Money taken from creditcard for unsolicited goods

clairemp

Hi


Wondering if anyone has any particular help/advice they can give me.


I placed a one-off order with a company called Bradford Exchange for a figurine. They've now sent me another unsolicited figuring and used the card details provided for this one-off payment to help themselves to £36 from my account. I think this is misuse, details shouldn't be held onto and then simply used to charge for goods I've not ordered.


Their response was that they 'can't' refund the money onto my card although they clearly have the details as they used them without authorisation. They expect me to wait for a prepaid label, return the goods and then they'll let me have the money back within 14 days. This would leave me without the monies for at least 3 weeks, I guess, when I have been deprived by them of the monies. Their other option would be to send a cheque within 14 days. All of which leaves me without the money when I never authorised them taking it!


I don't mind returning these unsolicited goods but surely they have no right to hold onto money I haven't authorised them to have? Who do I report them to, for misusing card details in this way? I would think there is some kind of oversight to make sure traders can't do this but would assume it's not the kind of small case that Trading Standards get involved in. It seems completely fraudulent.


Any suggestions?


Thanks,
Claire

p00hsticks

My first thought is - are you 100% sure it's unsolicited ?

Is there any chance you have unwittingly signed up to one of these schemes where the first item is at a reduced price and unelss you then respond in a specified way that you do not wish to receive further items they automatically get sent to you ?

stugib

p00hsticks wrote: »

Is there any chance you have unwittingly signed up to one of these schemes where the first item is at a reduced price and unelss you then respond in a specified way that you do not wish to receive further items they automatically get sent to you ?

Almost certainly. I remember the book clubs that used to work the same way ~10 years ago - initial order then they'd send you a monthly book you had to return or be charged for.

Can't remember why they died out - legislation or competition.

InsideInsurance

The most obvious question to ask them is why they sent you the goods in the first place.

Whilst not abundantly clear from their website a lot of their copy about themselves does suggest that it may be some form of scheme. Looking at one item it mentions that it is a "collection" and that the next item in the collection is automatically sent once its available and after the first one has been paid for.

I agree with the above, check you didnt subscribe by error before crying wolf

eddddy

As InsideInsurance says, their FAQ page says:

Q: I have ordered a collection, when will my products be delivered?

A: Usually, each issue in a collection is invoiced and despatched separately to you, approximately every month or two after each previous issue is despatched and paid in full. All subsequent issues will be charged to the same credit card as the first issue

So could it be that you inadvertently ordered a 'collection', and they are now allowing you to return the second one under their returns policy?

Their FAQ page also explains that there is a delay in refunding for returned items:

Q: I have returned my item to you – when will I receive my refund?

A: From the date you have posted your returned item please allow 21 days to receive your refund. Once we receive the returned item we will automatically process your refund

arcon5

These are not unsolicited goods, they are goods sent in error.

If though you've purchased an item and they've charged you for it and this is a second charge on your bank statement i'd be inclined to phone the bank and tell them the company has charged a second payment your card without your knowledge and you'd like to initiate a chargeback.

hollydays

Terrible reviews about them online, they are based in America.

From the daily mirror-

Double trouble from Bradford Exchange

By Andrew Penman on January 24, 2013 9:48 AM in Mail order
Angry customers of mail order knick-knack firm Bradford Exchange who never got the music box they ordered as a Christmas present might find !something bitterly ironic about the experience of Harry Watson.

We have reported how customers of the firm - it's ultimately US-owned and made a gross annual profit of just over £100million - where left with nothing.

But not Harry, from Great Horton, Bradford. He got TWO music boxes.

He said: "I sent a £46.98 cheque and then got a letter telling me they wanted paying before dispatch, so I thought the cheque had been lost in the post.

"I sent another, asking them not to cash the first one if it turned up. But they cashed both.

"I requested a repayment and instead I got a second music box, which I don't want."

Harry has told Bradford Exchange he wants a refund for one cheque and it can have back the second music box - maybe it could send it to a customer still waiting for one. But he's had no response.

Nor did we when we asked for comment.

luke5527

ordered the disney xmas tree but after reading the online reviews decided to cancel imagine my surprise when i received a phone call from my bank asking me to call in at my branch . i was informed my card had been stopped as there were suspicious activity on my card for varying amounts one being £197,000 another £9.95 !!!!!! ? all in the bradford & yorkshire area.so all in all a really trustworthy & honest company NOT ! sent an email informing them what happened and the silence was deafening.obviously this is a common thing or why no reply.