Unauthorised transactions

andy_green

Hello everyone

This morning I discovered a transaction I did not recognise on my mastercard.

It came from a company called Shopperdisc and I called them to ask what it was all about. They told me that I have entered into an agreement with them back in December 2013! Apparently I have been charged £10 every month since Jan 2014. I cannot remember ever signing an agreement and most importantly passing my credit card details onto this company. They said it was all part of an online purchase with Argos. I asked them if they are part of Argos, else how they could possibly have my credit card and personal details, and they said no.

Then I called my credit card to enquire. They said that they are aware of the company and they would certainly put a block on any further payments. They said there is a check box that appears on the checkout on the Argos website, and if you check it it promises to give you further discounts, but it also puts you into this agreement. They did not say anything about reimbursing me for the money that has already been taken out, a total of £220.

I said I was planning to go to the police with this, because it is fraud, as I believe that my details, personal and credit card account, were obtained without my knowledge and consent. I asked the credit card company to provide me with information about the original transaction, to use as evidence when I contact the police and other relevant authorities. Much time and many advisors later, they are unable to give me any such details. I did explain to them that in order for them to authorise a payment they should have received some information from the other party, my name, my address, the card's number, the number at the back, the expiry date, maybe my date of birth? What information exactly did they receive from Shooperdisc in this case? I did not get anywhere, never got an answer.

I have written a letter to Argos. If they have really disclosed my personal and account details to a 3rd party company, I will hold them liable, because passing your details on for promotion maybe OK, if you check a box, but passing on your credit card details which they have obtained for purchasing a kettle, to another company, that can then charge you for something completely ireelevant, is not possible no matter how many boxes you tick. (I did not buy a kettle, I cannot remember even if I did go on to the Argos website at all).

What do you guys think?

TadleyBaggie

The police will not be interested. You almost certainly were offered discount vouchers or the like and clicked in a box and forgot about it. I will bet the T&C's will cover them and that you failed to read them. I see this type of thing often after using websites to buy something, I never click on them.

cajef

andy_green wrote: »

Apparently I have been charged £10 every month since Jan 2014. , a total of £220.

£10 a month for nearly two years and you have only just noticed.:eek:

grumbler

andy_green wrote: »

Apparently I have been charged £10 every month since Jan 2014. I cannot remember ever signing an agreement and most importantly passing my credit card details onto this company.

Normally this happens at online checkouts when they offer you some discount for accepthong such offer from their 'partner'. And agreements don't necessarily have to be signed.

They said it was all part of an online purchase with Argos.

My guess was right then.

I have written a letter to Argos. If they have really disclosed my personal and account details to a 3rd party company, I will hold them liable, because passing your details on for promotion maybe OK, if you check a box, but passing on your credit card details which they have obtained for purchasing a kettle, to another company, that can then charge you for something completely ireelevant, is not possible no matter how many boxes you tick.

It does matter if you tick the box allowing them to pass the details.

eddddy

There's an MSE article about this - it mentions shopperdisc. (Shopperdisc.co.uk is an abbreviation of Shopper Discounts & Rewards)

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/shopping/2012/02/Online-shoppers-reporting-increasing-unexpected-continuous-payments

The article says:

Can I get a refund?

The OFT says when cancelling, you are not entitled to a refund of payments made before you cancel.

However, companies may choose to offer refunds as a gesture of goodwill.

For example, Shopper Discounts & Rewards has a customer service policy to refund any payments to consumers who never intended to sign up, provided they didn't use it.

To get up to three months' payments back immediately, call 0800 731 9935. If your payments go back further, ask for a form to complete to get the rest back.

Monkeychops16

As you said it was on your Mastercard your credit card should be able to claim back some of the charges on the grounds the merchant didn't make the terms and conditions clear at the time of the purchase. I don't think they will go back to 2013 though-maybe just a few months. The merchant then has the chance to prove their case if they wish (45 days) and provide evidence you did accept it by ticking a box/entering you email to get the discount on the next purchase with Argos/etc

Hope you get some back-it's been going on for awhile.

grumbler

Monkeychops16 wrote: »

As you said it was on your Mastercard your credit card should be able to claim back some of the charges on the grounds the merchant didn't make the terms and conditions clear at the time of the purchase.

I don't think that such reason/code for chargeback exists.
Also, this argument fails as the OP most likely got a discount from Argos and just was lazy to check what this money was for.

Also, there is 120 days time limit for chargeback and it starts from the first payment taken.

Monkeychops16

There is a reason code for this under MasterCard but as I pointed out the merchant could come back with proof the customer did agree to the charges. It's worth a try from the customers perspective. if the op went to the financial ombudsman the credit card would have been seen as attempting to help..

Monkeychops16

The cc could claim back any transactions within the last 120 days yes, the fact they started in 2013 doesn't prevent these recent transactions being disputed. It does mean they are out of time to claim older transactions hence why my post said I don't think they will claim back to 2013.

grumbler

You both last posts are factually incorrect.

Monkeychops16

I work in a disputed transactions team keying chargebacks. I did a number of these 4841's yesterday. Do you work in the field Grumbler? I've done it along time and I'm certain I'm not factually incorrect. I do agree with what you are saying in terms of the op is likely to have put their email in and got a discount code for future purposes. I know this as I also have to call shoppers discounts/Amazonprime/diet pills etc to help the customers.