Watchdog

Just watched this programme on TV called Watchdog or something similar.. They do a good job of exposing scams and warning the public about potential cons. This segment they did a slot on mobile phone companies offering cashback, in particular a company called mobs (mobile solutions online).

Having friends who were on similar schemes and having been interested before, I leant back with a glass of mango cum orange juicy bits and watched as they exposed mobs' schemes.

Apparently what the whole cashback offer is based on the assumption that only around 1/3 of customers would claim their cash back(for those unfamiliar to the cashback scheme, its an offer where people get a mobile phone and pay a monthly tariff. They then receive a voucher from the company every 3 months and theoretically when they return this voucher, they will receive a certain percentage of their cash back). When more people claim their cash back than the company expects, they have to delay the returning of the cash.

Watchdog even interviewed a former employee who told viewers the numerous strategies the company told her to use to delay the customers. Excuses ranged from "the money's in your account already" to "our computers are undergoing a upgrade" to "cash will be deposited in the next 1 week".

Watching this, I found it interesting because I was actually considering signing up for it at one point. In a sad sort of way, it reinforced my underlying assumption (from past experiences) that everytime eveyrone approaches me for something, its definitely a scam, and I treat them appropriately. This extends to giving to charities and beggars on the street, based on the premise that most of them are part of a huge money making scheme.

How in the world it's supposed to reflect God's love is something I've not yet reconciled though, as there really ARE people in need out there.

Anyways, on a parting note, mobile online solutions are liquidating, so it seems those still waiting for their money back will not be getting it anytime soon.