IDENTITY theft continues to ruin the lives of many people. And it happens even to those who have never lost their identity documents.
Sowetan reader Moatlhodi Modise has been fighting to have MTN clear his name for about two years.
Since November 2009, Modise has been receiving statements from the cellphone company claiming that he owes it thousands of rands "in respect of goods and, or services" provided to him.
The first statement claimed that Modise owed MTN R10472.40. In an SMS sent to Modise last Friday, MTN said the amount was now R14900.75.
"I never lost my ID. The ID I am using today is the same I acquired when I was 17. I was shocked when I received an SMS from MTN telling me that I owed it money."
What has shocked Modise even more was that a suspect was arrested in the case. He had also used Modise's ID to buy clothes at Identity clothing store on credit. He also bought an Audi A4, subscribed for a Dstv bouquet, applied for car finance, attempted to buy a VW Golf 1 in Pretoria, took up a contract with Cell C and opened an account at Telkom.
Here is the response from MTN's executive customer service, Eddie Moyce: "MTN only learnt of this complaint from your enquiry and has since ascertained from Modise that the complaint was conveyed only to the collecting attorneys. MTN is in liaison with the customer since the enquiry and is hoping for a speedy resolution on the matter."
Another reader, Meshack Motha, who lost his ID in 2009, had least expected to receive a call telling him that he owed a furniture shop thousands of rands.
Motha said he was shocked when he received a call from a furniture shop to remind him to make his first payment for the furniture worth R40000 he had allegedly bought.
ID theft on the rise
IDENTITY theft continues to ruin the lives of many people. And it happens even to those who have never lost their identity documents.
Sowetan reader Moatlhodi Modise has been fighting to have MTN clear his name for about two years.
Since November 2009, Modise has been receiving statements from the cellphone company claiming that he owes it thousands of rands "in respect of goods and, or services" provided to him.
The first statement claimed that Modise owed MTN R10472.40. In an SMS sent to Modise last Friday, MTN said the amount was now R14900.75.
"I never lost my ID. The ID I am using today is the same I acquired when I was 17. I was shocked when I received an SMS from MTN telling me that I owed it money."
What has shocked Modise even more was that a suspect was arrested in the case. He had also used Modise's ID to buy clothes at Identity clothing store on credit. He also bought an Audi A4, subscribed for a Dstv bouquet, applied for car finance, attempted to buy a VW Golf 1 in Pretoria, took up a contract with Cell C and opened an account at Telkom.
Here is the response from MTN's executive customer service, Eddie Moyce: "MTN only learnt of this complaint from your enquiry and has since ascertained from Modise that the complaint was conveyed only to the collecting attorneys. MTN is in liaison with the customer since the enquiry and is hoping for a speedy resolution on the matter."
Another reader, Meshack Motha, who lost his ID in 2009, had least expected to receive a call telling him that he owed a furniture shop thousands of rands.
Motha said he was shocked when he received a call from a furniture shop to remind him to make his first payment for the furniture worth R40000 he had allegedly bought.