Equifax report I didn't order!

annah1212

Hi all,

Hoping someone might be able to share some similar experiences on this one. I've received an email from Equifax today, thanking me for placing an order for a credit watch service that costs £69.99 and saying they have charged it to my credit card. Although I've bought services from Equifax before (hence why they have my credit card details), I have NOT ordered this service or even been on their website for months! I rang them and explained I had not ordered it and wanted a refund but they said no, they don't do refunds!!!!! I then rang Barclaycard and explained what had happened, expecting that they could stop the transaction, but they said it hasn't gone through yet and I need to ring again in five days' time when they can place it in dispute. What does this mean and what is likely to happen - will I get my money back? I can't really afford to lose £69.99 at the moment :mad: I've never disputed a payment before so not sure what usually happens. Thanks in advance folks

vickynleon

sorry can't give you advice but a bit confused with how they can't give you a refund even though some how this has been ordered without your consent? so surely this company could do it to loads of people and just say sorry we dont give refunds and get away with it? that truly is a disgrace. i can understand how you must be feeling. hope you get it sorted and get your money back asap.

wealdroam

You could start by reading MSE's Chargeback article.

Lots of info in there.

wealdroam

vickynleon wrote: »

sorry can't give you advice but a bit confused with how they can't give you a refund even though some how this has been ordered without your consent? so surely this company could do it to loads of people and just say sorry we dont give refunds and get away with it? that truly is a disgrace. i can understand how you must be feeling. hope you get it sorted and get your money back asap.

They are probably doing that because as far as they are concerned the OP has requested, and paid for, a service.
They have already started supplying the service and so are not bound to cancel the order.
Very difficult for anyone to prove they didn't do something.

Don't worry OP, the bank will sort it out.

annah1212

To be honest it doesn't surprise me as this isn't my first bad experience of Equifax and their customer services department is shocking - if you email, they won't reply, and if you phone, you usually get someone who doesn't understand enough English to really help. I'm pretty sure the woman I spoke to didn't understand that I never ordered the service and just thought I'd changed my mind. It was only ordered at 7pm today though and I rang at 7.45pm so you'd think they could still cancel it ... grrrrrr :mad:

Ectophile

I think what Barclaycard are saying is that you can't dispute a payment until you've actually received the bill with it on. At that point, you phone up Barclaycard and tell them that there's an unauthorised charge on your bill.

annah1212

Thanks Ectophile. Yep I do understand why they can't act before the transaction has gone through but I just wondered what holding it in dispute actually means and how likely I am to get my money back ...

The_Pedant

By the sounds, BC have no sight of the transaction yet & so technically there's nothing to refund.
Placing a credit card transaction in dispute usually suspends any interest & possibly payment until it is either cancelled or resolved.

Just out of interest, have you recently had a 'free trial' of the Equifax service etc?

annah1212

Thanks for that The chap at Barclaycard said he could see a £69.99 payment for a consumer credit report in progress but couldn't do anything till it was "authorised" and suggested 31 January as a good date to phone. I bought my credit report online from Equifax about two years ago (as a one-off - didn't enter into any free trials) and have had absolutely nothing to do with them since although my online account is still there and they seem to have kept hold of my credit card details. I checked the account last night and it shows as a brand new order apparently placed by me yesterday. I have absolutely no idea how this can have happened but I'm really cross :mad: