Stung by halifax web saver reward scam. Advice?

helifox

ctdctd wrote: »

To the OP - didn't you notice the wrong interest rate in online banking?

Halifax is not my bank. I was doing banking there as a POA, so I was not used to their systems. The product was listed in the online bank account as a Reward Saver - which is what we applied for, but it seems that clicking the card option had converted it into a Variable Rate Saver. This is not how it was listed. So no help there, and there was no obvious sign of an interest rate. Later I discovered the product details, interest rates etc. are hidden under a small triangular icon beneath the title... but at the time I was too busy nursing dying people to pay as much attention as Halifax requires. No interest appeared on the account for a long time, as it is calculated annually.

pqrdef

Archi_Bald wrote: »

now pqrdef has concluded it was a rip-off.

I said any e-saver paying 0.25% is a rip-off. That's because it's a disgusting interest rate, even in the present state of the economy.

opinions4u

2.The FCA have accepted the complaint.

Please an you explain how this process works.

Thanks.

jem16

helifox wrote: »

2.The FCA have accepted the complaint.

The FCA clearly state on their website that they don't handle individual complaints. It is likely that they would simply pass it the FOS where you have been.

http://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/complaints-and-compensation/how-to-complain

helifox wrote: »

Halifax is not my bank. I was doing banking there as a POA, so I was not used to their systems. The product was listed in the online bank account as a Reward Saver - which is what we applied for, but it seems that clicking the card option had converted it into a Variable Rate Saver. This is not how it was listed. So no help there, and there was no obvious sign of an interest rate. Later I discovered the product details, interest rates etc. are hidden under a small triangular icon beneath the title... but at the time I was too busy nursing dying people to pay as much attention as Halifax requires. No interest appeared on the account for a long time, as it is calculated annually.

If you are acting as POA it is even more important that you check and read all the T&C. The small triangular icon that you refer to was clearly marked to click for further account details. It would seem sensible to do this when setting up a new account and it wouldn't have involved much time to do so.

pqrdef

Archi_Bald wrote: »

and understand that when they tick "I have read and accepted the T&Cs" it means they have read and accepted the T&Cs and they are then bound by them, as is the company they signed up with?

Not really. For a valid contract there should be a mutual understanding as to which "the" T&Cs are, i.e. which product is being applied for.

It's a basic problem with doing business online - computers easily go to the wrong page. When you click on a button that says "Apply here", how do you know the button is configured to go to the right form? When you get there, can you be sure you clicked in the right place? Is the form specific to one product, or is it also used for other products?

The product needs to be clearly identified on the form. At the least, it needs to be clearly identified on a confirmation page before you confirm the application. Many systems have a "print this page for your records" feature, so when the page disappears you can still see what you've said and done. And most online application systems send you an email to tell you what you've applied for and acknowledge that they have actually got the application. Halifax doesn't (a common complaint). This is basic stuff, and it's not just ornamental.

At least Halifax show interest rates online now. They didn't always do that.

Archi_Bald

helifox wrote: »

Halifax is not my bank. I was doing banking there as a POA, so I was not used to their systems.............Later I discovered the product details, interest rates etc. are hidden under a small triangular icon beneath the title... but at the time I was too busy nursing dying people to pay as much attention as Halifax requires...........

In these circumstances it sounds quite odd then that you should so clearly remember what a banner said or didn't say, and that there were no tooltips etc.

jem16

pqrdef wrote: »

At least Halifax show interest rates online now. They didn't always do that.

When are you referring to?

Halifax have always showed the interest rate online as far as I remember. Sometimes you had to click Account Details to see the interest rate though. However it was there unlike some other banks I've used.

Hominu

So basically what happened is that you didn't read the application form carefully, you agreed to the terms and conditions without reading them, and now you are on here complaining that you got scammed by Halifax.

The 0.25% was in clear sight, not hidden in 0.2pt font and not even hidden in the depths of the T&Cs.

Therefore the loss of interest is completely your fault, no scam has occurred and you need to accept this and move on.

Gaffy

Agreed let it go, all you doing now is wasting everyone's time.

opinions4u

jem16 wrote: »

When are you referring to?

Halifax have always showed the interest rate online as far as I remember. Sometimes you had to click Account Details to see the interest rate though. However it was there unlike some other banks I've used.

They did stop showing it for about a year. One of the "improvements" Lloyds added.

It was then reinstated across Lloyds TSB, BoS and Halifax.