An elderly Jamaican pensioner is facing mounting frustration after a series of wrongful charges and disputed deductions by Flow Jamaica left her out of nearly $10,000. Despite repeated attempts to resolve the matter, the telecommunications giant has so far refused to return the funds, raising wider concerns about how unauthorised features and billing errors affect vulnerable customers.
The Incident
The issue began on August 15, 2024, when the pensioner, who relies on a fixed monthly income, purchased a mobile top-up of $2,900. Although Flow confirmed the payment via SMS, the credit never reached her account. Left with no option, she purchased another top-up the next day, only to discover that both transactions had in fact been processed.
When she sought clarification, customer service agents initially denied receiving the funds. However, after further review, Flow admitted that both payments had indeed gone through — yet no reimbursement was offered.
Unauthorised Charges
The problem deepened when her account was unexpectedly billed $75 for a Caller Ringback tune, a service she never requested. That small but unauthorised deduction caused her balance to fall below the renewal threshold for her mobile plan. The consequence was severe: she lost her entire $2,900 plan balance.
This scenario repeated itself over subsequent months, with losses compounded by additional top-ups needed just to restore basic service. By the end of November 2024, the total financial damage had risen to approximately $9,440 — a staggering amount for a pensioner already stretched thin.
Breakdown of Losses
The disputed charges include:
- $2,900 – Unapplied top-up on August 15
- $3,625 – Replacement top-up on August 16 (including tax)
- $3,750 – Lost top-up on September 17
- $3,625 – Top-up on October 23
- $3,625 – Additional top-up on November 21
- $1,375 – Extra top-up on November 26
- $2,915 – Balance loss in November linked to unauthorised charges
- $955 – Extra plan transfer in December
The family has documented each loss, noting that many of them stem from services the pensioner never activated herself.
A Wider Issue
This case highlights an ongoing complaint across Jamaica: customers being automatically subscribed to unwanted services, particularly Caller Ringback tunes, which siphon credit from prepaid balances. Consumer advocates argue that such practices disproportionately affect the elderly and low-income groups, who can least afford repeated losses.
Call for Accountability
The family has now turned to external channels, appealing for intervention and demanding that Flow refund the $9,440. They argue that without stricter oversight of telecom billing practices, more vulnerable Jamaicans will continue to suffer silent financial drain.
As the pensioner’s son noted:
“This is not just about my mother. It’s about a system where unauthorised charges quietly chip away at people’s money until they give up fighting.”
The case now places fresh pressure on Flow Jamaica to address its billing protocols and on regulators to examine whether consumer protections in the telecom sector are truly effective.
