Vent! SCS Unethical Selling

sarahdonnelly

Just thought I'd vent about this one it seems so wrong....

My husband and I are in need of a new sofa so went to SCS to get one on the 4yrs interest free credit deal. I explained at the time that we had past credit issues dating back to 2008 that may not have cleared yet and that I wasn't sure we'd get credit.

Needless to say we were turned down, fair enough. However, the salesman rang us the following morning and actually recommended that we get a family member to take out the credit for us solely in their name and we just give them the money. He also advised that he tells this to a lot of his customers to get round the strict credit checks!

Surely this is unethical? Is there anyone I can make a complaint to about this it seems so wrong! He advised it over the phone though so I have no written proof or anything.

dacouch

What has he done wrong?

Azari

dacouch wrote: »

What has he done wrong?

If you cannot work that out for yourself then it's unlikely that you have the in intelligence required to understand any explanation given.

dacouch

Azari wrote: »

If you cannot work that out for yourself then it's unlikely that you have the in intelligence required to understand any explanation given.

I have the intelligence thank you.

They have offered the OP a family member taking credit out in their name and the OP pay them.

If the OP has credit issues, this is how a lot of people in their position obtain items that require a credit check eg mobile phone contracts etc.

If the family member is willing to take the risk of the OP not paying them that's their problem, whoever SCS use to provide finance are obviously not prepared to accept the risk.

kermitfrog

sarahdonnelly wrote: »

...the salesman rang us the following morning and actually recommended that we get a family member to take out the credit for us solely in their name and we just give them the money. He also advised that he tells this to a lot of his customers to get round the strict credit checks!

Surely this is unethical?

Why? They'll just be selling the sofa to a creditworthy family member instead of you.

What's the big deal?

George_Michael

Azari wrote: »

If you cannot work that out for yourself then it's unlikely that you have the in intelligence required to understand any explanation given.

Thanks for totally proving what I stated earlier this month Azari.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=54995483&postcount=492

If you are going to comment on a person's intelligence, at least try to proofread your post first.

Evilm

Well firstly technically the sofas will be in the family members name so if anything goes wrong you have to get the family member to chase this all up. The family member is the one with the rights (and financial responsibilities) now.

Secondly, it just feels wrong. This isn't going to the shops for your brother to pick up a new book - and even then I'd say that you should pay cash to ensure no problems!

Whether its morally/legally wrong is another matter but its not something I'd like to hear a salesman suggest I do!

kermitfrog

Evilm wrote: »

Whether its morally/legally wrong is another matter but its not something I'd like to hear a salesman suggest I do!

So if a family member said to you, "Listen, I'll buy that sofa you want and you can pay me back", you'd still think that was unethical?

I doubt it. But by some sort of distorted logic you think that a salesman suggesting this is immoral. It's certainly not illegal, nor should it be.

Guarantors are used in all sorts business transactions all the time. This is the same thing.

shaun_from_Africa

I don't see that SCS have done anything wrong either morally or legally.

You would have had full knowledge of what was going to happen, as would the family member who would have to agree to this arrangement and if they are old enough to enter into a credit agreement, they would be old enough to understand the implications of what was going on.

I would be unable to get credit in the UK at present as I am not on the electoral register, but I would have no problems making repayments for a large purchase.
Would it be wrong for a family member to purchase an item on credit on my behalf and for me to arrange to repay them?

pmduk

There's very little ethical about selling.

Soapy955

I totally "get" what the OP is saying.
SCS just want to make the sale, they don't care where the money comes from, or whether the OP can afford to pay the family member back.
It's this kind of pursuasive selling that gets so many people into financial difficulties. The salesman doesn't know the OP's financial position and doesn't care, as long as he gets the sale!

Totally unethical of the company to allow this practise and I think it should be reported before someone naively takes the salesman's advice!