Privacy Guard - Another CRA?

Albert_Ross_2

They got my mother too, via Barclaycard. She was sent an application form which I read, told her not to apply and put it through my shredder.

They signed her up anyway, three months later they stole £7.99 x 3 from her card. When she rang to tell them to stop they refused. When I rang to tell them to stop they refused. When we rang Barclaycard they said there was "nothing they could do about it" and to contact Privacyguard. Same for our local bank. She also never recieved any literature about this account she was supposed to have applied for. Of course you can't "prove" you didn't apply for something to a company which has been sold all your personal details including your signature, I suspect that's what they are relying on.

When she left her card in a shop we requested it be stopped and got a replacement. Now Privacyguard and getting stroppy because they can no longer steal money for a non-existent and unrequested service covering a card that no longer exists.

Barclaycard are now dealing with a different "insurance" company which may of course also be Affinion.

See Google for lists of such scams, they started in the US before moving in on the UK.

konnor83

They are scam artists through and through. When you call them make sure that you request to get a copy of the signature on the form that they have signed and start disputing it that way. Also when they are taking money out on a monthly basis they cannot stop you from cancelling but the best thing to say to them is that you are leaving the country and will "no longer need the service" as it won't work anywhere except UK.

:beer:

Poledragon

Just spoken to a call centre in India with Debenham's "customer service". Demanded to know how PrivacyGuard got my info, as I always tick the boxes saying no third party contact, no promotional mailing, no marketing calls etc etc etc.

From what I could gather, PrivacyGuard is owned by Debenhams!!

Have been charged the eighty quid, rang to complain that no one got back to me and was told they had. The one time I wasn't organised with my paperwork and this happens.

Oh and the best thing? I called Santander to cancel my Debenham's card (which was fully paid off) and explained why. Only to be told that cancelling my card wouldn't stop them taking another payment in a year's time, as it only cancelled it for internet and shop purchases! Not this - even if my card was reported stolen or lost. !!!!!! is that all about? Am so frustrated and angry I'm probably not even coherent.

fozmcfc

I got signed up for this with Natwest. In the past I just used to say yes to everything virtually offered.

In the past, I was really bad at keeping a check on my finances, but recently during a clear up of 20 years of paperwork, I discovered the information pack sent to me in December 2007.

I see that I never even bothered to send off for the free credit report, so that has meant the monitoring of my experian report hasn't even started and naturally, I didn't use the £10 off voucher for a shredder.

The thing is I knew I had been paying £6.99 for the past 2.5 years for privacy guard, but stupidly didn't even activate the service DOH!!!.

Not blaming anyone but myself, but shows just how easy it is to just sign up and then not even bother with it. I suppose privacy guard, maybe could have written to me, to remind me to activate the service, but then maybe they did and I just threw the letter away.

Just emailed them to cancel the policy, now lets see how easy that is to do. I won't be ringing them, I will write to them if I have to to get it in writing the policy has ended.

nfernie22

James wrote: »

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.

as a previous privacy guard sales person i must say to u, privacy guard is IDENTITY fraud protection...CARD protection and id fraud are totally different things so the card protection plan...although very useful, is useless against identity fraud protection. card cover is for cards and cards only, not your personal identity. i do admit though after reading all these comments i looked into the product a little more myself and quit after discoveriing all the problems people are having. us sales people were being threatened with the sack if we did not make our sales target of 3 per day so dont feel like the cold callers are actually trying to do you a favour...they just want their target to get their bonuses. i have worked there for some time and ended up quitting because i could not handle the pressure anymore and the guilt of what i was selling was harming my mental health.

martinip

Hi Guys, the products are sold within the law. The way they are sold may not seem fair at the time you are billed and forgot to cancel - but you do have to read the small print and make sure that you NEVER sign up to anything via a tel call unless you really want it as you WILL forget to cancel.

I have worked with Affinion and I know that they are not a scam - BUT they are a business. If you call to cancel, they will of course try to retain your custom. .. and the sales calls follow a script that does include questions of testing your understanding. Do not say 'yes' if you do not understand that you are being enrolled with a 'limited T&C' telephone call onto a membership service. Your membership is NOT activated when you receive the welcome pack nor when you choose to call the service number. It is activated on that tel call.

Do remember that a membership service provides a range of benefits for you to use when you request them - like a gym membership. Don't think of it a a consumption-based service as it is not.

Finally, remember that this type of marketing is a collaboration between your card/ account provider and Affinion. They share the profits. At some time you will have allowed your card/ account provider to share your account details ('data') with third parties. If you do not want them to share your details so that payments cannot automatically be taken then take it up with the account/ card provider. Speak to their customer services about data protection and ask for proof of when you allowed them to re-sell/ provide your details to third parties. I am informed that there is also a loophole re 'data' where data protection act is not applicable. Test them on this also.

Keep vigilent. Ultimately is is up to all of us to ensure that we do not allow our data to be shared and to threaten to close accounts/ move banks if our data privacy is not respected.

Finally, remember that businesses are in business to make money so don't be surprised if that's what they seem to be doing.

mistymorning_2

I had a phone call from PrivacyGuard, claiming it was initiated through my Marbles credit card and after a long drawn out explanation trying to scare the living daylights out of me about identity fraud, and pushing how I could view my credit history of every financial transaction I have done since I was 18- ( why would I need to know this??) she told me after my three months free trial it would cost me £9.99 a month. Whilst she was talking I googled the name and through this site, discovered Lloyds TSB cost for PG is £6.99 a month and Tescos £49.99 a year - I informed the 'lady' on the phone this and she couldn't wait to end the phone call to me!! Thank you for the warnings and information. It is true - forewarned is forearmed.

Saints2011

Sorry if already mentioned but Privacy Guard with Lloyds TSB is with Call Credit.