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Virgin credit card statement deception

I have recently got a Virgin MBNA credit card and on my first printed statement nearly got caught by what I believe is a deliberately deceptive layout.
There were 6 transactions on the front page with room for at least another 12 below but the statement continued overleaf with 1 further transaction. If I had just paid what looked like the final balance on the front page I would have been charged interest which seems to me a deliberate attempt to fleece me.
I have written to Virgin twice, the second time to John Natalizia,
Director, Credit Cards but neither has bothered to reply. I have been a Virgin supporter/investor for decades and am saddened by this turn of events.
Has anyone else experienced or fallen for a similar potential deception?
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Comments

  • msallen
    msallen Posts: 1,494 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I don't have the card in question so haven't seen a statement, but surely there is a total (as well as a minimum payment and due by date) somewhere at the top. I've never seen a CC statement yet where you have to total up the individual items.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I've never had a problem with Virgin statements. I simply pay the total amount payable. I don't add up all the transactions to get to the total, other than checking it looks right.
  • Paully232000
    Paully232000 Posts: 2,108 Forumite
    edited 10 April 2015 am30 9:35AM
    prp wrote: »
    I have recently got a Virgin MBNA credit card and on my first printed statement nearly got caught by what I believe is a deliberately deceptive layout.
    There were 6 transactions on the front page with room for at least another 12 below but the statement continued overleaf with 1 further transaction. If I had just paid what looked like the final balance on the front page I would have been charged interest which seems to me a deliberate attempt to fleece me.
    I have written to Virgin twice, the second time to John Natalizia,
    Director, Credit Cards but neither has bothered to reply. I have been a Virgin supporter/investor for decades and am saddened by this turn of events.
    Has anyone else experienced or fallen for a similar potential deception?

    No it isnt, just had a look at my recent statement and clear as day as to all the information you need and also in big letters at the top right of the statement, taking up at least 1/4 of the page, it says:

    Your previous balance £X
    Payments made
    £X
    Spending on your card
    £X
    Interest and charges
    £X
    Your new balance £X
    Available to spend
    (Your credit limit: £X)
    £X
    Your minimum payment
    £xxxx
    Payment date
    xx/xx/2015
  • prp_2
    prp_2 Posts: 9 Forumite
    OK. As a new user I'm not allowed to post a scan of my statement but my point is that there is a thick black line under the 6 transactions giving the implication that these are all there are. In fact there is one more overleaf which if I hadn't picked that up I would have been charged interest on the whole amount.
    Does anyone know how I can add a link to the scan of the statement? I think if you see that you will know what I'm talking about.
  • If the layout is the same as a normal MBNA statement then all the information is on the right hand box in black BOLD.
  • prp_2
    prp_2 Posts: 9 Forumite
    Hi jonesMUFCforever
    That sounds similar but my point is that there is plenty of space to list all the transactions on the front page. Why would they draw a bold line under the first 6 transactions and leave a blank space underneath where at least another 12 transactions could go. The visual implication is that there are only 6 transactions and not 7 as in my case.
    Maybe I'm too cynical :-(
  • Paully232000
    Paully232000 Posts: 2,108 Forumite
    prp wrote: »
    OK. As a new user I'm not allowed to post a scan of my statement but my point is that there is a thick black line under the 6 transactions giving the implication that these are all there are. In fact there is one more overleaf which if I hadn't picked that up I would have been charged interest on the whole amount.
    Does anyone know how I can add a link to the scan of the statement? I think if you see that you will know what I'm talking about.

    yes you can link to the scan, if saved in some sort of web-based programme like Flikr for eg.
    just put a few spaces in the copied and pasted web address and you should be fine.
  • Herbalus
    Herbalus Posts: 2,634 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 10 April 2015 pm30 2:16PM
    prp wrote: »
    Hi jonesMUFCforever
    That sounds similar but my point is that there is plenty of space to list all the transactions on the front page. Why would they draw a bold line under the first 6 transactions and leave a blank space underneath where at least another 12 transactions could go. The visual implication is that there are only 6 transactions and not 7 as in my case.
    Maybe I'm too cynical :-(

    With my credit cards there also appears to be more usable space that they ignore. But there is often a reason for that. With mine, it's probably because they attach a GIRO slip to the first page so don't use the bottom third of the page, so all their printing is set to the top two-thirds of the page.

    On the second and third pages it looks like they haven't used the space, because there is no printing and no GIRO slip.

    I don't think they're doing it deliberately to catch you out. This webpage has an example of what you're looking for. It's quite clear I think.
  • prp_2
    prp_2 Posts: 9 Forumite
    Ok let's see if this works. The scan is on the web at pr-productions dot co dot uk fwd slash statement dot html
  • Herbalus
    Herbalus Posts: 2,634 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 10 April 2015 pm30 9:53PM
    this post was originally the link to his statement as he'd posted above but without the spaces so that other people could easily click it.

    But post removed due to request.
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