Sizzles
Posts 166

Hey,

Thanks for your replies everyone. I actually agree that this young man has done wrong, but his intentions were not bad, and I believe he did not mean to cause harm to me. I would be totally happy if he were to serve a few months community service, but I do feel if he were to be punished for this it would be far more of a severe punishment which wouldn't actually fit the crime.


In reply to: Monkey Face: This is why customer service here is so poor and we have so many frustrations - when you have the chance to do something about it, you get all emotional about it and in return, these guys end up being the ones in charge one day. When he wrote your name, HE wasn't thinking about the trouble it would get YOU in.


I would just like to say that, although I agree that customer service here is bad, I don't think that by banishing someone who has now finally understood his mistake that that solves the problem. I believe that we would be far better off if this young man actually learns from his mistake, and then possibly does become the one in charge with that knowledge. He actually is really sorry, and not just because he is in trouble, but when he actually got to meet me and heard my side of the story he was SO upset with it all. Up until this point he has had nothing to do with me, he was litterally the one sent in with no attachment to my case within his company. But you are right, when he did it he didn't bother thinking about the trouble I would be in due to his actions... it was only afterwards that he really understood how much damage had been caused to me.

On the otherhand, the owner of the company was very unapologetic.... He is the one who really needs to be stopped.

Anyway, I really appreciate all the replies, it has helped me sleep better, because at least now I don't feel as responsible for this young mans dilemma, I am still going to help as much as I can with the truth from my side.

And as justice goes.... I haven't gotten any money back, or any real apology, all I've got out of this is days on end at the police station, hours up worrying about this young man, and sadness that the company is ignoring their punishment and getting away with that

marycatherine
Posts 1653

I agree, they don't always have a voice. But they may be forced (and I'm not condoning this) to make choices. This young man made a choice, the victim of this choice called the company on it (as she has the right to and should do). She is not responsible for the young man's choice.

Life su(ks sometimes - the young man made his choice and now he has even more dire consequences to deal with. Was this the OP's intent? No, I don't believe so. Is she responsible for the outcome? NO EMPHATICALLY!! But I understand her mindset - most of us don't want to hurt other people either intentionally or unintentionally - the higher ups in this company are despicable to put it mildly.

What is more discouraging is that a country that is "modern" allows employees to be harrassed to the point where they act illegally (and without any recourse these poor individuals feel they can't take a moral/ethical stand). Yes there are laws and regulations in place, but often the victims need money and time to pursue them, not always the case.
edited by marycatherine on 08/03/2012
edited by marycatherine on 08/03/2012

Chocochic
Posts 211

Many of you ladies forget - that the underpaid and underprivileged in this country don't always have a voice. It seems very likely that this poor chap was forced to sign on Sizzles behalf / for her - if he didn't the bosses / bullies would have sacked him / made his life **** / threatened to send him back to his home country and cancel his visa. It is a tough spot and I applaud Sizzles for trying her best to help out. But in the end and in this country, we don't have much say once it is with the authorities. I think they will dismiss all facts and just make their judgement anyway.

glenfiddich
Posts 777

starsouthern
Posts 1690

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

starsouthern
Posts 1690

derien
Posts 1920

Monkey Face
Posts 922

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

starsouthern
Posts 1690

Hi Sizzles

I would want to help too.

I understand that by writing your name he was doing something wrong, but I can't help but feel that in this country if you don't have a job and visa you can't stay here. Also by refusing to sign you don't know what threats or penalties this company would place on this young man. Yes we do make mistakes when we are young but prison and deportation are too big a price to pay. By being deported it takes away any chance for him to get another job and be with his family.

And the issue of the company, if they are still trading while their license has been revoked there is nothing stopping them from hiring another person and exploiting them.
edited by starsouthern on 08/03/2012

sandfly
Posts 4052

AA, not sure about companies normally shielding people - reputable companies probably do; have come across other situations where a business owner has 'his' cheques signed by an office manager or similar - when the cheque bounces, it is then the office manager's passport which is held by the police, etc. Sad.

coco pops
Posts 671

A Rancher
Posts 2629

Sizzles, I feel sorry for the young man. It's very easy to say he should have done this or that but maybe he could not afford to lose his job and it's terrible that it has ended up like this for him. Quite often when I read reports in the paper, the authorities seem to go after individuals rather than the company.

The best way to try to help him is by getting the body that submitted the complaint to withdraw the charge but it may even be too late for that if the case has already gone to court. I think it would be hard to prove that he signed the paper under duress. Sometimes here the punishment does not fit the crime.

AmyAus82
Posts 3427

I will admit that it does surprise me that he is getting done on his own for it - normally people are hidden by their company, not the other way, unless the person is acting out of their duty - maybe they've angled it that way? That they were the innocent party and told him to get your signature, he decided ON HIS OWN that he would just forge it, gave it to them, they (innocently) accepted it believing him and wham he is tkane solo.

Maybe there is more to the story than you know, Sizzle. Maybe the other party knows something you don't know?

humdinger
Posts 35

Don't think there's any way to help out the young man - it is a pretty sad situation.
But if this company is still trading without a license as you say, you could report that to the authorities (Economic Department maybe, or the police), so that at least they are taken care of/dealt with strictly?

STILLadviceseeker
Posts 499

If this person is really going to be jailed AND deported then the punishment really doesn't fit the crime. Although I agree he should take responsibility for his actions, surely this should be the same for the company? Shouldn't the company be made to take responsibility for their actions and involvement in this? Even if the person has signed the paper from what you say, he was NOT the sole party involved in the situation. If he did it on his own accord then fair enough he should be punished, but the company must have known about it if they had told you they didn't need your signature. In fact they should be held more responsible as they have a responsibility to their client and the places they deal with.

You should do your best to help him by showing the companies involvement in this, but just make sure you don't get yourself into trouble by doing so.

Sizzles
Posts 166

I am not the one who opened the case, so they can't do anything to try to get me to drop it. What has happened is the company charged me money to do something that they had no right to charge me for, when they realized I had figured this out they have gotten this guy to sign a paper, he says he was not aware that I had been having problems with his company etc.

If he does get punished, then he gets punished, but I think it is so unfair that the company may get away with what they did to me by throwing him under the bus.

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

Sue62
Posts 7175

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

or whether they did indeed threaten or this is just a ploy for you to drop the charges...

Sue62
Posts 7175

I don't blame you for feeling sorry for this man - i would too...and you feel guilty that he might be deported..If it was me i would be trying to rescue him too. Yes he knew what he was doing but the OP knows how intimidating this company can be - we don't know what they threatened him with if he didn't obey. Sad story all round and i hope the man's situation has a happy outcome.

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

Agree with AA - people really need to take responsibility for their actions

AmyAus82
Posts 3427

You shouldn't be letting his actions affect you. I know that's easier said than done, but we all do stupid things in life and when we do we have to wear our big boy pants - he now has to wear his big boy pants. He is not a minor, he is no incapacitated, he was aware of what he was doing, unless there was a threat against him (of harm) then I doubt his story will be seen as anything more than two wrongs don't make a right. It's not what he HAD to do, it was what he was TOLD to do, and he had the choice to do it or not do it, like when you sign a contract - if you don't like it you don't sign it, even if you know your family needs the money and you need a job, if it could cause an issue and it does then it's your own fault, even when that's a hard pill to swallow.

We make many mistakes in our youth, he will learn and pay.

Think of it this way - you may have saved the world from another one of his bosses being made. Maybe being charged will see him wise up, find a job elsewhere at the end of his punishment and never want to work with anyone like that again, rather than become them.

I believe the courts now have pro-bono lawyers who represent the unrepresented, if there is a case of duress then it's up to them to show it, if the court thinks it was the case then they'll decide it - but, if not, then, well, lesson learned for him.

I know this doesn't make you feel any better, but you didn't do anything wrong.

Sizzles
Posts 166

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

Have you tried going to the top? Isn't their an anti corruption drive etc........ or am i imaging things...

Is this a big local company or a small one? Perhaps if you name and shame or hint and shame then someone has an idea.

Sizzles
Posts 166

Sizzles
Posts 166

angelinaballerina
Posts 1358

The guy knew what he was doing was wrong - no matter what his situation; he knew he was committing fraud. He also know who he was working for and what they were doing, no matter how long he has been here.

It's not your responsibility that he broke the law, no matter what the circumstances. You obviously stopped working them for a reason, personally i think you should not drop the charges.

Tru Blu
Posts 1599

Gosh Sizzles, sounds like a complete mess. Sorry I can't offer any help, I hope someone can, but to tell you the truth, it is probably unlikely. You may be able to take the offending Company down further, but the man who forged your signature (intentionally or unintentionally) will no doubt have to serve some time.