Help!!!!!!!! Credit card theft

nicolajaynepeasley

I made 2 payments of £4.09 using my credit card to purchase goods online in October, however they never arrived! In November 2 further payments of £73.33 were taken from my account without my authourisation, i cantacted the credit card company immediately.It was a call centre abroad who informed me that i would have to complete a dispute form. I requested that my credit card be frozen but they said that they couldn't. 2 further payments of £73.89 were taken in December, again i informed the credit card company & requested that my card was frozen again the company refused. The credit card company refunded the 1st 2 payments of £4.09 but refused to refund the further 4 payments stating that i must take it up directly with the mercahandiser. The merchandiser told me that when i made the initial payment i entered into a 6 month contract & i only had 17 days to cancel this agreement. I told them that i wanted a full refund as i haven't received any goods & they have refused, although they have cancelled the so called agreement & have said that no further payments will be taken. Please help as this is a 1st for me & i really don't know where or who to turn too. Kind regards Nicola.

zzzLazyDaisy

This wouldn't have anything to do with teeth whiteners or slimming pills by any chance?

nicolajaynepeasley

There were detox supplement pills.

zzzLazyDaisy

Where you order trial packs from two companies to take together? If so this is a well known scam - the agreement to take a further monthly supply at some exorbitant cost is hidden in the small print.

I don't know much about this scam but there is a similar scam going on with a tooth whitener called dazzle white.

If you do a search for the names of the products on here (or try google) I bet you'll find lots of other people who this has happened to. Your problem is that you almost certainly did authorise these deductions, albeit unwittingly.

AbbeyDhabi

Too late now, of course, but when ordering on-line, open a basic account with Electron or Solo (if you can find one) and use only that account. Also, do not give your sort code and account number, just the card details.

No funds means no payment and no charge.

As for your problem, you just need to follow the disputes procedure of your bank.

nicolajaynepeasley

The 2 products were from a company called healthfocus but given that i never received the goods then surely the agreement is void? Thankyou so much for your advice.

zzzLazyDaisy

Absolutely, but you need to get your credit card company to do a chargeback on the grounds that the goods were never received. You could also phone consumer direct, hopefully they will pass you straight through to trading standards.

EDIT - the company has a UK address (but may be based in US?) and they are known for this scam, see here

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/health-focus-c281019.html?sort=rated

nicolajaynepeasley

The company is based in the UK, capital one have refunded the original £4.09 but are refusing to refund the 4 other payments taken. Feel totally frustrated with it all.

AbbeyDhabi

You need to dispute these transactions. If, as you say, you didn't authorise them, the card company should refund you, unless they can can prove you did authorise the transactions.

nicolajaynepeasley

Thankyou for your advice, it has been most helpful. I followed the link that you posted & now feel physically sick! I can't believe how many people have been scammed by this company. I intend to go to both the police & trading standards. Capital one have been worse than useless but i am not going to give up without a fight & i intend to make a complaint regarding Capital one, any further advice is more than welcome. Just feel like such a fool & i'm beginning to feel that i don't have a hope of getting the £300 refunded for goods i didn't recieve & even if i had no one in thier right mind would pay this amount! Kind regards Nicola.

INT1

As you gave the card details the dispute is with you and the merchant to resolve.
A right pain in the rear end, Visa and mastercard are investigating these types of companies now though due to the sheer volume of complaints