Phones 4 U wont refund pay as you go phone

blackguy52

Hi everyone..I decided to join this site as I need some help with a very complicated situation.
Basically on January 3rd I ordered a Blackberry 9320 for 109.95 from phones4u for my brother..i ordered it to a different delievery address than my billing address and so the order was rejected for security reasons.
Basically i got told by phones 4u customer service, a refund will happen in 10 days.
It's now the 23rd january and i had no refund, so contacted customer services again who asked me to send proof that i hadnt had a refund in bank statement form.
I did this and got told this:

'Phones 4u do not actually receive a payment for any order until the order is complete and the handset despatched. The funds are taken from a customers account as a “ghost transaction” and are held by the bank in a holding account.

The funds are put back into a customers account within 10 working days of the bank receiving confirmation the order has been cancelled, but as per our conversation on the telephone, you will not see this on your statement as an incoming payment from Phones 4u.

The bank will be able to confirm this for you, and I apologise for any confusion that has occurred and for our customer service team requesting a bank statement.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment you have experienced due to this. Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact me on 08448 712 244. This line is available Monday to Friday from 9am-6pm.'

- I went to the bank (halifax) who told me that i can't chargeback as phones4 u have to authorise that for a refund. And according to them theyve given me a screen statement print out which says phones4 u debited me..
am so confused..where do i stand? what can i do?
The way i see it is..no phone was dispatched..but im not refunded??

mije1983

What does your actual bank statement show? A debit from Phones4U?

Buzby

These shadow charges are very common, and whilst they reduce your available credit they do not mean any money as changed hands. Your bank may show the funds reserved (but not paid). There is nothing to refund, as the shadow charge will expire naturally, and will never show on your statement. If it does, then you've really been billed!

blackguy52

Well I went into halifax..explained to the woman what the guy from phones 4u said..and all she told me was if it's a pending transaction..it'll be pending on their system but it shows as debited.. so she said they need to refund me or call halifax to refund me..the matter is am now left with both saying neither have the money..no phone..and a bit stuck..

blackguy52

mije1983 wrote: »

What does your actual bank statement show? A debit from Phones4U?

It shows a payment out on january 7th (a few days later than january 3rd) for 109.95 which was the cost of the item to phones4u.

grumbler

blackguy52 wrote: »

....
'Phones 4u do not actually receive a payment for any order until the order is complete and the handset despatched. The funds are taken from a customers account as a “ghost transaction” and are held by the bank in a holding account.
...you will not see this on your statement as an incoming payment from Phones 4u....

blackguy52 wrote: »

It shows a payment out on january 7th (a few days later than january 3rd) for 109.95 which was the cost of the item to phones4u.

Well, it's obvious that p4u are talking bu11shit. Just email them a copy of your statement with this transaction.

blackguy52

This is where the problem arises..
i originally contacted phones 4u customer support, who said provide a bank statement to prove you haven't recieved the refund.
I then got a email from them saying this:

Phones 4u do not actually receive a payment for any order until the order is complete and the handset despatched. The funds are taken from a customers account as a “ghost transaction” and are held by the bank in a holding account.

The funds are put back into a customers account within 10 working days of the bank receiving confirmation the order has been cancelled, but as per our conversation on the telephone, you will not see this on your statement as an incoming payment from Phones 4u.

The bank will be able to confirm this for you, and I apologise for any confusion that has occurred and for our customer service team requesting a bank statement.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment you have experienced due to this. Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact me on 08448 712 244. This line is available Monday to Friday from 9am-6pm.'


What can I do..is there any law that protects me? what should i write back to them and say?

Any help appreciated sincerely

grumbler

Just contact p4u again first.
The transaction in your statement clearly proves that they are talking rubbish about 'ghost transaction'. Such transactions ('authorised amount') affect only available balance and don't appear in the statement.
It was not 'ghost'. Full stop.

If they refuse, talk to your bank again with all the information and ask for a chargeback again.

In the worst case scenario, send a Letter Before Action to p4u demanding a refund and a compensation for giving you runaround. Then submit a claim to the online small claims court. They don't have a leg to stand on.

Fifer

Inform your bank that the debit made by P4U was unauthorised and ask them to deal with it.