Comments on: Don’t Get Angry – Get Empowered about Consumer Rights in Israel! http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/ Essential Tips for Living in Israel Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Molly http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27648 Molly Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:27 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27648 I am sorry to hear about your struggles, but you must continue to fight or at least inform people so they are aware of these situations. And just try to learn for the next time round. I am sorry to hear about your struggles, but you must continue to fight or at least inform people so they are aware of these situations. And just try to learn for the next time round.

]]> By: Boris http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27647 Boris Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:46:29 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27647 Pelephone service is very bad: it is constantly trying to steal your money, and you can get your money back only if you are ready to spend a lot of time and effort. I believe this is a company policy: there are not so much people who can struggle for sum of 10-50 shek. I can present several clear examples how the Pelephone is deceiving customers and you cannot reach a responsible person who can indeed solve the problem. Let us struggle together! Pelephone service is very bad: it is constantly trying to steal your money, and you can get your money back only if you are ready to spend a lot of time and effort. I believe this is a company policy: there are not so much people who can struggle for sum of 10-50 shek.
I can present several clear examples how the Pelephone is deceiving customers and you cannot reach a responsible person who can indeed solve the problem.
Let us struggle together!

]]> By: shira http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27484 shira Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:48:23 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27484 Hi Benji, You can email me at shirigoldsmith@gmail.com.. We just had our court date today and we settled out of court. We compromised- they are letting us out the 3 year hitchayvut for each of our pf our plans/phones without any more charges but we are not getting any of the money back that we paid them. TO me its worth it- I won't have to keep dealing them and fighing it every month. I am switching to Celcom and buying my own phone so that won't get stuck again paying thousands of shekel for a phone worth a few hundred shekel. Hi Benji,
You can email me at shirigoldsmith@gmail.com.. We just had our court date today and we settled out of court. We compromised- they are letting us out the 3 year hitchayvut for each of our pf our plans/phones without any more charges but we are not getting any of the money back that we paid them. TO me its worth it- I won’t have to keep dealing them and fighing it every month. I am switching to Celcom and buying my own phone so that won’t get stuck again paying thousands of shekel for a phone worth a few hundred shekel.

]]> By: Benji Lovitt http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27478 Benji Lovitt Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:07:49 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27478 Shira, if you see this, can you contact me? I'd love to talk to you about this. Shira, if you see this, can you contact me? I’d love to talk to you about this.

]]> By: Molly http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27477 Molly Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:06:10 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27477 Shira- that is amazing! Good for you!! I checked out their website and it looks great! http://voleh.org/ Please keep us up to date. You can win!! And your win will help so many others! Shira- that is amazing! Good for you!! I checked out their website and it looks great! http://voleh.org/ Please keep us up to date. You can win!! And your win will help so many others!

]]> By: shira http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27476 shira Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:15:25 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27476 Thanks Molly. I contacted Voleh (an organization that helps new Olim with legal issues) and I am taking Pelephone to small claims court in October. I will keep you posted with what happens. Thanks Molly. I contacted Voleh (an organization that helps new Olim with legal issues) and I am taking Pelephone to small claims court in October. I will keep you posted with what happens.

]]> By: Chanoch http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27276 Chanoch Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:42:07 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27276 To Shira and anyone else who has a problem with a cell phone company, The law says the company can’t change the package in the middle of a contract – you have to insist with them and demand they pay back if they overcharged you. Check the contract and make sure there are no clauses stating they can do such a thing. There are no exit fee’s if your contract expired – don’t let them tell you otherwise – it’s the law. As for payments for the phone itself – you are obligated to pay for it the amount agreed on when you signed the contract - it should say on the contract what is the price of the phone and how much it should cost you per month. This is the amount you will have to pay every month till the phone is fully paid for (according to your contract). On the other hand the company must allow you to roam – i.e. they have to unlock the phone and allow you to insert sim cards of other companies. Thus you won’t need a new phone if you decide to move. Whatever you do - do not stop paying since they won’t hesitate to take you to court – and you will be in the wrong. If they overcharge you - you can take them to a small claim court where no lawyers are allowed and therefore you have the advantage, especially if you have the original contract in your hand. From my experience most companies would settle before you even file the lawsuit, due to the risk of losing and the publicity which follows it. In any case all the information presented by me can be found (in Hebrew) in the following website. There is also information about consumer rights in other fields. You can also file a complaint with them, and they are extremely helpful www.emun.org Good luck, Chanoch To Shira and anyone else who has a problem with a cell phone company,
The law says the company can’t change the package in the middle of a contract – you have to insist with them and demand they pay back if they overcharged you. Check the contract and make sure there are no clauses stating they can do such a thing.
There are no exit fee’s if your contract expired – don’t let them tell you otherwise – it’s the law.
As for payments for the phone itself – you are obligated to pay for it the amount agreed on when you signed the contract – it should say on the contract what is the price of the phone and how much it should cost you per month. This is the amount you will have to pay every month till the phone is fully paid for (according to your contract). On the other hand the company must allow you to roam – i.e. they have to unlock the phone and allow you to insert sim cards of other companies. Thus you won’t need a new phone if you decide to move.
Whatever you do – do not stop paying since they won’t hesitate to take you to court – and you will be in the wrong. If they overcharge you – you can take them to a small claim court where no lawyers are allowed and therefore you have the advantage, especially if you have the original contract in your hand.
From my experience most companies would settle before you even file the lawsuit, due to the risk of losing and the publicity which follows it.
In any case all the information presented by me can be found (in Hebrew) in the following website. There is also information about consumer rights in other fields. You can also file a complaint with them, and they are extremely helpful http://www.emun.org

Good luck,
Chanoch

]]> By: Molly http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27274 Molly Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:41:08 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27274 Shira, can you send a scan of your contract? I have somebody who is willing to help you, and would like to look it over. Please email us with it if possible, and if anyone else out there is having problems, please also send your contracts. Shira, can you send a scan of your contract? I have somebody who is willing to help you, and would like to look it over. Please email us with it if possible, and if anyone else out there is having problems, please also send your contracts.

]]> By: Molly http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27273 Molly Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:28:31 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27273 Shira that sucks! These companies really do take advantage! The best thing for you to do is demand to speak with their legal department. If you have a contract that states and proves you should only pay NIS 120 then you must keep fighting and they have to give you your money back. If you can find an Israeli to help you with the Hebrew and make sure the person stays calm then this always helps. I have found that yelling never works, because they just yell back. But staying calm keeps you in command. Please let me know how it goes and this way we can continue helping each other. Best of luck!! Shira that sucks! These companies really do take advantage! The best thing for you to do is demand to speak with their legal department. If you have a contract that states and proves you should only pay NIS 120 then you must keep fighting and they have to give you your money back. If you can find an Israeli to help you with the Hebrew and make sure the person stays calm then this always helps. I have found that yelling never works, because they just yell back. But staying calm keeps you in command. Please let me know how it goes and this way we can continue helping each other. Best of luck!!

]]> By: shira http://www.thebigfelafel.com/dont-get-angry-get-empowered-about-consumer-rights-in-israel/comment-page-1/#comment-27272 shira Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:01:43 +0000 http://www.thebigfelafel.com/?p=694#comment-27272 I am also in the middle of a fight with pelephone.. i signed up for a plan for 120 shekel a month which included : 100 minutes to e/o , 100 sms, and unlimitted calling to the second phone (my husband). Now , I looked on my past bills and they have charged me 50 agurot per sms even when i have used under 100. when i called to complain, they said they changed the package?!? How can they change my contract? Additionally, when I signed up they told me it was for 18 months. Now, when 18 months are up, they are telling me that 18 months was only for the phone and (1) i have to pay 200 nis exit fee even though the plan is up and (2) i have to keep paying 100 shekel a month for the next 18 months for the phone if i cancel the service plan (which was only 100 shekel total). I tried fighting and showed them my original contract and they say that there new policy is that all bills are for 3 years for the phone?! Any idea of how I can get anywhere with them? I had been paying with a u.s. credit card and i am tempted to just cancel the credit card since i am disgusted with there service and dont want to continue. I am also in the middle of a fight with pelephone.. i signed up for a plan for 120 shekel a month which included : 100 minutes to e/o , 100 sms, and unlimitted calling to the second phone (my husband). Now , I looked on my past bills and they have charged me 50 agurot per sms even when i have used under 100. when i called to complain, they said they changed the package?!? How can they change my contract? Additionally, when I signed up they told me it was for 18 months. Now, when 18 months are up, they are telling me that 18 months was only for the phone and (1) i have to pay 200 nis exit fee even though the plan is up and (2) i have to keep paying 100 shekel a month for the next 18 months for the phone if i cancel the service plan (which was only 100 shekel total). I tried fighting and showed them my original contract and they say that there new policy is that all bills are for 3 years for the phone?! Any idea of how I can get anywhere with them? I had been paying with a u.s. credit card and i am tempted to just cancel the credit card since i am disgusted with there service and dont want to continue.

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