Found an unknown direct debit from your account?

Former_MSE_Andrea · 23 June 2008 at 5:12PM

What's it about?

Some MoneySavers who regularly check their bank accounts have reported finding direct debits and/or continuous card payments they didn't realise they'd set up. If it's happened to you then it may be related to a free trial followed by monthly subscription after a making an online purchase.

What purchases?

For example customers buying goods or services from certain websites may see an offer on the order confirmation for money off your next spend.

Examples include £10 off your next purchase and a £10 Asda Gift Card after you buy something from companies like Ticketmaster, Interflora, Flybe etc.

How do I know if I've joined?

You should have received emails confirming you've joined the programmes. It's worth regularly checking your junk mail folder for emails like this in case they were filtered out and your bank statements.

If you've missed those emails and you've found a monthly payment, eg £10 or £14.95 on your credit card bill or bank statement with descriptions such as ‘SHOPPERDISCOUNTS.CO.UK or Rewards First’ next to it then you've joined the programme. If you decide it's not something you want to continue you can cancel.

What if I don't want to belong?

SHOPPER DISCOUNTS & REWARDS

If you find you've joined inadvertently you can contact the customer services department to have your membership cancelled. Webloyalty, which runs the programme, has said refunds are given on a case-by-case basis yet it's worth asking. You can contact the company on its freephone numbers, via email or via its website.

Phone: 0800 731 9935 or 0808 234 1539 (Open 8am-8pm Mon to Fri, 9am-4pm Sat).
Email: [EMAIL="customerservice@shopperdiscountandrewards.co.uk"]customerservice@shopperdiscountsandrewards.co.uk[/EMAIL]
Shopperdiscount.co.uk FAQs: http://www.shopperdiscountsandrewards.co.uk/Features/Common/FAQ.rails
Website: www.shopperdiscountsandrewards.co.uk

REWARDS FIRST

Adaptive Affinity, which runs RewardsFirst, says it has a no quibble cancellation policy.

Phone: 0845 026 1091 or 0870 143 2343 Mon to Fri 9am-5pm.
Email: [EMAIL="contact@rewardsfirst.co.uk"]contact@rewardsfirst.co.uk[/EMAIL]
Rewards First FAQs: http://rewardsfirst.co.uk/shopcontent.asp?type=faq
Website: http://rewardsfirst.co.uk/

Related Guides:

Cancel Old Direct Debits
Consumer Rights

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Tinkywinks108 · 1 July 2008 at 10:35PM

I recently registered with the intention of cancelling within the 30 day period (must not forget, must not forget) just so I could get £10 off my purchase with Look Fantastic. But can't you just ring your bank and cancel it instead? I'm sure that's what I've always done in the past, I feel more secure that it's been done that way.

Paul_Herring · 2 July 2008 at 12:43AM

Are you sure that these are direct debits and not continious payment authorities?

Presumably people are entering the 16 digit number across the middle of the card, and not their sort-code/account number?

batvink · 2 July 2008 at 8:26AM

Vistaprint is quite prominent on their checkout. Luckily I am very cautious on what boxes I tick, but it would be easy to miss the real deal behind the offer.

real1314 · 2 July 2008 at 8:32AM

I got billed / charged from a MicrosoftLive account I'd set up via quidco, that was supposed to be free - was charged about £30, but did get sent a paper bill too. Got it all refunded after a couple of emails though.

alyhyena · 2 July 2008 at 10:20AM

I wanted to try teco diet so went to thier website and saw i could join free for 10 days, but i had to enter by bank datails something that i dont normally do, but i thought I COULD TRUST TESCO's

so i cancelled after the first week . then the next thing my CC came and they had charged me £30.00 for 3 months. I contacted them on several occasions andthey told me that i hadnt cancelled and that they were not going to refund the money even though they could see i hadnt used the account. One of the things that happens when you have membership is that you receive a weigh in mess weekly, very funny i only had first one after i complained about being charged.

84cm84 · 2 July 2008 at 11:43AM

I booked flights with Easy Jet and got caught out when they offered £10 of my next booking. By accepting the discount I was signed up to Shopper Discounts who then took £8 from my account (this would have continued each month if I had not cancelled it). It is not a direct debit that is set up, they have your card details and simply use that information to take the payment each month, it shows up on your statement as a POS (point of sale) so you have to cancel this direct with the company and not your bank.

chardir · 2 July 2008 at 1:42PM

This happened to me with Interflora. I realised before they took the first payment so didn't lose out. What really annoyed me was that Interflora had passed my credit card details to a third party web site without my consent (and thus a couple of clicks on that site had set up the payment without me realising they even had my details).

I complained to Interflora by email but got no response. I probably should have pushed it more but I hadn't actually lost any money.

jcm1970 · 2 July 2008 at 5:46PM

I got caught out when I ordered from Easylife. Although I knew I'd received a £10 voucher, I had absolutely no idea that I'd automatically been signed up to Shopper Discounts. I found out by accident a couple of days ago when I went to use the voucher. I've cancelled the direct debit and know I won't see any of the money that's been taken. I'm amazed that this practice is deemed acceptable. To me, it's tantamount to theft.

ggugvrunt · 2 July 2008 at 9:51PM

Anyone worried about how to cancel a continuous credit card payment should just cut up the card and report it lost to the card provider. You'll receive a new card with a different number so any more debits will be refused.

freshgarbage · 2 July 2008 at 10:28PM

I didnt even realise I had signed up for this and money was being taken out of my account until I read the Martins Money Tips email!! I dont know how long it would have taken me to query £8 a month being removed from my account!! Luckily this had only happened twice-I have emailed them now to cancel! I will be telling others to avoid this like the plague!!

Found an unknown direct debit from your account?

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