Marks And Spencers Charged Me For Something I Never Bought

2ran

I dunno how to explain my situation so I will just go ahead and list everything.

I have a marks & spencers online account which my credit card is obviously registered too. A month ago I received an email saying my order had been processed and collected from there store. Now the thing is I never made this order so I contacted marks and spencers and they told me someone had ordered the item from there store on my account and had collected it. This is where you may get confused now the same day someone in my household went shopping in marks and spencers and ordered an item that wasn't in stock they were only asked for a postcode and they paid cash at the till. It turns out this is the item that marks and spencers charged me for. There are two issues I have with this obviously the item had already been paid for so why was my account then charged aswell and secondly how is it anyone can order from my account so long as they know my postcode.

I have other issues with them regarding this matter but I need some advice on what to do. We don't have the receipt for the item which was paid in cash.

wealdroam

I really would be looking hard for the receipt for that cash purchase.
Without it, I can foresee difficulties.

Maybe, armed with the date and approx time of that cash purchase, you can get the M&S store to search their till records or something.

unholyangel

You dont need a receipt. Ask them to check their merchant copy. You can also request they access the cctv - which should clearly show that cash was paid at the time of purchase.

As for them being able to access your account with nothing more than your postcode, you need to write to them and make a complaint under the Data Protection Act that your personal information is not being fairly processed as it is not secure or being used in a way you would reasonably expect.

2ran

One of the store managers rang me and said it was impossible there was a mistake and that the blame was that someone in my address passed there "3 point plan" or something like that security questions when ordering. Given my credit cards do not leave my possession at all and that I am a Male and the other person is Female with no matching first name or surname. It shocks me that anyone can make purchases on my account. What do you guys think I should do now. I really don't want to go to the store its far from where I live but if I have to I will.

wealdroam

So three people reply to your query, two offer advice, one doesn't.
You thank the one that offers no advice and ignore the others, in that respect.
How strange.

Anyway...

Without any proof of that cash purchase, as I said earlier, you will have difficulties.

From their point of view, you have the goods and they have charged your account/card... with apparently no other transaction having taken place.

In my humble opinion, you really need proof of that cash purchase to stand any chance of getting this put right.

At the moment, it's your word against theirs.

You could I suppose just send them a Letter Before Action threatening court action if they don't refund your money.
Depending on the amount, they may decide it's not worth the aggro of court and make a goodwill gesture refund.

2ran

Sorry my mistake i thought clicking thanks. Thanked everybody in the thread.

Anyway regarding these merchant copies i can tell them when and where the item was paid in cash. What else was bought with it. How much it cost in total. How much was paid amd how much change was recieved. Also is there like a template for a letter before action.

wealdroam

2ran wrote: »

Sorry my mistake i thought clicking thanks. Thanked everybody in the thread.

Anyway regarding these merchant copies i can tell them when and where the item was paid in cash. What else was bought with it. How much it cost in total. How much was paid amd how much change was recieved. Also is there like a template for a letter before action.

You seem to have plenty of details.
Just remember that you are asking them to help you, so trying to force them will not work.

For lots of info about letter before action, and a sample lba, see this CAB webpage.

There are many others around the internet.
Google letter before action for many samples.

terra_ferma

Now, I don't know you or your female relative, but is there any chance that they charged the item to your card without telling you?
Maybe a teenager who is now afraid of getting into trouble if they admit doing that, or someone not as honest as you think? Hidden gambling problem, bingo addiction etc?

It just seems so unlikely that someone goes to the till to pay cash and they would connect the purchase to your card.

Or alternatively, maybe their purchase has got nothing to do with that and it was a simple case of credit card fraud (online, cloning, etc?), and the fact that the item is similar is just a freak coincidence?

Just looking at this from various angles, if it helps, as sometimes the explanation is not where we think it is

PS another scenario: they purchased two, one cash and one with card, and sold one of them?

steveE2

Something doesn't quite add up here
The order that was paid in cash,has this been collected?
If so,who collected it and how were they notified it was ready for collection if only your postcode was given.

2ran

terra_ferma wrote: »

Now, I don't know you or your female relative, but is there any chance that they charged the item to your card without telling you?
Maybe a teenager who is now afraid of getting into trouble if they admit doing that, or someone not as honest as you think? Hidden gambling problem, bingo addiction etc?

It just seems so unlikely that someone goes to the till to pay cash and they would connect the purchase to your card.

Or alternatively, maybe their purchase has got nothing to do with that and it was a simple case of credit card fraud (online, cloning, etc?), and the fact that the item is similar is just a freak coincidence?

Just looking at this from various angles, if it helps, as sometimes the explanation is not where we think it is

PS another scenario: they purchased two, one cash and one with card, and sold one of them?

I saw the receipt myself they had paid in cash for it. We didn't keep the receipt as I didn't find out that they had also charged my credit card until I received my credit card bill. Like I said there are a few issues at hand the first one being why they charged my card even though the item was paid for in cash and secondly how is it possible for anybody apart from myself the account holder to order from my account in store.

2ran

steveE2 wrote: »

Something doesn't quite add up here
The order that was paid in cash,has this been collected?
If so,who collected it and how were they notified it was ready for collection if only your postcode was given.

When an order is made in store for store collection it tells you on the reciept when to collect it.