direct debit come out of my account to playboy?!!!

atwitsend_2

I have just checked my online banking as usual this morning and there is a direct debit which has been taken out this morning.
The company is MGT LTD HVC LTD the amount was £15.

I only checked my online banking last night and this direct debit was not showing up in my list of current direct debits. I have just spoken to my bank (halifax) and they said that there is no details for the company apart from a telephone number which was 08708407000. I have rang this number and they say its a sky subsription charge for playboy channel! I went through to playboy and told them there is no way I have signed up to playboy channel!
They say its a transaction from 9th April 2008 in the middle of the night and my bank details were used to set up to watch climax channel :eek:
Well I know for a fact I did NOT do this, personally if I wanted to watch !!!!!! I would use the internet for free :rotfl: but my ex boyf was a bit of a !!!!!! addict (long story but he really does have an addiction to !!!!!!) so I can only assume he has used my bank details for this, possibly by taking my card out of my handbag.

Is there anything I can do about this?
I said to them that the transaction was so long ago and why has it taken so long to show and they said that they have had problem with their billing, I asked if they could check if there would be any more transactions to which she couldn't tell me! Now I am worried this was an ongoing thing and I am going to have more coming out! All they said to me was to contact the police.

dzug1

A card is no use for direct debits - (most) don't have bank account details on. Maybe he used details from your cheque book, if that's what happened.

I would think you have grounds to challenge it with your bank - Playboy should not have accepted a male voice as authority for a female's card, even if that voice said it had your permission. Report a fraudulent transaction. Don't bother with the police unless the bank tell you to - they won't be interested.

I was going to add dump this loser now - but I see you already have.

atwitsend_2

My bank card has the sort code and account number on it Playboy say that the details were entered on my tv. My skybox isn't connected to the telephone socket though....bank say I need to go down and see them, which I will do, but being 10 days overdue to give birth will have to wait til next week when bubs is born.
Playboy say to call the police, but I can't see what the police would do....

JohalaReewi

Contact your BANK and ask for a full and immediate refund under the direct debit guarantee scheme. Under the scheme, the supplier has to notify you of the amount they are going to take and give you at least 10 days notice. They haven't done this so the guarantee applies. Also cancel the DD and ask the bank not to allow the company to set up a DD on your account.

DD Guarantee scheme...
http://www.bacs.co.uk/Bacs/Consumers/DirectDebit/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/27/27-directdebit-guarantee.htm

However, being the Halifax you might get told you have to go into a branch to do this.
Best of luck and don't get fobbed off.

atwitsend_2

JohalaReewi wrote: »

Contact your BANK and ask for a full and immediate refund under the direct debit guarantee scheme. Under the scheme, the supplier has to notify you of the amount they are going to take and give you at least 10 days notice. They haven't done this so the guarantee applies. Also cancel the DD and ask the bank not to allow the company to set up a DD on your account.

DD Guarantee scheme...
http://www.bacs.co.uk/Bacs/Consumers/DirectDebit/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/27/27-directdebit-guarantee.htm

However, being the Halifax you might get told you have to go into a branch to do this.
Best of luck and don't get fobbed off.

Many thanks!
I'm gonna waddle off down there now and get it sorted! will report back soon!

Paul_Herring

dzug1 wrote: »

A card is no use for direct debits - (most) don't have bank account details on.

IME Barclays, Nationwide and Lloyds TSB all have the sort code and account number on their debit cards.

Not too sure who you bank with, but using them as an example of what most banks do is perhaps unwise.

atwitsend_2

all done! halifax refunded the DD. My concern is the company doing it again! Halifax said they can't do anything to block the company setting up DD's on my account! The DD deffo wasnt on my account last night and only showed up after the money had gone this morning!

Mikeyorks

There's a DD Mandate sitting on your current account (Transfers / Direct Debits etc ... left hand side) ...... cancel it. If you do that they're (Playboy) not allowed, under DD scheme rules, to set up another mandate without your permission.

atwitsend_2

It was cancelled first thing this morning, fingers crossed they won't set it up again!

dzug1

Paul_Herring wrote: »

IME Barclays, Nationwide and Lloyds TSB all have the sort code and account number on their debit cards.

Not too sure who you bank with, but using them as an example of what most banks do is perhaps unwise.

Should have checked - I'm sure they never used to....:o

Of the 4 debit cards that I have access to, two do, two don't. The two that don't have either sort code OR account number - not both

(retreats in embarrassment)

Mikeyorks

atwitsend wrote: »

It was cancelled first thing this morning, fingers crossed they won't set it up again!

They shouldn't .... the DD rules to scheme members are clear.

I'm still bemused Halifax refunded you ..... you must smile nicely! Where a DD is set up fraudulently the DD Guarantee doesn't apply ...... and the Bank should simply treat it as any other fraud case. However .... job done easiest way, so the niceties don't really matter.