There is an upsurge of bogus DSTV agents who have been offering services similar to the one that MultiChoice Botswana offers to customers in Botswana.
A number of Batswana who have registered their DSTV decoders with false identity cards and South African addresses are now using the service of bogus agents who carry transactions on behalf of Batswana.
MultiChoice Botswana confirmed that they were aware of the current developments where bogus DSTV agents make transactions on behalf of Batswana who have registered their DTSV decoders as South African nationals.
MultiChoice General Manager Billy Sekgororoane has sent out a stern warning to individuals who uses bogus agents for DSTV services in Botswana.
Sekgororoane stated in interview that there was an increasing number of Batswana who connive with bogus individuals who sell DSTV decoders and those who pay monthly subscription on behalf of Batswana.
Sekgororoane further indicated that though MultiChoice was aware of incidents in which Batswana flock into South Africa for such service there is a new trend where South African nationals operate as road agents offering illegal services at borders.
He said that one of the DSTV bogus services is operated at Kopfontein border gate where bogus DSTV agents collect money from individuals to pay monthly subscription on their behalf.
According to Sekgororoane, the issue of bogus DSTV agents has been there for a long time where Batswana travel to SA for their monthly subscription.
Sekgororoane stated that it was illegal for Batswana to subscribe outside the country.
“You cannot be a resident in Botswana and subscribe to DSTV service outside Botswana borders. It has become evident that people are vulnerable where they opt to give bogus operators who purport to be DTSV agents their hard-earned money without the full knowledge on whether those individuals will be there tomorrow,” added Sekgororoane.
Sekgororoane could not state how bogus DSTV agents who are offering such services have impacted on their business. He said that those individuals are operating alternative services and they are MultiChoice’s biggest competitors.
He also dismissed reports that people could be using bogus agents as a way of avoiding hefty monthly subscription that MultiChoice is offering.
Sekgoroane stated that there was no difference between MultiChoice South Africa and MultiChoice Botswana when it comes to the costs of subscription.
He warned that they would continue to monitor the situation where they would disable DSTV decoders of Batswana if they are found to be having DSTV accounts in SA.
