GE Money Card - Complaint about no Feb statement.

JMcC

I hope someone knowledgeable can give me an opinion on this, since I am not at all happy with GE Money's handling of the problem.

I did not receive a copy of my Credit card statement in February. I had paid the card off early, since I had mistakenly taken cash out (used wrong card at autoteller). But I wanted to see the statement since I want to see what interest and fee I've been charged.

Called GE on 26th Feb. The call was handled badly by GE and the person told me conflicting things - no statement will be issued since there was no balance due (since I had pair early) also - hold on a few days, it will be in the post. I insisted that he send me a new copy. He said ok, I'll get another copy out to you and you'll receive within 7 days.

No statement arrived. I tried to find a contact number on GE web site to get better response, but could find no complaint procedure, or way to escalate. So followed up with an e-mail on 9th March. This stated clearly on the subject line that I had a complaint and stated clearly my concerns - these included that I want a statement, and was worried about card fraud and identity theft. Also mentioned that I had to make repeated calls to 0870 premium rate number to check there was no unexpected use of the card.

One line response to this note - "I have sent a copy of your Feb statement, you should recieve that through within the next seven days. I hope you find this in order."

This is now seemingly the third statement which has been mailed.

I responded to that on 10th march. Note copied below -


Thanks for your note. I need to and hope I do eventually get a copy of the statement, however this does not satisfy my complaint which is now about your procedures to deal with missing statements and your ability to safeguard my personal details.

1. What happened to the original statement ? Was it mailed out and is now lost in the post ? Was it not mailed since there was no balance due ?

2. Where is the copy I was promised on 26th Feb ? Same points as above. Plus if this one was not mailed, why not ?

3. Where are the statements now ? Am I at any risk of someone now having them and therefore potentially at risk of theft from my account, or worse, identity theft ?

4. I'm still having to make calls to your 0870 premium rate number to check any card activity. Is there a way to get on line access to my account ?

Your note does not answer any of these point.

Please note I wish to formally complain about this. Can you confirm you have recorded this as a complaint and let me know how I can get a copy of your complaints procedure, I cannot find any such procedure on your web site. The web site tells me to either call 0870 126 2665, or send an e-mail. I have done both.

I'd be grateful for a speedy response to this note, since I am growing increasingly concerned.



Reply from GE -


Thank you for your only query,

Firstly may I begin by thanking you for your patience in this matter and to inform you that we have passed your query on to our complaints resolution dept as requested. Due to the nature of how statements are posted we would not be able to advise you on where a missing statement would end up, you may have to contact to Post Office to help resolve this matter.

May I take the opportunity to advise that you are not at risk of fraudulent use of your account as no details provided on a statement can be used to access your account. We have taken all relevant security precautions and exceed all FSA requirements to ensure the protection of your account details.

In the matter of online account access, we are currently working on this and should have the service available by late March. I hope this causes this minimum of inconvenience and apologise for any delays you have in accessing your account by telephone.

I hope that this goes some small way to helping with your enquiries and if you have any further questions then please don't hesitate to ask.

Kind Regards

GE MONEY



This is now 16th March 07. I still have no Feb statement.

Can anyone give any comment or guidance on this. Grateful for any help on how I could handle.

Paul_Herring

JMcC wrote: »

Can anyone give any comment or guidance on this. Grateful for any help on how I could handle.

From http://www.gemoney.co.uk/en/utility/contact_complain.html (which no doubt lists the 0870 number you used) suggests you phone or email them. And then says:

GE wrote:

If you're unhappy with our efforts to resolve your complaint, you can request a review from the independent Financial Ombudsman Service. We will inform you if you're eligible to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. They can be contacted at: Email: [EMAIL="enquiries@financial-ombudsman.org.uk"]enquiries@financial-ombudsman.org.uk [/EMAIL]
Web site: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk [IMG]chrome://targetalert/content/skin/new.png[/IMG]

I'd suggest you email them, saying unless you get a satisfactory response within 14 days you'll take ot to the FOS.

Rafter

Have you confirmed on the phone they have your correct address, particularly house number?

They are right though that there is no obligation to track every single one of the millions of statements they send out to their final destination, nor it is a requirement to be responsible for mail handling errors by the Royal mail.

I'm sure they also pay someone else to produce statements for them, so the problem may lie there. Certainly if your statement doesn't turn up you have grounds to have it faxed or sent to you via recorded delivery, if they appear to be incapable of using normal postal channels after 3 attempts.

R.

inmypocketnottheirs

A couple of numbers from https://www.saynoto0870.com that you can call so as to avoid the 0870 premium rate rip off. Geographic number 0208 181 0000 and freephone 0808 2081140.

Best of luck!

JMcC

Thanks for reading this.

I think I will say in my next e-mail that I intend complaining to the external regulating body. I really think it is bad news that GE do not seem very happy to tell me what their complaints procedure is.

Also I've been getting statements for several months, so they have my correct details. My big problem this time is that I do not think they are doing what they say they will do. Losing the first statement I can understand. I strongly suspect they just have not bothered to send any others and just tell me they have. For that reason, I intend getting them to confirm to me that they have mailed them, then taking up with post office. Alternatively I want them to admit they have not mailed any.

This is what I plan to send this evening :


I still do not have a copy of my February statement.

To close this matter, I need - To actually get a copy of my February statement (or get on line access to my account) - To know what statements exactly are lost in the post, when they were mailed, and any other info you think I'd need to provide to the Post Office to help them track. - Some action from GE to demonstrate that you are making an effort to safeguard my statements and so protect my personal details (risk of identity fraud). - This has not been handled at all well, I've already asked this - How I can see your complaints procedure ?

Also, if you are unable to satisfy the above points, can you inform me if I am eligible to refer this complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

KTF

Have you asked if they can give you the information you require over the phone?

anniebeetham

I came across your message when trawling through credit card forum. I got a GE Money credit card at the end of July 2006 & though my issues have been different from yours JMcC, GE Money's way of dealing with it has been very similar.
I set up a direct debit to pay off the full amount each month, though I have ended up making a transfer from my current account each month as the direct debit has not been claimed by GE Money except on one occasion - AFTER I'd paid it with a transfer.
I wrote & cancelled the card on Jan 8th, the final settlement payment went from my current account on February 11th & they are still harassing me for payment. After enquiring with my current account company (Smile), they did a 'BACS trace' proving that the money has gone to GE & is probably still in one of their 'holding accounts'.
I'm sure that I applied for this credit card after seeing it recommended as a cashback card on MSE, but can find to ref to it now - maybe I dreamt it? Their service has been appalling. I haven't had March statement yet, though someone phoned from GE this evening & because I couldn't quote my card number (cut it up & threw it away) they said they couldn't go on with the call. I called the contact number and after answering security questions & pressing this & that number I was told that the office was closed! Why couldn't the message say that at the outset - could it be that they earn revenue from the phone calls?
Thank good ness I've kept every bit of paper they've sent me & faithfully record calls, amounts paid etc on the iCal on my Mac - I have all the info in front of me when I do phone & can quote dates & details to them as we speak - not that it's done me any good yet.
I won't give up. Has anyone else had problems with them & did I see the card recommended on MSE - or is that just part of the nightmare?

DeepSporran

Has anyone else had problems with them & did I see the card recommended on MSE

You did see it recommended. I believe it's no longer mentioned because it's not available to new applicants.

I have one but thankfully haven't had any problems (so far ! :rolleyes: )

Oh, I forgot - for the first few months or so, they were giving out 3% on all purchases (not just supermarkets and petrol) so their systems don't seem to be the slickest. This was covered in at least one thread here on MSE. However, that problem was of benefit to cardholders, so I'm not complaining.

Hope you manage to sort them out.

DS

JMcC

I have still not closed this problem, but I do not intend to let it drop. I am beginning to wonder if GE are actually trying to get me to close the account to avoid the 3% cashback.

anniebeetham, I'd be interested to hear how you get on also.

Latest update on this one is that I did send an e-mail to GE last Saturday 17th March. Basically saying I still had no statement, but needed one. Although want to know what happened to the 3 they claim had been sent. Also stressed this should be treated as a complaint and where I could see complaint procedure. I also pointed out I am getting other mail as normal, so suspect GE have not sent statements, or they are having some kind of internal problem.

What I really want is a statement and for GE to demonstrate that they are cabable of running my account.

Anyway, a message was left on my phone later that day (I assume from someone looking at the complaint) saying I'd get a response in 5 working days. So I hope to get something today.........

JMcC

PS, I have still not had a February statement, but the March one was delivered yesterday.

Also said at bottom of my last note - Am I eligible to refer this complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service ?