Tesco Bank Credit Card pensioner problem.

superbigal36

Well this one came out of the blue.
Was at my pensioner mother in laws to help with finances today as she has been borrowing tenners etc from local relatives.
Expecting just to cancel Sky, switch Gas, pet insurance etc.
Checked all ins and outs on bank statement and all manageable.
Then I spotted a £100 unknown payment out in June. Investigated further to find the bombshell statement dated 22/7/14 Tesco Bank Credit Card Limit £5200 balance £6104
Minimum payment now £904.02
Worse still a letter from Tesco 20th June our records show you are in excess of limit by £362.16 (Backed up by June statement). Until this payment is received no further transactions will be authorised.
However the July statement (She made no payments) shows (wait for this) no less than 94 authorised transaction. All of these ranging from £0.72 to £12.73 at the local co-op.
Now clearly there is a personal problem here that I will need to deal with.
However on the finances how do I deal with Tesco Bank ?
Will they speak to me under any circumstances ?
I need to get this debt frozen as there is zero chance of paying £904.02.
In my opinion the debt is the debt but should Tesco who appear to have blocked the card on 14th July have allowed all of these transactions after stating none would be allowed.
I am at a loss on how to proceed for the best.


Will be happy to get some sort of repayment plan in place but the interest will need to be set aside.



How we can have been so blinkered is my own pain but never did we suspect there was a credit card getting hit for probably £500 a month in the local co-op. Moneysaver I may be, but finger on the pulse mmmm clearly not.

Side points are I am 100% not bothered if her credit rating goes down the pan. As no borrowing is ever needed (allowed) in future.
Also she does 100% outright own her own house but nothing else.

Hermia

I doubt they will speak to you unless she phones them and then hands the phone to you. I got one of my security questions wrong by one digit and they made me jump through hoops before they would accept it was me. I think the only thing you can do is ask her if she will phone them and allow you to speak to them. I have had a Tesco CC for many years and have found that their customer service people are very helpful so I hope you find a solution.

FireWyrm

Are you sure that those transactions are hers and not someone fraudulently using her card? A carer or relative perhaps?

longtermplanner

What was your mum goping to the co-op 94 times in a month for? I have helped out one of my elderly aunts who turned out to be spending an astonishing amount on clothes, but it's much easier to spend a few hundred a month on clothes, only two or three tops and skirts if you choose the wong shop.

Like FireWyrm my first though is either the card is being used by someone else or she is 'helping' someone, possibly under some sort of emotional duress.

If the transactions aren't hers, you need to report fraud (http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/) and tell Tesco.

If the transactions are hers, you need to talk through with her what she has been spending on and get her agreement to stop. This is the priority, not sorting out Tesco. That can wait. Otherwise she will be borrowing more from relatives, and then payday loans and pawn brokers. And as a house owner there is a small but horible risk of a major scam with someone offering to buy her house and let her continue to live in it.

If you think she is at risk from being talked into things, consider CIFAS protective registration https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr_for_individuals

Tesco will deal with you if you get your mum to write a Letter of Authority. (Dear Tesco, I give my son Mr Superbigal38 of 43 Anywhere street pz2 7gh authourity to handle all matters relating to my credit card account no 64372811683 with you, signed ........ fule name ....... date dd/mm/yy). Write and offer them £10 a month and say that her only income is pension credit.

You might want to talk to your mum about a Power of Attorney. Things are I am afraid, only likely to get worse as she gets older and by the time it is obvious you should have one, it may be too late for her to be able to give valid consent to one

sourcrates

I agree with the above views, possibly turn detective and go into the local coop and ask the staff/manager if they remember your mum making these transactions, or, if it may of been someone else.
I think you need to find an answer to this first before approaching Tesco, if it is some kind of identity fraud, obviously they need to know.
Once this has been established, then some kind of repayment plan can be discussed with them.
Given the circumstances, I doubt Tesco will take a hard line.

superbigal36

Trust me on this one guys. There is no fraud here. Just denial.
Not particularly pleased that the co-op was continually allowing her to buy the £1.99 product that she was purchasing around 4 or 5 times a day.
Will state the fact it is the mini bottles of red wine 1 at a time.
Manager told me they are a business !!! So much for duty of care.
Geez even accepting if I wanted to support clearly a drink problem i would recommend buying full size bottles !!!!
Clearly the most financially daft Alcoholic. Drinking small bottles clearly makes you think you dont have an issue.

So as you can see it is the Tesco angle 2 fold I need to focus on.
I do need their support but also answers to why transactions were not stopped when they indicated they would.
I could have at least caught the problem £600 ago !


To longttermplanner I am 100% aware that the core problem has to be addressed and I already feel some huge barriers of sheer denial have been broken down.
She has 100% no access to any other funds. Fortunately no internet etc.
All comes to a head when I take phonecalls from various people in village all being asked for £2 etc.

Addressing the debt is for this forum while addressing the underlying problem not quite so public thanks chaps.

sourcrates

Then I would go down the official written complaint route with Tesco, first of all, try to get some reduction in balance, or freezing of interest etc, clearly explain the situation to them.
See how you get on, possibly ask them to write off the debt ? don't ask, don't get, if you tell them her only income is her pension, of which there is none left for credit repayments, it leaves them with few options, upside, they may not pursue the debt, downside, they could impose a charging order on her property.

chanz4

appeal to their better nature, as really they have not done anything wrong this would be the best tact

jodles16

Think there has been some really good advice, what an unfortunate place to find yourself and mother in law in. I reckon contacting Tesco, MIL ringing first then passing you over- will be a great place to start, they cant have what she doesnt have and hopefully action now will mean that her house etc will be safe.

Really good luck,

Jodles

longtermplanner

ok, well at least you know what the situation is, which is the vital first step.

You do need to write to Tesco and offer them an amount per month which she can afford. £5 or 10 say. Enclose a Statement of Affairs with your letter. Ask them to freeze interest and not add any charges on.

Statement of Affairs form here: http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php. It will produce a version in a format suitable to send to creditors.

This is a mini debt management plan. "Mini" because she only has one creditor.