rather my email address athol.[protected]@gmail.com.

I was requested to pay an amount of R722.49 to cancel this contract, paid on the 21/02/2023 into your bank account which you acknowledged receipt of.

Please can you close this contract immediately and repay the monies owing to me since the account should have been closed. The unauthorized debits are stated below.

31 Mar R23.59

29 April R352.03

31 May R352.03

Total R707.65

Please make payment into my bank account:

Mr AH Peinke

Nedbank Vincent Park

Account Number: [protected]

This has been ongoing since January and I would like to see it resolved please.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Marcelle Peinke

athol.[protected]@gmail.com (preferred contact)

Australian Mobile 00+61+[protected]

Good evening

My name is Johanna Madibane. I have a complain to raise with cellc. The number on question is [protected]. I paid this contract in full on 22/11/2022 with an amount of R1500 and R3.00 but I was still debited on monthly basis to date. Proof of payment was sent several times for payment allocation until now the case has not been finalized to pay back my money. I kept on calling to follow up on the matter and nothing happened. I received different reference no:s but the query has not been resolved till now.

Please find below the references

[protected]= 12/12/2022

[protected]= 19/12/2022

[protected]= 31/01/2023

[protected]= 17/04/2023

[protected]= 17/04/2023

[protected]= 18/05/2023

[protected]= 23/05/2023

[protected]= 30/05/2023

I want to be refunded my money. I'm giving you few days to resolve this matter. If I did not heard anything feedback within the given time I'm escalating the matter to Ombudsman.

Your speedy response will be highly appreciated.

Regards

I have called Cell C 9 times, yes 9 times regarding these issues.

It is absolutely shocking that a mobile company can affect a persons life to this extent.

So since I have this contract (Nov 2022), I have had debit order issues with Cell C, they keep claiming that I owe them money and debit orders have bounced, fine, I explain that its their issue not mine, I attempt to change the debit order date or account information multiple times but no one has actually done it or taken action. Cool, I then realise that hey I did mess up once or twice and missed a debit order so its all good, rectify my mistake and pay like 4 late fees at most, all good. Cell C and I are square, they now have my new banking information since last month (April) so my April debit goes off nicely for the normal amount JUST AS the lady from Cell C told me in March, hey sir no worries, everything is paid up, no more late fees ever cause we have the right details so yeah it actually surprisingly finally worked out. So april all smooth, correct debit order, no late fee, debit order goes off perfectly.

Account balance is 0 since April, balance is still 0 in May, in the FIRST week of May, I call Cell C twice to change my debit order date to the 1st cause of my new job, the first time, agent does not do it, call the second time, agent says all good, its done.

So I'm at peace now, so far...

Today I see that you guys tried to debit WITH a late fee, ON THE WRONG DEBIT DATE, now logically, how can you debit ON the debit order date with a late fee on top of the fact that the last debit went off perfectly fine.

This is absolutely insane, honestly it is astonishing how you guys still exist as a company when you literally are robbing people daily.

I have recordings saved on my phone for all of these conversations and events.

Still haven't paid me for my cancelled subscription that they kept billing me for. Haven't responded to emails.

Essentially stole my money and won't communicate.

They requested proof that I applied to end the contract (in 2021), I have sent screenshots of the emails sent. They also conveniently lost the recorded conversations when I phoned them to cancel the account.