MSE News: 'Just got my Amazon Prime £79 back': Find out if you can do the same

HettyQ

On the few occasions that I use Amazon, I find myself having been signed up for Amazon Prime, even though I've carefully clicked on the "continue without Prime ..." etc buttons and unchecked Amazon Prime boxes before clicking Place Order.  I then get an email welcoming me to Amazon Prime (!) and then it's a hunt to find the link where I can cancel it - one of the links took me to a print out document that I had to fill in and post to an address in Luxembourg!  Finally found the way to do it online.  Does anyone-else have this problem? 

comeandgo

No, usually amazon are very good at cancelling something you have bought by mistake.  

Tigsteroonie

No, I just look for the small blue text that says "Continue without Amazon Prime" and then double-check that I haven't swapped the postage settings on the final page. 

Roddyboc

I had an automated call from Amazon Prime to advise they were going to take a charge of £79.00 from my account.
This prompted me look into it further and I discovered I had been paying £7.99 since Jan 2019 to Jul 2020 (admittedly we should have checked our bank accounts closer).
We had looked at starting an Amazon Prime trial in Dec 2018, but we didn't actually initiate the trial, so didn't think we had committed to anything.  Looking back on the email, of course it is there, somewhere near the bottom of the page, in small writing along with a load of other blurb.
I contacted Amazon and they agreed that we had never logged into any Amazon Prime services, not even during a trial period.
They agreed to refund from Dec 2019 to Jul 2020.  They appeared to agree that I should have a full refund, but that their systems will not allow them to go back any further and that I should contact my bank to dispute the charges and reclaim them that way.
Contacted my bank and they have advised that they can only go back and dispute charges up to 120 days.
There is no doubt Amazon are aware of this and have only used this ploy to fob me off.
Makes me sick how these mega companies are basically allowed to deceive and steal from people.  I certainly won't be ordering anything again through Amazon.

Jenna_Appleseed

Aren't the automated phone calls claimimg to be amazon prime scammers and not actually from amazon?

Pollycat

Jenna_Appleseed said:

Aren't the automated phone calls claimimg to be amazon prime scammers and not actually from amazon?

We've had Amazon Prime for years - OH signed up for it, knew he was signing up for it and knew it was going to save him money on delivery charges (not to mention the free viewing).

Just asked him and he says that Amazon do not ring to tell him they will be taking the fee. They email him.

whattochoose

I  have an Amazon Prime Video account for about 2 years now. I've never had any problems with it.
Occasionally, I do get automated calls purporting to be from Amazon. I regard them as scams and  wont entertain them,
I just put the phone down.

Pollycat

frederick10WR said:

Don't you think that they can be from real Amazon workers?

I wouldn't think they were from real Amazon workers:

Pollycat said:

We've had Amazon Prime for years - OH signed up for it, knew he was signing up for it and knew it was going to save him money on delivery charges (not to mention the free viewing).

Just asked him and he says that Amazon do not ring to tell him they will be taking the fee. They email him.

Do you think the calls can be from real Amazon workers?

whattochoose

frederick10WR said:

whattochoose said:

I  have an Amazon Prime Video account for about 2 years now. I've never had any problems with it.
Occasionally, I do get automated calls purporting to be from Amazon. I regard them as scams and  wont entertain them,
I just put the phone down.

Don't you think that they can be from real Amazon workers?

I always feel it's best to err on the side of caution, if it is them and it's anything truly important they'll find a way of getting in touch.
The media is rife with horror stories about people who've been duped by all kinds of different fraudsters and I just don't want to be one of them.

matchplayer

I am a happy member of Amazon Prime, my wife enjoys the benefits of it too via my account. Imagine my surprise when viewing her bank account online & seeing a monthly subscription for Prime coming out of her account too? I only noticed as her account now shows an Amazon Prime icon next to the debit. Usually just ignored if it had just said Amazon as i would have just seen that as a purchase. Turns out its from Amazon.com, we are with Amazon.co.uk. She has an American account for sending presents to relatives in USA. It has been getting deducted since July 2018?? Never been used as we, already have a uk subscription. I have an email from chat showing they were happy to refund in full as never used. But the guy then seemed to lose connection & someone else continued the chat, they said just one month would be refunded, when prompted for more they said 6 months. Not happy i asked for a manager, they then said they were having technical problems Quote "07:29 AM PDT Lavanya: We are facing error while to trying to issue refund for prime some technical glitch it will take some time to sorted. We will issue the refunds and send you confirmation Email Would that be fine Pamela."  Still waiting on the email, but i have a full copy of the chat. I'll give them a couple of days. But my wife (& therefore me, will be £250 worse off because of their sneaky ways) & my wifes neglect at checking Bank. Money side of things are left to me, i don't snoop on her account, as i said only due to noticing the icon for Prime did i notice it, thank goodness for that nice update to bank accounts.