Sasanka De Silva Makumbura

I am writing this to share a deeply concerning experience regarding my recent interaction with Airtel Sri Lanka, which serves as a stark warning to other consumers about how their personal data and security are being handled.

I recently purchased a SIM card through a “roadside” vendor, a transaction that has since descended into a saga of administrative negligence. When an issue arose, I reached out for support, only to be met with a standardized, mechanical response that completely ignored the substantive issues I raised.

Here is why I can no longer trust this service provider:

• The “Unclear NIC” Excuse: They claim my connection was deactivated because my NIC was “unclear.” Yet, they failed to explain why, if they possessed my alternate contact number—provided directly to their agent at the time of purchase—they made absolutely no effort to reach out to verify my identity before unilaterally deactivating the service.
• The Failure of Duty: They have ignored my requests to identify the specific agent responsible for this transaction and have refused to address my demands for a full refund and the deletion of my sensitive personal data.
• The Ultimate Proof of Incompetence: To cap it off, in their recent email, they directed me to visit a Dialog outlet for service. Yes, you read that correctly—Airtel sent me to their competitor. This demonstrates not just a lack of customer care, but a complete lack of operational awareness.

I have formally requested the immediate cessation of data collection and a full refund. I have made it clear that I will not tolerate my personal data being held or used for any purpose, and I am prepared to escalate this matter to ensure accountability.

To anyone considering a “roadside” SIM registration: Think twice. If this is how they handle security, data privacy, and basic customer inquiries, they are not a company you want to entrust with your identity.

I am still awaiting a professional, human response. Airtel, the ball is in your court.

Sasanka De Silva

Makumbura.