MASM slapped with K500, 000 fine for fooling clients
The Commission and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has slapped Malawi’s prestigious media aid firm – Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM) – with a K500,000 fine for conducting itself in a manner that misled its clients.
CFTC Executive Director Apoche Itimu said in Lilongwe on Thursday that they commissioned an investigation against MASM in the administration of a pensioner’s scheme.
“The investigations established that the complainant joined the medical scheme in January 2005 on VIP, then later changed to executive up to 2018 and further changed to econo-plan,” she said.
The commission further established that the respondent introduced an offer of 50 per cent reduction in monthly fees as pension benefit to their members who have been with them for 15 years continuously and attained the age of 65.
When the complainant reached the age of 65 and applied to enjoy the discount in 2019, he did not receive a response, she said.
According to the respondent, a member’s fee would be reduced only on the scheme that the member had been on for the last three years whereas the complainant has changed his scheme.
However, she said, the important qualification was not highlighted in the respondent’s flyer or their website nor was it mentioned in the respondent’s 20-minute media programme on Mibawa Television.
Itimu said the Commission found that the respondent did not provide adequate information pertaining to the discount to allow consumers to make informed decisions about the offer, as was with the complainant who remained with MASM in the hope that he would enjoy the discount at the age of 65, she said.
Therefore, she said, the Commission deemed the respondent’s conduct as unfair to the consumer and a violation of section 43 (1) of the CFT Act.
CFTC is a waste of resources. It seems the staff are on Sattar’s payroll! If they are not, can they tell me why Movesa is the only supplier of number plates in Malawi? Why is Ethanol company supplying sub standard methylated spirit? Why is Batawalala the only supplier of military uniforms and weapons to the MDF?
MASM is a fraudulent society. I could say more but let me rest it there.
Dollar yo yachepa koma
MASM ndi yakuba! CFTC nayo ndi yakuba. Mbava zakumana. MASM bribed CFTC to get a small 500,000 fine. Airtel refused to bribe CFTC and was given 2.1 billion fine. Pali chilungamo pamenepo?
masm inayamba kale kuwabera ndi kuwasokoneza mitu.
Masm are crooks. We also pay for funeral service but when we are bereaved these pipo expect us to be assisting them carrying their tools etc. Please masm, respect yourselves. Send a reasonable number of people for your chores. That’s why we pay you. Make proper arrangements with funeral houses. Once in a while send your managers to oversee the service delivery. This is your line of business.