Debit Card Payments

tighey

Hi,

I recently spotted against my bank statement a POS charge that I couldn't remember authorising. It turns out this charge was a regular charge coming out of my account on a quaterly babsis over the past two years... only now had I spotted it!

(If you must know!!) these was a speed dater online charge, now I vaguely rmember going on one speed dater event a couple of years ago, but I have never used the services since that time.

I'm wondering if I have any leeway in attmpting to get a full or partial refund from Speed Dater Online against these charges. I am also wondering what the legality of these types of regular POS payments from my debit card are. Do I not have to explicity 'ok' every POS transaction against my debit cards? - I find the fact that these charges can be collected automatically very worrying, its not like a standing order or direct debit that you can easily spot against your bannk accounts!

Cheers,

tighey

C_Ronaldo

have you phoned up the company in question

tighey

Yes, I've cancelled the payment over the phone. I have also emailed asking for confirmation of the cancellation and also asking for a refund as I have not used the service in years and had no idea I was making the payments. I'm awaiting a reply (hopefully within next 48 hours). I'm not confident but you never know.

However I'm more worried on how these charges are actually made. They look like a standard card transaction, which being on account that has loads of these debit transactions I just simply did not spot. I noticed only now because I reorganised my accounts and would only have expected direct debits and standing orders to come out from the account in question.

Bossyboots

When you paid with your debit card you instigated a Continuous Payment Authority on which subject there are a number of threads on these forums.

This basically means that you have authorised these payments until the company agrees to stop collecting them. This means you have to end your contract with the company. You cannot stop the payments yourself and you do not need to authorise each and every one.

The same thing can be set up on a credit card.

I would presume that when you signed up you agreed to terms and conditions which stated how you could end your membership and that payments would be taken regularly until that termination. I would be surprised if you could cancel over the telephone and you are very wise to ask for it in writing.

tighey

Thanks Bossyboots, much appreciatted! - I was thick for signing this agreement without taking a proper look but at least i've learnt from the expericience!

One thing though, what happens if you can't get the company to agree to cancel (not that they have done mind!)? - there must be some mecahsim to halt payments?!?

Bossyboots

tighey wrote: »

Thanks Bossyboots, much appreciatted! - I was thick for signing this agreement without taking a proper look but at least i've learnt from the expericience!

One thing though, what happens if you can't get the company to agree to cancel (not that they have done mind!)? - there must be some mecahsim to halt payments?!?

I think that once you get confirmation of the cancellation then your bank will refund any payments made after that date but I don't know if anyone has actually confirmed this worked for them.

Stopping the card or closing the account doesn't work either because the bank will simply continue to pay on the card (according to stories posted here).

I don't know what happens if they won't cancel the contract.