Privacy Guard - Another CRA?

seasidepom

Privacy Guard was described to me by Lloyds TSB as insurance against credit card fraud. If you read Martin's notes on this, he clearly tells everyone that it is not needed. If there is fraudulent activity on any of your cards/accounts, you are entitled by law to a refund of this money and you do not need to pay a third party to "look out for it and alert you the minute it happens" (another thing they told me they would do - if it's already happened, how was the insurance preventing it??!!). I got the papers through on the free trial to have a look and the only benefit I could see was if I actually wanted to check my credit reference files on a monthly basis which I don't, so I cancelled it. They still keep writing to me saying that I have cancelled the direct debit and will I please reinstate it!!

James

Martin IMHO is absolutely correct.

If you do end up in a 'disputed transaction' situation with your card issuer, then the Card Protection Plan people just don't want to know. (Ask them before you take out this insurance, giving the example below).

If your card is nicked and used with your PIN before you report it lost or stolen and your card issuer infers you must have discoled your PIN. Will they pay out?

What happens in reality is you usually end up taking your case to the Financial Ombudsman Serivce (FOS) and even if they do find in your favour, it can take an awful lot of time and hassel to get sorted but you will get your money back (from your card issuer).

However if you do loose your case, and this is becoming more common, then your Card Protection Plan is useless.

konnor83

If you have any problems with companies like this, mention the Financial Services Authority and they will refund you.

konnor83

I have heard that Privacy Guard sends out letters linking themselves with other organizations such as littlewoods, debenhams etc. There is a connection there, the other companies just offer the service and pass the info on to Privacy Guard but the wording is as bad as it gets. You have to read the small print to realise what you are signing up to otherwise you could be down £70 thirty days later.

concerned_friend

I have found this site after a friend had asked me to find out if anyone else had, had problems with Privacy Guard. She too has experienced difficulties with them.

She signed for a free trial and credit check back in May through JJB sports. She had forgotten all about doing this though as she never recieved anything about it until this month (september) when she opened her JJB statement and noticed she had been charged £79.99 for Privacy Guard.

Privacy Guard are saying they sent the package to her and that she was not entitled to a refund as she did not cancel in time (no documents, how can you). Is it possible that by not sending the package out you could forget signing for such a thing and then of course, know nothing about it until charged after the date of cancellation. Has a bad ring to it to me.

Has anyone else signed for but not recieved such a thing.

jf11

I have received such a call. Have phoned Privacy Guard who tell me they have no record of anything being set up for me. I don't want to find I have been stung for £69.99 without seeing anything in writing. Do Debenhams use anyone else for Privacy Guard. Have tried GE Capital but they know nothing.

nottsunistudent

hey guys, my girlfriend just found this site searching for info about this rediculous Privacy Guard scam..I can't believe how nasty it all is. I opened a Dedenham's store card over the summer just to get 10% off my 1st purchase of some shoes there, and never intended using it again, and now i too have been lumped with a £69.99 fee from Privacy Guard! I remember receiving the call from PG (or Debenham's apparently) about ID fraud, and a free period of ID protection, but DO NOT recall agreeing to fone them back to make sure they don't politely subscribe me for £70!!! I called PG today and the man just casually told me i'll have to pay. I'm a student struggling as it is, and this makes me so mad..it's reassuring but sad to know i'm not the only one to have been scammed, i'm sure the call Debenham's will recieve tomorrow won't be the 1st..

ukhouser

Exactly the same thing happened to me. I opened Debenhams card ages ago to get 10% off my first purchase. Got a phone call back in July where i vaguely remember agreeing to a free period of identity fraud insurance and do not recall AT ALLagreeing that unless i rang them that I would get a charge, which i did!!! I am furious. Have had numerous phone calls with privacy guard who did a 'review' on the phone call i had with their sales guy and say that i agreed to call them to cancel and was given a phone number to do so. I know my memorys not as good as it used to be, but I do not remember that at all. I did not receive a pack from them either which would have prompted me. When i told them i'd not received one they said 'well, we sent you one'!!! In other words, you're lying. They also said they'd rung me the previous week at 6.30 which they cant have done as i'm always in at that time, nonone rang me. As far as i'm concerned its a pack of lies. I am not going to let it lie, and nor should you (especially being a poor student!!). I have contacted financial ombusman via email for their advice and will be ringing Debenhams also. They need to know what kind of company they have attached themselves too. I suggest you do the same, we need to apply pressure to these people and not let them get away with it. I'm so Mad!!! Watch this forum, as I will update with further news.

benmooe

PrivacyGuard is a seperate company who have their product promoted by many companys. you can ask them over the phone for an address and company details to make a complaint and they usually will.

hippey

PrivacyGuard is yet another insurance backed scheme, yes it's good if you are thinking of becoming a victim of ID theft / fraud, but stupidly expensive if you were to just do the work yourself if it ever happened to you.

Yes, all credit cards are protected by the issuers against the cost of unauthorised transactions, and with a bit of letter writing and phonecalls you can start to rebuild you credit histroy if cousin benson ever did use your account for his international money transferes.

Like anything this sort of insurance relies on very good sales leaflets & scare tactics for it to work.