BHS Aggressively and Covertly Trying to Sell OAPs Store Cards – Who do I complain to?

WD40

Hi,

My 72-year old mother recently bought some furniture in BHS. She was told by a woman at the desk that she ought to apply for a BHS ‘store card’, as it would entitle her to a £30 discount.

Having never owned a credit card in her life and with no intention of getting one, she asked ‘is it a credit card’. Instead of getting a straight answer, the store woman replied ‘no, it’s a store card – it’s not the same thing’. My mother now gets the impression it's a similar thing to a loyalty card... The woman sat down with her and filled the form in on her behalf...

Fast forward two weeks and my mother received a letter from Barclaycard, stating she’s been turned down for a Barclaycard…

She is utterly distraught for two reasons: one, she didn’t realise it was anything to do with BHS, and thought someone had tried to steal her identity. Two, not being worldly in finance and having had such issues handled by men such as my late father and latterly myself, she is scared of the implications of ‘being turned down for credit’ – even though she’s fortunate enough not to need it.

I had to spend an hour on the phone with her to comfort her, telling her it was nothing to worry about as she’s got savings to live of.

I am utterly livid that a member of BHS staff could deny such a card to be a ‘credit card’ (store cards are the same thing, it’s simply semantics), and angry that they’d offer one to a 72-year old lady.

Has anyone else witnessed BHS employing these tactics? Should I go straight to the FOS or BHS first? I can’t see the latter giving any apology as it’s obviously company policy to lie to vulnerable ladies such as my mother.

Thanks in advance.

elsien

I don't think they are targetting little old ladies, I think it is their procedure to ask anyone buying something if they want one - they tried to sell one to both me and my mum using the phrase "store card." I realised what it was and said no, mum thought it was like a nectar card but when she asked if it was a credit card they did say yes. Although they didn't make it clear it was a credit card until asked straight out.
If they did tell your mum it wasn't a credit card that was wrong and she should complain. However my mum at 74 would be appalled to not be asked about relevant offers and denied access to credit just because she's older - many people in their seventies are financially savvy and being older doesn't automatically make you vulnerable or mean that you don't get offered anything any more.
So if I were you, I'd target get your mum to target her complaint about the misleading description and the outright denial that it was credit.

_Andy_

"angry that they’d offer one to a 72-year old lady. " why? Should 70+ year olds not have access to credit?

Jules2012

If you feel you have a complaint you would have to go through BHS. I believe FOS will not entertain you unless you do this.

However I am not sure what your complaint can be, how do you prove she was coerced/duped?

And her age is irrelevant unless your implying they shouldn't ask someone who's over 70? If they don't have an upper age limit then it would be ageist for them not to ask.

sophieschoice

I sympathise. Debenhams did the same to my 78 year old Mum. It was 'sold' to her as a loyalty card.

_Andy_

Right, so anyone over 70 isn't able to read the forms they're signing? pur-lease

sophieschoice

Don't be ridiculous. They haven't grown up with store cards. If stores push the 'loyalty' factor they think they're getting a Nectar or Clubcard.

_Andy_

So they can't read a form?

jonesMUFCforever

Doesn't matter where you shop they will try to buy your loyalty eg Tesco clubcard Morrisons miles LTSB avios credit card etc etc etc.
Does mum have any of these or object to them?

WD40

I'm sure there are people in their hundreds who are financially savvy (there's a Wall St trader who's 104, according to a documentary I saw). The point is that she was being offered a Barclaycard credit card, the only difference between that and a credit card being that it's only valid in one shop.

It's obviously company policy to deny it being a 'credit card'. The whole setup stinks, quite frankly.

She was lied to, fact. The person who did it seriously deserves a punch in the face. If it had been a man, I would personally do it and take whatever consequences. The bad publicity resulting from any subsequent legal action they might take would be my revenge. I'm just gutted it's not a man.

WD40

sophieschoice wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. They haven't grown up with store cards. If stores push the 'loyalty' factor they think they're getting a Nectar or Clubcard.

Thank you, Sophie.