Companies Retaining Your Information

webmuppet

I deal with an American hosting company and when I renewed my packages with them today they made me register a credit card which is now kept in their systems. I paid last year with the same card and they just took the payment but this year their system retains the card details. Long story stort, I don't like my card details retained as I'm naturally suspicious but also I know they'll use it to rebill me automatically if I accidently forget to cancel something.

I asked them to remove the card details but they said they had to retain the information for "Identification Purposes" which is a crap excuse so they can make sure they can rebill without specific authorisation.

Does anyone know is there any way I can force them to do this? Maybe the data protection act or suchlike?

Taffybiker

I would be contacting my bank to cancel the card and ask for another one. Meantime, I'd be looking for recommendations regarding a new hosting company.

Fire_Fox

If you have inadvertently authorised a recurring payment from your credit card (bit like a DD) the only way to cancel it is to cancel the card. Agree with tattybiker, vote with your feet.

ETA linky
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments

John_Gray

Unfortunately the Data Protection Act, fairly toothless though it is, does not apply outside the UK!

Taffybiker

Fire_Fox wrote: »

If you have inadvertently authorised a recurring payment from your credit card (bit like a DD) the only way to cancel it is to cancel the card. Agree with tattybiker, vote with your feet.

ETA linky
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments

I know I can be a bit scruffy at times, but don't advertise it!