Credit card Fraud

DaveMcDave

I have a story about Virgin (MBNA) credit cards which I think everyone should know about, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one to have this nightmare.
About a year ago I decided to transfer my balance from my HSBC credit card to a cheaper 0% card and decided on the Virgin Credit card through MBNA. As soon as the balance was transferred I made a payment of £200 straight away. When I came to check my online statement I found I'd been charged for late payment of the minimum payment due and I was now being charged interest on the full balance. I contacted Virgin Credit cards by phone and was told I'd been too quick on making the minimum payment. However they would cancel the charge and also the interest. They did not cancel the interest and I've been paying full interest on the full amount of the balance. I think this had something to do with not buying their PPI and various other services which I thought were just too expensive. I did try and transfer the balance back to my HSBC card which was cheaper APR but was turned down. So I decided to live with it.
Now I didn't use the card for some months and stupidly didn't check my monthly statements online, until August/September when I noticed I'd been getting monthly charges for around £26 from unknown places. So I reluctently called Virgin to find out what they were. I say reluctently as calling them meant having them try and sell me all sorts of PPI's and Fraud protection etc. Turns out that in January someone somewhere got hold of my credit card details and has been billing me for 'Internet Services'! Various websites are using my card to open access to websites I've never heard of, totalling around £200 over the 8 months. On the 1st call I was told my account would have a block placed on it. And that I should expect a call from their Fraud dept. Of course they then tried to sell me Fraud protection at £70 a year. I told them to get stuffed. After a couple of weeks I heard nothing so I called again. This time I was more irrate and just wished they'd try to sell me something so I could scream all hell at them. See on the first call we had decided to contact the subscription Internet billing place that was charging me and have the billing cancelled. But by the time the 2nd call happened I'd had my 'Account access' re-activated. The woman I spoke to then put me through directly to the company making these charges to my card for me to sort out myself!:mad: Of course they promised that no further charges would be made to my card. Just over a month passed and several times I tried to log into my online billing statement and was told my login attempts had been exceeded and I should call this 0800 number. So I called and was told that I'd have to speak to another dept. I was calling Customer Assistance, but I'd have to speak to Customer Services??? So I was transferred and I waited. I had the online banking login sorted, so I could log in. And lo and behold I'm getting charged from a different Internet Billing company now. So another call to Virgin. Although I think I am now dealing direct with MBNA. I tell them I have no idea who these companies are. But they tell me they have to honour the payments, so I have to pay the fees. I can't believe what I'm hearing! I'm told to email the companies and I'm given a statement to let them know they must cancel any authority I HAVE (even though I haven't) given them to charge my card and to keep copies of this. So while I have them on the phone I do this. However I get an immediate reply telling me that the email address on their website doesn't exist. The phone number they provide also doesn't exist. It just cuts off. Another phone number which I had to find for the chap from MBNA, cos their company internet blocks these sites due to their content, redirects to a woman offering...well, it involves handing over credit card details but has nothing to do with online banking. When I ask what they are going to do about this fraud they again tell me that they must honour the payments. So therefore I must pay as well. The emails I've been told to send are all that I have as proof to stop the billing. So someone steals my credit card details, uses them to force through payments which I must honour, and MBNA will do sod all to stop it!:mad:
So I ask the $60,000 question. See the charges changed every couple of months. From one internet billing company to another, all of which have very similair websites. So what's to stop them simply taking my card details and making charges on another Internet Billing Company? Took him a minute to come up with an answer for that one. So I asked him can't we just cancel the card? Well of course we can cancel the card and issue a new one. WELL LETS DO THAT THEN! Why it wasn't done in the first place I've no idea! Again having to do all the work myself! So finally I will get a new card, and if any further attempts are made to use the old details "we've got them" I'm told. But it won't get my £300 now lost on my card back to me. Seems I still have to make the payments.

So if anyone can give me advice here, as it seems really unbelievable that I have no way to get this cash back, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks for reading all this drivvel.
McDave

jonesMUFCforever

Your posting is very long BUT you lost me when you said that you took no notice of statements received - that is not MBNA's fault.
There is usually a cut off period for you to challenge fraudulent activity - with some cards it will be 60 days others it might be 90.

Having said that if fraudulent transactions have taken place you are not liable - so I would give them one last shot at sorting it out - WRITE a letter and head it FORMAL COMPLAINT - try to cut your post above right down - state the facts without being emotional or angry - the last paragraph should say that if you do not get a satisfactorily reply with 28 days you will be taking your complaint to the Ombudsman.

gnaril

Your post is horrendous.

as stated there is usually a cut off point that the bank will take in reporting activity like this, the fact you dont check your statements is your own fault.

One good thing thought should be easy to prove if the bank do request the transaction information, should flag up the IP address it was signed up from, easy way to determine if it was you or not thats done this.

Your post is all over the place, you dont recognise the charges, you then contact the company and asked them to cancel the subscription.... if it was you that signed up for it why would they stop, they aint going to have your personal details to stop this.....

The bank will have the option to chargeback these payments, either that you dont recognise or cancellled recurring payment. however should be form need to be completed. As they about their chargeback route. As if there is a chargeback available, it will generally be done first, then if it comes back with Third party details it would be sent to the fraud guys to deal with.

Bear in mine you got basically 4 months. from the transaction date to charge it back so some of these payments they wont be able to assist with.

Next time check your statements for any unusual activity, its your responsabilty to report anything you dont recognise in a timely manner.
Hope this helps

DaveMcDave

Yes thanks for that folks. I know the post is ridiculously long but I couldn't think of anyway to make it short.

I do not recognise the charges! I was told to email the people and ask for a cancellation by MBNA when I called them. That was all their idea, not mine.

The only thing I will admit to is not checking my statements regularly. I will accept that much. But that I signed up to some strange website? Never.

I'll make arrangements to contact MBNA and request that the charges be nullified. Thanks again.

gnaril

Ye for any transaction that you state you dont recognise- Mastercard requirement is that you make steps to contact the merchant to idenfify the payment.( visa is different).
If they are unable to help or advise you bank will just chargeback the payment. Need something in writing to say,
The transaction for XXXXBigbouncing boobs XXX was not mine I have contacted the merchant in an effort to identiy the payment via phone and they advised me to contact my card issuer as unable to assist.

Something like that will suffice:P

Good luck mate

ElkyElky

It usually helps ALOT to use paragraphs when typing long storys. It makes it easier to read and keeps the readers attention.

I never read your post because of that reason.

DaveMcDave

ElkyElky wrote: »

It usually helps ALOT to use paragraphs when typing long storys. It makes it easier to read and keeps the readers attention.

I never read your post because of that reason.

You didn't read it, but you are replying to it?

ElkyElky

DaveMcDave wrote: »

You didn't read it, but you are replying to it?

You don't have to read the first post in order to reply.

jonesMUFCforever

ElkyElky wrote: »

You don't have to read the first post in order to reply.

You are perfectly qualified to become a politician!:rolleyes: