AA taking direct debit payments without third party consent

They_make_all_the_rules

Thank you as I am yet to receive a reply I will.

I am most concerned that when I provide a card for payment monies are still taken long after the card has expired! When I present a card for payment and provide the required expiry date details I expect those debits to cease upon expiry of the card. I would expect a request for updated details and consent for payments from a new card to come from me not my card issuer.

I believe I consented to payments being made on the card details I provided. I did not knowingly consent to payments being taken on any further card I held but had not provided the details of, or instruction to take payments on.

They_make_all_the_rules

[FONT=&quot]The AA have responded to me and have been able to confirm that an automated process allows the card provider to update them with new expiry date details. They were not provided with a new card number as, even when the card number is different, the card company will still make the payment as the card is still attached to the account.

I provided alternative card details when they wrote to me to advise me my membership was unpaid. I do not have this letter but can only assume I took it as a reminder and phoned in and provided the details of my preferred card. I am at a loss to explain why I was not alerted to the problems awaiting me relating to the original card. I do not recall being informed of any declined payments.

Again as I have stated previously the difficulties only arose when I failed to update the first card company with my contact details when I had to move home. I do now have a fuller understanding of the CPA process. I believed myself to "financially aware" and have been in control of all of my financial arrangements for 25 years but I failed to manage this situation.

I was unaware of the detail of a CPA. I now have a little more knowledge thanks to the help of forums such as this. I do not accept this as a suitable payment method for me and will not enter into agreements of this type again.

I believe the whole process would be a little easier to manage if the details you provide expire along with the card you hold. I do not know why card companies update the expiry date but not the card number to match the card that you hold. This added to my difficulties when trying to piece together the events and circumstances relating to this matter.

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P_in_the_A

same thing has happened to me, just checked my bank account to see that the AA has taken £57.74 as 'initial payment of membership'.

I didn't ask to be a member of the AA and I don't even own a car. I foolishly opted to insure my last car with the AA and they included free AA membership that I never requested, wanted or used. I sold my car last summer and cancelled my insurance with them, paid a £50 cancellation fee and was dubiously overcharged beyond that as a final payment that I queried but eventually just gave up and paid. I told them I'd sold my car was the reason for me cancelling my insurance.

Given that I no longer own a car (and the AA should know that as I told them it), I can't see how they can start charging me for AA membership that I patently have no use for. Particularly when I never wanted it in the first place, they gave it to me without my asking.

I can now see why they included free AA membership with their insurance policy as it gives them access to your bank account to fleece you of some more of your hard earned money 12 months later. Absolutely scandalous

The_AA_Company_Representative

P_in_the_A wrote: »

same thing has happened to me, just checked my bank account to see that the AA has taken £57.74 as 'initial payment of membership'.

I didn't ask to be a member of the AA and I don't even own a car. I foolishly opted to insure my last car with the AA and they included free AA membership that I never requested, wanted or used. I sold my car last summer and cancelled my insurance with them, paid a £50 cancellation fee and was dubiously overcharged beyond that as a final payment that I queried but eventually just gave up and paid. I told them I'd sold my car was the reason for me cancelling my insurance.

Given that I no longer own a car (and the AA should know that as I told them it), I can't see how they can start charging me for AA membership that I patently have no use for. Particularly when I never wanted it in the first place, they gave it to me without my asking.

I can now see why they included free AA membership with their insurance policy as it gives them access to your bank account to fleece you of some more of your hard earned money 12 months later. Absolutely scandalous

Hello, we’d like to address this with you, if you have any outstanding queries, please email chat@theaa.com with Reference FOR36585. Regards, the Official Representative of The AA

P_in_the_A

The_AA_Company_Representative wrote: »

Hello, we’d like to address this with you, if you have any outstanding queries, please email [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] with Reference FOR36585. Regards, the Official Representative of The AA

thanks. I've emailed the AA on that address to inform them, hopefully they can sort it out and return the money into my account asap.

Crabman

I'm concerned at the number of reports on this issue.

AA Representative - what action is being taken to tackle this issue & stem the number of consumer complaints?

GolfBravo

Action? Don't hold your breath. It is a great money spinning machine for them. At most they may review their procedures. Oh, hang on, this is from April 2011:

BBC News, 9 April 2011 - Customers told BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme that despite cancelling or trying to cancel payments, money was still being taken.

The AA says that it will review its procedures....

...credit card companies are honour-bound to pay continuous payment authorities to businesses who try and collect them....

The AA told Money Box that both Mr K.... and Mr W... had received apologies and been refunded any membership fees and credit charges they had incurred.

AA Spokesperson Sue Beeson told Money Box that the company would act as a result of the complaints:

"The feedback that we've had from these two customers is really valuable. It makes us go back and look to see how we can improve things for customers."

So obviously they already have reviewed their procedures, and decided that the extra revenue is great.

tony6403

And beware of the AA's tactics when getting breakdown cover. They gave me a free 6 months home insurance policy - which I didn't want - when I signed up for roadside recovery etc.
This seemed to be innocuous.
However, having received a notice of renewal for the unwanted home insurance, if I hadn't made strong representations , the AA would have taken the cost of a full year's premium from my account.

dwl145

Beware A A membership renewal.
As a reward for 31 years membership with the AA they put up my renewal by £100 and told me I now had gold membership. A telephone call telling what I thought of their Gold membership and the failure to acknowledge my loyalty resulted in a £90 reduction to my renewal costs. The moral to the story friends is to voice your protest. There are good offers around to set up a new breakdown cover with the rAC or Green Flag.

P_in_the_A

The_AA_Company_Representative wrote: »

Hello, we’d like to address this with you, if you have any outstanding queries, please email [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] with Reference FOR36585. Regards, the Official Representative of The AA

Unfortunately the AA appear to have very little interest in addressing this problem.
I contacted the above email address on 5 March and have had just one email reply saying the matter would be investigated, and have heard nothing more and haven't had the money returned to my bank account. It's pretty dire customer service in my view.