Last month, I was not only surprised, but also shocked to receive a telephone-bill for more than 2000 dollars. Every month the bill is for 400 to 500 dollar only. This month, I had gone out on tour for about ten days. That should have shown a smaller amount in the bill at least by a hundred dollars or so. But on the countrary, the bill showed a four to five fold inflation in the amount for that month.
I contacted atonce the S.D.O. Phones, who deputed his Assistant to look into the matter. A trap was laid and ultimately the culprit was caught and punished. He was no one else but a line-man of the same Telephone Exchange.
The technique adopted by him was, that he came to know from some quarters about my going out on tour-duties for ten days. He connected the long distance calls of some businessman, with my line and got the calls made by him transferred to my account. Thus, he made a good sum of extra-earnings by unscrupulous means. He not only cheated me but also was found guilty of misconduct by a government servant.
I came to know from the S.D.O. that my complaint was received after two similar other telephonic messages. These people did not take the trouble of contacting the Exchange were also being inquired into in same lazy, lethargic way, mostly found in government departments and offices. But my personal visit and contact with the authorities there had a salutary effect. The culprit was punished. It was found out that such a practice continued from phone to phone by turns.
The best way to keep an eye on such tricks is either to get the S.T.D. disconnected, in case on does not need it, for out station calls, mostly for business, or company affairs or to ask for monthly bills, at an extra payment, so that the evil may be nipped in the bud. One would be able to judge for one self every month, if some malpractice is being adopted by the corrupt officials. |