Consumers are alerted to invalid prepaid international calling cards that may be on sale in the market.
The Consumer Council strongly advised consumers and in particular visiting tourists and foreign domestic helpers to stay alert, and refrain from purchasing these cards to avoid loss of money.
As a precautionary measure to identify an invalid card, consumers should note the access code/numbers, the brandname and the issuing company at the same time, and check against the list of invalid prepaid calling cards reported to or identified by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA).
The list was published in full in this November issue of CHOICE, for the information of the public.
When purchasing a prepaid international calling card, consumers should ensure the following information is printed on the card:
- licensee's name (the party that operates the prepaid card service);
- type of licence and licence number granted by OFTA where applicable;
- card issuer's name (the party that issues the prepaid card if the card is not issued by the licensee holder);
- telephone number (within the pre-assigned calling card access range) for access to the service;
- customer service hotline number(s) of the card issuer;
- dialling instruction to make a phone call;
- authorisation code/personal identification number (PIN)/password for accessing the prepaid card service. There must be proper protection of the authorisation code/PIN/password when the prepaid cards are sold to consumers, for example, a prepaid card should have a sticker covering the authorisation code/PIN/password or come in a sealed envelope;
- card value, card expiry date, and validity after activation.
On the other hand, card retailers are urged to always ensure the full cost of the service is clearly stated or easily ascertainable at the time of sale and at the time the service is marketed or promoted.