Telecom Plus Poorer and poorer

COS

Smartass another case of TP misleading the public

http://www.asa.org.uk/adjudications/show_adjudication.asp?adjudication_id=38116&from_index=issues&issue_id=12

I would like to know why Telecom Plus are still advertising to be the cheapest for Electricity and Gas in the Uk.

COS

Telecomplus keep taking money from my Credit Card of which I have never authorised other than on the occasion when I paid a bill over the phone many months ago. Last month Telecom Plus took a payment from my Card of which they say they can do, but as I don't have a copy of the T and C's of which I signed as my dear agent of the day because I thought he was a trust worthy guy did not return them and Telecom Plus won't supply them as I requested, so I don't really know if this is correct as I know they have changed the T and C's since.

I sent an email of complaint to Capital One informing them that this payment is not authorised and requested they stop any future payments. They said they would send a form to dispute the payment and investigate of which I am still waiting for and requested again.

On the 8th July Telecom Plus have taken another payment of which Capital One has allowed again.I have just come off the phone with Capitalone after speaking to their Indian call centre, they are most unhelpful as they tell me that they won't cancel the payments until I return the form of which I am still waiting for and that I have to get in touch with Telecom Plus to cancel the payments of which I did last month by phone. Having pulled my Hair out I explained to them again that I had called them and that the Card is being charged with out my permission but this fell on deaf ears. They were polite to inform me that my monthly Credit Card payment had been received but I was £1.50 over the limit and inquired how I would like to pay this £$%&*&^%$£""$%^^&%

The fact remains that Capital One are continuing to honour unauthorised  payments to Telecom Plus dispite them not having permission to take them.

Smartasss

COS, although it's a pain, the only sure way of stopping this happening is to follow the advice I made earlier:

It seems that if you want to prevent them taking any money from you for a disputed invoice you will have to cancel your direct debits AND your credit/debit cards (if you have misguidedly and in good faith used them with this outfit).

COS

I reported this to the Credit Card company and asked them to stop any payments and also told TPlus they don't have my permission to use this Card but this has made no difference. All this was done in June.

COS

As posted on the Credit Card page

I have just called CapitalOne to report the the Card lost and advised them the reason why I am having to say that. They put me through to the Customer care team in the Uk who were most helpful. They are disputing the transactions of which TP have taken also thay say they will also start placing charges upon TelecomPlus until they get the message that they can not abuse people in this way to the point if they continue they will refer them for legal action.

hansi

The moral of this story is, NEVER, EVER use a credit card for regular payments with ANY COMPANY. The only way you can stop it is how you have done it. Cancel the card, and that doesn't always work!

Smartasss

Your advice is sound, Hansi.

Though in the case of Telecom Plus the situation is much more worrying and sinister!

It seems that if you at any time use a debit or credit card for a one-off payment, (not a regular payment), then they will retain the card details in their system and use them at any time in the future to claim money from you should you have a dispute with them and stop your direct debit to prevent payment being taken.

hansi

Doesn't that contravene the Data Protection Act and is it legal? >:(

Smartasss

Unfortunately no contravention of Data Protection, and as far as legality goes, they do include this sinister practice, (though buried deeply), in their Ts + Cs (to which you must agree when signing up with them).

(Though they would find it hard to claim they had the law on their side if they tried it on after you disputed an invoice, had told them you wanted to dispute it - and told them they were not to take any payment from anywhere until the dispute was settled)

However you look at it, it's a disgraceful way to act!

lswwong

Yes, legal. Though it can be construed as manifestly unfair i.e. burying a payment mandate clause in the small prints. Something like this should be made very explicit e.g. have a separate mandate form.

Glad COS took the actions he did.