Any grounds to take legal action ?

FireWyrm

BillJones wrote: »

Cognitive dissonance would likely be a good starting point. They want to believe that they've been conned, so match the "facts" to the internal dialogue.

These stories are coherent and well thought out. They are not the ravings of the illiterate or terminally stupid. Something is going on.

BillJones wrote: »

Much like the man with the magnet who was detained for shoplifting. He clearly had the magnet to remove tags, yet told us otherwise. Why do you think he gave us a false story, and why do you not believe that others do?

That was a transparent lie. These are the same stories with the same theme over and over again from entirely different people with no connection to each other. At first, it was one or two, now it is becoming very common. Shouldnt it even warrant some sort of investigation?

BillJones wrote: »

It's a logical fallacy to believe that there is no smoke without fire, as you are implying.

That entire sentance is a logical fallacy.

BillJones wrote: »

Compare it with alien abductions, they aren't happening, yet people claim that they are. Your argument would suggest that we must take them as being real because many are reported. That's simply not the case.

No, I'm saying that one or two can be put down to misadventure or misunderstanding, but these stories are becoming very very common. I would lay money that within the next year or so, there'll be some sort of investigation and it will be revealed that these companies really are double/triple/quadruple billing and that is because they are all effectively the same company or a subsidiary of it.

I'm not excusing the original mistake, which was to give the card details to some wideboy on the internet, but clearly, these people did not authorise additional charges which they are seeing and are thus, surprised and distressed to find they have been mugged, several times over.

Gaz83

FireWyrm wrote: »

That was a transparent lie. These are the same stories with the same theme over and over again from entirely different people with no connection to each other. At first, it was one or two, now it is becoming very common. Shouldnt it even warrant some sort of investigation?

Just as common a theme are the assertion that "the websites don't claim anywhere on it that there is an upfront fee" or "the websites don't make it clear they're a broker and not a lender".

Invariably, upon investigation of said site, there is a large part in the FAQ section explaining that there is a fee to be charged and that they are a broker and not a lender.

People don't want to admit they've been foolish. Pride is part of human nature.

BillJones

FireWyrm wrote: »

No, I'm saying that one or two can be put down to misadventure or misunderstanding, but these stories are becoming very very common.

Yes, as are alien abduction stories, ghost sightings, and so on. You don't seem to understand that many false stories are still commonly reported. That does not make them true, yet you still want to imply that it does.

As above, you already know that these posters are either mistaken or lying in the majority of cases, as they report that the fee was not mentioned anywhere. A cursory glance at the T&Cs shows that this simply is not right.

I'm obviously not going to convince you that your conspiracy theory is irrational, as you have bought into it too deeply, but you need to understand that this does not make it true, or even likely.

Clive_Woody

BillJones wrote: »

You are assuming a criminal conspiracy, I am just assuming incompetence on the part of people who are clearly incompetent.

Actually you are considering whether it could be financial dishonesty by an industry built on lies, misinformation, misleading claims and exploitation against assumed incompetence on the part of people who are clearly incompetent when it comes to financial matters.

Tough call IMHO and I would bet that is what the brokers are more than aware of and happy to exploit.

Desperate people often make poor decisions, but in many cases I would guess that these are exacerbated by companies who have no qualms about taking full advantage. These people get little sympathy as they are dismissed as incompetent and 'asking for it' by chasing money they are never likely to be loaned.

27col

This thread is getting a bit too philosophical for me.