Cancelled sup. card - still have to pay?

lisyloo

I just don't think that Amex should say they have done something they obviously have not done.

I agree with you, in an IDEAL world.
Unfrotunately we don't live in one of those.
We live in a world where people forget things, things get lost and computers fail.

If it's important, you need to have proof e.g. written acknowledgement.
If you did get to a court case you can't prove anything if you have just agreed something over the phone.
I'm not suggesting you would go to court over this, but you are likely to have to deal with important things in future (like a house purchase or insurance claim) and you can NOT just rely on people doing what they will say and unrecorded phone messages.

I agree that you SHOULD be able to, but the you have to deal with the imperfect world as it is, and if you want to be safe and secure on really important things then you need proof.
There are various ways to get this, like written acknowledgements.
Anything really important I send by recorded delivery 75p, that way the receiver cannot claim it was "lost in the post".
The problem is that if you cannot prove something then a court cannot back you, regardless of whether you are right or not.
I sympathise but you need to deal with the real world.

We don't know your situation, but I think a lot of people will think your daft for paying someone else's bills.

Kylie

lisyloo wrote: »

IWe don't know your situation, but I think a lot of people will think your daft for paying someone else's bills.

As mentioned, I am the main card holder and therefore responsible for the charges.

They are not a big deal and will be paid, I am justing venting a little frustration. Sorry.

I am a big girl and know that our world is not ideal.

Equally, though, when Amex says they cancelled a card they should do so. This is not a sideline business or hobby - this is their "thing"! When I telelphoned I did so because there was an urgency; I did not have the luxury of a recorded post letter etc. I will know next time to call back, speak to someone else and confirm the request had be carried out. Lesson learnt.

They acknowledge their person made a mistake and have suggested they will retrain him.

Too bad for Kylie.

The end.
:rolleyes:

dazza.mk

Kylie wrote: »

I have no issue with paying the charges, I am just annoyed that they CONFIRMED the card was cancelled and could not be used from that moment on.

I think that AMEX should be responsible for it, just as I would be had I not cancelled it.

Unfortunately it can't really work like that for the small number of transactions that don't have online authorisation, as the retailer could not accept any card as valid, unless, as in the current sircumstances that they would still accept incoming charges if the card was still within rthe expiry date etc.

Kylie

dazza.mk wrote: »

Unfortunately it can't really work like that for the small number of transactions that don't have online authorisation, as the retailer could not accept any card as valid, unless, as in the current sircumstances that they would still accept incoming charges if the card was still within rthe expiry date etc.

Sorry Dazza, I'm not really sure what you mean.

lisyloo

when Amex says they cancelled a card they should do so

I agree, but what I'm saying is don't bank your house or anything really important on mistakes not being made.

This is not a sideline business or hobby - this is their "thing"!

Being a business does not immunise anyone against human error or computer failure.
I agree they should have systems and processes in place and they probably do, but even where that is enforced rigourously e.g. civil aviation, it does not stop things going wrong occassionally.

When I telelphoned I did so because there was an urgency; I did not have the luxury of a recorded post letter etc.

There are other methods e.g. email, fax. It was just an example.
I have phoned people before and demanded a fax and then stood by the fax machine until it came (and rang them if it didn't). So there are ways and means.
Fax and email should make things instant.

Sorry Dazza, I'm not really sure what you mean.

How does a small retailer who is not on-line, know that the cancelled card is not valid.
If they are just working from paper and are not on-line then they have no way of knowing.
Think of a tiny hardware store in the country etc.

Kylie

lisyloo wrote: »

I agree, but what I'm saying is don't bank your house or anything really important on mistakes not being made.

Luckily I didn't.

It was a Sunday evening, possibly an overseas Call Centre, but you're right. I should have assumed they would not be able to carry out my very simple request and demanded an email be sent to me with confirmation of my request.

The charges put on the card were no tiny offline businesses.

But point taken.

Thank you for your replies.

Kylie

lisyloo wrote: »

How does a small retailer who is not on-line, know that the cancelled card is not valid.
If they are just working from paper and are not on-line then they have no way of knowing.
Think of a tiny hardware store in the country etc.

They ring a telephone number for authorisation. Pretty standard for small businesses still with the old paper forms.

lisyloo

Sorry don't know what dazza means then.

My personal experience is that once I started getting proof (I often ask for operators name over the phone), I have had a far lower experience of mistakes happening.

There is one occasion I can think of where a proof of posting, saved my bacon.

BTW - a proof of posting is FREE, but only proves you sent something, not that it was delivered. You get it at the post office.
It can be useful in some cases e.g. if you send back items on approval you are only responsible for posting and you are not liable for them.
Has saved me spending 75p in some cases.

Kylie

Ja, I agree