Steps to take if you have been ripped-off by a copy-cat government website

bod1467

hpuse wrote: »

I really wanted you to quote the regulation bit in your post.

Now that you have bought it, you now know what was enforced in case of Tesco under a regulation and act are different?

Now coming to copycats - that is probably the same course of action.

Point really to make is - legally existing and trading entities are subject to monitoring and 'actions' by authorities even if they did not explicitly break any law.

I've read that several times and I STILL don't know what it means. I'm presuming you still think the Tesco case supports your position.

Tesco DID break the law, therefore that case is very different to what is being discussed here. Ergo you are still wrong.

I hope the posters who have advised they got a chargeback of the monies paid remain successful. I also hope they post back after the requisite period (45 days?) to confirm (or otherwise) that the chargeback has not been reclaimed.

shaun_from_Africa

hpuse wrote: »

I really wanted you to quote the regulation bit in your post.

Now that you have bought it, you now know what was enforced in case of Tesco under a regulation and act are different?

Of course you did.
With every single post you make you are simply making yourself look even more stupid, something that I didn't think was possible.

You clearly stated that Tesco did not break any "law"

hpuse wrote: »

To answer the un-answered question, best way is to post a link.
In the link below you will see 'action' against a legally existing company taken by trading standards that did not 'break' any law.
The link

The "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008." is UK law

If you honestly believe that these regulations are not UK law, you shouldn't be giving your "advice" to anyone.

hpuse

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Of course you did.
With every single post you make you are simply making yourself look even more stupid, something that I didn't think was possible.

You clearly stated that Tesco did not break any "law"



The "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008." is UK law

If you honestly believe that these regulations are not UK law, you shouldn't be giving your "advice" to anyone.

Ah! Shaun....defence for the sake of defence.
Forget Tesco....

Point is made to make you understand that a trader, no matter what trade he is in, can even end up in jail if he fails to comply to a regulation?

- Now understand that unfair trading regulations 2008, is a regulation in place to protect the consumers.

shaun_from_Africa

hpuse wrote: »

Ah! Shaun....defence for the sake of defence.

No, defence for the sake of protecting people who might actually think that you know what you are writing about, something which it appears couldn't be further from the truth.

hpuse wrote: »

Forget Tesco....

So you bring up the subject of Tesco then when people respond to show you that what you posted is totally incorrect, you want people to forget about Tesco.

Brilliant.

hpuse wrote: »

Now understand that unfair trading regulations 2008, is a regulation in place to protect the consumers.

I think everyone understands that. Maybe that's why their full title is the "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008"

hpuse wrote: »

Point is made to make you understand that a trader, no matter what trade he is in, can even end up in jail if he fails to comply to a regulation?

It's not only a trader. Anyone can end up in jail if they fail to comply with a regulation, but as yet, you have failed to prove what regulation the "copycat" websites are breaking.

wealdroam

hpuse wrote: »

Forget Tesco....

Why?
Do you find it embarrassing that you have been proved wrong once more and would rather that faux pas had not happened?

hpuse wrote: »

- Now understand that unfair trading regulations 2008, is a regulation in place to protect the consumers.

Indeed it is. What is your point?

hpuse wrote: »

Now that you have bought it, you now know what was enforced in case of Tesco under a regulation and act are different?

Not really too sure what you are trying to say here, but if you are telling us that that The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 is not a Statutory Instrument, then you are wrong.

hpuse wrote: »

Point really to make is - legally existing and trading entities are subject to monitoring and 'actions' by authorities even if they did not explicitly break any law.

"even if they did not explicitly break any law"?

But they did break the law!... which is why they were fined.

powerful_Rogue

hpuse wrote: »

Powerful_R

If you recall earlier, people here were saying bank simply will ignore and they will not entertain a dispute because the customer clicked agreed to T&C's of this website.

Atleast now are we in agreement that they will agree for a dispute!!

So my OP still stands tall !

hpuse, remember this post below which has been shown to you numerous times but you always seems to ignore it?

My son got caught with I-Visa as well. He rang them up and they said they only give refunds on receipt of an email. He sent an email, but they kept insisting that it hadn't been received. He sent several emails and strangely none of them were received and they kept putting the phone down on him. Contacted his bank who initially refunded the £23.99, but today received a letter from them stating that I-Visa had acted legitimately and they debited the £23.99.

Keith, you may want to take notice of the above as well.

Also, from that link you posted, heres the relevant section:

A letter sent by Amazon said: “A credit for the transaction and any related fees will show on your next statement.” Taxreturngateway has 45 days to dispute this decision, it added.

Aka, show they acted legally and within the law and the money will be returned the company.

gik

RichardD1970 wrote: »

Be interested to know how many have actually reported the thread officially? I suggest if people want it removed or action taken then they do this.

I understand the frustration, but posting something like that will
only be counter productive.

I disagree. It is making the point that MSE considers it is acceptable for a numpty to post totally wrong advice and yet PPR's anyone who robustly points it out!

hpuse

RichardD1970 wrote: »

Be interested to know how many have actually reported the thread officially? I suggest if people want it removed or action taken then they do this.

I understand the frustration, but posting something like that will only be counter productive.

There is nothing in this thread to be frustrated about. It is all frustrations that is triggered by 'real world' happenings with respect to what is said in the post.....

If someone reads something that they do not like to read, they
challenge me for the sake of challenging.

Bitter truth is advice in OP is valid, OP will remain valid ...

transient

hpuse wrote: »

There is nothing in this thread to be frustrated about. It is all frustrations that is triggered by 'real world' happenings with respect to what is said in the post.....

If someone reads something that they do not like to read, they
challenge me for the sake of challenging.

Bitter truth is advice in OP is valid, OP will remain valid ...

The OP is valid, !!!! off hpuse.

Here is the OP that you wrote originally, which was already edited

hpuse wrote: »

Here are some steps to follow if anyone ended up paying money 'by not reading t&c mistake' to any of the websites mentioned in this thread. Please do the following.

As a first step :

Write/e-mail to the company requesting a full refund. Clearly tell them you are not happy purchasing their mis-represented and potentially misleading service offered online. Mention very clearly that you did not get the service you expected. Hence you will be filing a dispute of this transaction with the bank unless a refund is issued within 7 days. Please keep copies of all emails and replies received. Give them 7 days to reply or refund. If a refund did not happen, then proceed to second step.

If you did manage to get a refund, please still make a complaint see below section b) and c)

Second Step:

a) Call the bank or credit card company and tell them you would like open a complaint in reference to a transaction. Please do not ask them for a refund, it is likely to be refused. You have to start a dispute process and do the necessary paper works. You also have to show evidences to the bank to consider your case individually. By presenting evidences, it will help the bank to realise the conning nature of this copycat website trade. Please make sure you are speaking with the banks dispute department.
Give all the details of the transactions including date/time, website name and personal/email address and correspondences received when complained to the company(first step).

Bank will ask for copies all correspondences you have had with the company. You will also have to sign a dispute form which you can email or post it back to the dispute department.

In your email/cover letter with the dispute form, please add that you have strong reason to believe that these websites are designed to rip-off customers with terms and conditions for not reading while clicking. You may also add that it has come to your notice from various media/newspaper articles that Trading Standards and Advertising Standards Authority are investigating against these government website copycat practice. Please send this to them by post or email and make sure they have received. Give them 14 days to investigate and respond.

b) Call the appropriate trading standards consumer advise line of the region you reside. Give full detailed account of this online transaction and circumstances you think that lead to purchasing the service online. You can also make a complaint online by clicking this link.

c) Make a complaint with Advertising Standards Authority. In your complaint mention very clearly that the website is misleading its service by using "passport application" in their online advertising labels. They are hiding the fact that that they are only a human proxy "information handling back office agents" transferring details once submitted from their website to the real HMPO website, and there is no "application handling" as such.
You can also make an ASA complaint online by clicking here

Here it is now after you have edited it every day.

hpuse wrote: »

Please note: This post is aimed at the best interest of a consumer, who are concerned and has lost money to government copycat websites in operations. This is NOT a definitive guide to secure a refund:

Steps to follow is anyone ended up losing money 'by not reading t&c's/small print mistake' to any of the websites mentioned in this thread. Please do the following.

As a first step :

Write/e-mail to the company requesting a full refund. Clearly tell them you are not happy purchasing their mis-represented and potentially misleading service offered online. Mention very clearly that you did not get the service you expected after raising the payment. Hence you will be filing a dispute of this transaction with the bank unless a refund is issued within 7 days. Please keep copies of all emails and replies received. Give them 7 days to reply or refund. If a refund did not happen, then proceed to second step.

If you did manage to get a refund, please still make a complaint see below section b) and c)

Second Step:

a) Call the bank or credit card company and tell them you would like open a complaint in reference to a transaction. Please do not ask them for a refund, it is likely to be refused. You have to start a dispute process and do the necessary paper works. You also have to show evidences to the bank to consider your case individually.
By presenting evidences, it will help the bank to realise the conning nature of this copycat website in trade. Please make sure you are speaking with the banks dispute department.
Give all the details of the transactions including date/time, website name and personal/email address and correspondences received when complained to the company(first step).

Before opening a dispute, the bank will expect you to sort this matter out(step a) directly with the trader. If you have already done so, they will ask for copies all correspondences you have had with the company. You will also have to sign a dispute form which you can email or post it back to the dispute department.

In your letter with the signed dispute form, please add that you have strong reason to believe that these websites are designed to rip-off customers with terms and conditions for not reading while clicking. You may also add that it has come to your notice from various media/newspaper articles that Trading Standards and Advertising Standards Authority are investigating against these government website copycat practice. Please send this to them by post or email and make sure they have received. Give them 14 days to investigate and respond.

b) Call the appropriate trading standards consumer advise line of the region you reside. Give full detailed account of this online transaction and circumstances you think that lead to purchasing the service online. You can also make a complaint online by clicking this link.

c) Make a complaint with Advertising Standards Authority. In your complaint mention very clearly that the website is misleading its service by using "passport application" in their online advertising labels. They are hiding the fact that that they are only a human proxy "information handling back office agents" transferring details once submitted from their website to the real HMPO website, and there is no "application handling" as such.
You can also make an ASA complaint online by clicking here


EDIT:

http://www.tradingstandardsecrime.org.uk/online-shopping-fraud/


EDIT

EDIT:

BBC News on copycats
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26082913

EDIT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/10130861/Martin-Lewis-In-support-of-stupid-peoples-rights.html

hpuse

transient wrote: »

The OP is valid, !!!! off hpuse.

Here is the OP that you wrote originally, which was already edited



Here it is now after you have edited it every day.

Hi transient,

There is nothing that can be called as 'perfect' in life. So is my OP
You refine things in expectation that it will become perfect one day. Same in applicable to OP.
Nothing controversial, just advices !

Please don't lose it in life like you lost it here matey, Good luck.