Mtn Pays N1.85m To Subscriber Over Ultimate Wonder Promo Fraud

SAN FRANCISCO, February 17, (THEWILL) – MTN Nigeria has effected the payment of N1.85m to an aggrieved consumer, Mr. Omeje Fidelis, being the balance of his winning in the promotion held in 2012, following an order issued last week by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to MTN to effect the payment within 14 days.

The CPC in a statement issued on Wednesday revealed that MTN, in compliance with the order, raised a United Bank of Africa's draft in the said sum in favour of the customer on February 11, 2016.

The statement also noted that Fidelis, in a telephone conversation, confirmed to the CPC his receipt of the amount, disclosing that he received the cheque for the balance of his N2m prize on Monday, February 15, 2016.

“CPC is also in receipt of a settlement agreement made to that effect between Omeje, MTN and its event manager for the Ultimate Wonder Promo prize presentation, Towncriers Limited, authorising the event manager to issue a bank draft in the sum of N1.85m in full and final satisfaction of the CPC's Order and all claims to the complainant,” the statement read.

Reacting to the development, CPC's Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, while welcoming the prompt compliance by MTN, said this underscores the supremacy of the consumer in the market-place as she urged businesses to exhibit best practices that will engender value for money for consumers.

Fidelis had claimed that he had been underpaid after he was declared winner of N2m in the said sales promotion, which was held in 2012.

He revealed that he was called through MTN line 180 on October 10, 2012 that he had won N2m in the Promo and got a text message two days later informing him of the presentation ceremony fixed for October 19 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

He claimed that he was presented with a dummy cheque of N2m with his name on it, interviewed and paraded before the media and the world as a winner of the said amount but was stunned to receive another call from MTN line 180 on November 2, 2012 that his winning was N150,000 and was thereafter given a Verve ATM card for that amount.

MTN however denied the claim of Omeje, saying that he was informed that his winning was N150,000 and that the complainant deceitfully presented himself when winners in the N2m category were called forward on the day of the prize presentation.

It added that Omeje's deciet was discovered at the verification of winners, which was done after the ceremony and he was thereafter contacted through its 180 line on his misrepresentation pursuant to which he apologised.

The CPC adjudicating demanded for the call data of the communications of the 10th of October 2012 when Omeje was informed of his winnings of N150,000, which MTN failed to provide.

The CPC thus declared that in the absence of the material evidence which is solely in the possession of MTN, it had to resolve the issue in favour of the complainant and therefore directed MTN to pay within 14 days the sum of N1,850,000 being the unpaid part of the N2m prize won by the complainant in the 2012 MTN Ultimate Wonder Promotion.

Story by David Oputah