[wordup] If You're a Big Fat Loser, Press the Pound Key

[Adam Shand]

This is fucking hilarious ... good old Telecom, I miss them so ...

Via: The Eristocracy <Eristocracy at merrymeet.com>

Telecom has ordered an investigation after a customer received an account
charging him a "penalty for being an arrogant bastard".

From: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storyprint.cfm?storyID=939017

The offending Telecom bill. Picture / Kenny Rodger
13.02.2002 - By AMIE RICHARDSON

Hefty bill with added insult shocks Telecom customer

Telecom has ordered an investigation after a customer received an
account charging him a "penalty for being an arrogant bastard".

Auckland businessman James Storrie discovered the $337.50 charge,
printed under "product or service", when he opened his mobile phone bill
on Monday.

Mr Storrie said he complained to Telecom last week that his phone had
been disconnected. He was told it was cut off after being reported
stolen - although it had not been.

He was unaware of having any enemies within Telecom, or any friends who
might have sent the account as a practical joke.

Three years ago he made a complaint because of a problem with a Yellow
Pages advertisement for his company, but that was settled last year.

"How can they speak to their clients like this?" he said. "It's
downright rude."

The wording appeared as a normal piece of information under the "rental
and activity" section of Mr Storrie's monthly bill.

Telecom spokesman Andrew Bristol said the company was "absolutely
aghast" by what had happened and had apologised.

Mr Storrie has said he will accept a confidential compensation package
and will keep his account with Telecom.

Mr Bristol said the company had launched an internal investigation into
the unusual "penalty" and the mobile disconnection that Mr Storrie had
questioned.

Telecom could not explain how such a "penalty" could have been printed
on the account. A reference number which preceded the $337.50 amount did
not mean anything.

"As far as we were concerned, it couldn't happen," he said.

He could not say if anyone would lose their job over the incident,
because it was too early in the investigation to know what had taken
place.

Consumers' Institute chief executive David Russell said there was no
consumer law that protected a customer from being called an "arrogant
bastard".

However, in civil law, it could be viewed as defamation.