PointShop cancel & block any payments?

Just found out I can't cancel through my bank as its a guaranteed payment. What a joke! Have cancelled my card and they've given me a phone no to call - 004598116450 which goes through to a german recorded message.

I responded to a TESCO offer on facebook offering a Braun electric toothbrush for £1 in return for responding to a market research questionaire. Then without warning I discovered that Pointshop had seemingly taken over the site and I had unwittingly committed myself to paying them £45 per month. This must be illegal by any stretch of the imagination. I've now got to wait for 24hrs before I can hopefully unsubscribe on line.

Incidentally, I have notified TESCO that their site or name is being used in this scam, or, perhaps they are part of it !!

I've also been stung by Pointshop's unfair "membership" scheme. Please all if you are considering going on this website, PLEASE make sure that you unsubscribe immediately after getting what you want.

I went on the site to see what it was all about. I'm in a few points websites and all are great - I use them to do tasks and surveys and try and buy presents for people as I have little cash. I went on Pointshop, had a look around over a couple of days I think and decided I didn't like it, that it wasn't for me and didn't ever go back on it again. I have bought nothing from Point shop, not logged on, nor collected points - have been "paying" without knowledge for absolutely nothing.

That was November time and I'd forgotten that it existed to be honest. HOWEVER Today my card was declined on an account that holds my emergency funds and direct debits. I don't use this account anymore and therefore had no reason to be monitoring it. The same DD's go out monthly and I occasionally use it for topping up my mobile. That's it. It held my savings. They've bled me dry to the tune of £180ish.

I don't even remember filling in my card details - I'm fairly trusting and have never been ripped off before. Pointshop presented as an established company with slick advertising, promotions and good website.

This kind of "membership ploy" is very alien to me. If I purchase things on the internet I am used to companies being transparent and honest - using baskets and pressing "confirm" with the money amounts on the screen and companies being absolutely clear what I am buying and how much for. This is honest trading. I'm used to getting reciepts for payments, emails confirming your orders etc and all these things ensure you have a good internet trading experience.

This company use your card details as a POS transaction until you decided to tell them to stop!!!!!! . If you didn't realise what they were going to do, and aren't checking your bank accounts then the company can keep taking money until you notice what is going on. You have no email notifications of withdrawals made, and as such it is conducted very sneakily.

I've cancelled my card - went on the account tonight and cancelled the membership and complained. They don't care - even though they can see that I haven't used the account. They just told me it was all in writing and all the links they put in the email don't work.

Am going through my bank's fraud team and the disputes. I doubt I'll get anywhere as the company are clearly counting on people like me forgetting to unsubscribe or trusting people not to charge you for things that you aren't using or haven't asked for. I'll be much more careful in future.

I am sharing my woes not for sympathy or any of those horrid "serves you right for being stupid" comments, but to warn all out there not to make the same mistake that I did.

AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!