Beware of Vodafone

Today I heard an interesting conversation between a Vodafone sales person and a customer. Let me give you a background first. The customer is on a post paid plan and wants to increase the credit limit. The audio file below is the recorded conversation between the customer and the Vodafone sales executive (you can read the transcript below).



Download VodafoneSalesPerson.MP3


...
Sales person : what is happening ma'am actually through credit card if you are paying the bill we need one of your credit card front and back xerox copy
Customer : Can you repeat that please
Sales person : if you are paying through credit card if you want to avail this service through credit card
Customer : ok
Sales person : we need one of your credit card front and back xerox copy ma'am
Customer : ah ah
Sales person : and we are having one credit card form in that all your details and signature
Customer : right
Sales person : that is needed and on this we are getting free holiday package anywhere in India with your family
Customer : ok
Sales person : and 100 rs local SMS free for 3 months
Customer : ok so are you from hutch
Sales person : hutch in the sense Vodafone no ma'am
Customer : are you a Vodafone employee
Sales person : yeah yeah
Customer : you are a Vodafone employee right
Sales person : yeah yeah
.....
Customer : Renuka see front and back xerox copy if i give it then the credit card can be misused right
Sales person : your credit card how will it be misused we will send that to the bank nah
Customer : You'll will send it to the bank
Sales person : yeah for verification
Customer : no but is there any other proof that i can give you other than front and back
Sales person : if you are taking from bank then we need a cancelled signed cheque ma'am
Customer : for credit card facility is there any other proof that you can accept to pay through credit card is there any other proof
Sales person : no we need only front and back copy of your credit card
Customer : ok Renuka
Customer : are you working at the Begumpet sales office
Sales person : no Basheerbagh
Customer : Basheerbagh Vodafone office
Sales person : yeah
...

With the front and the back copy of the credit card the person who collects it can do pretty much anything they want with the credit card since they will have the credit card number and the 3 digit CVV number. They can shop on any online website and no one will be able to stop them. When I called up Vodafone they told me that there isn't any scheme for supplying your credit card such as a free holiday and 100 SMS per month free. The sales person actually made it look like you are guaranteed a holiday provided you give them your credit card details.

Please be careful regarding this. Do not ever let your precious credit card go out of your sight and also do not hand over photo copies of your credit card to anyone. This is a big scam that is being carried out by the sales agents of Vodafone.