Beware A and L robbing my mother of £500!!! Absolute disgrace

bluenose1

I must tell you about what A and L are currently doing to my mum.
Her credit card which she has had over 10 years was used fraudently just before christmas. A company called Armenia Fund in America was paid £500.
Despite promptly telling them and completing waiver forms they issued they are saying as she has not completed 2nd set of forms they sent (not rec'd by my mum) that she will have to pay this debt herself. They have been most unhelpful to her over the phone. I spoke to them hoping to resolve the situation and I have never spoken to a more incompetent, unhelpful organisation in my life.
My mother is a widow, luckily she has family who will pursue this matter with the Financial Ombudsman but I wonder how many other vunerable people have been swindled.
I know that the Banking Code clearly states that the A and L should have refunded this money to my mum, but despite several telephone calls and letters we are still being fobbed off.
I would never now consider using them for a credit card. My savings are currently there and I am so annoyed I intend to move them.
I feel really frustrated and annoyed with the attitude of their organisation.

roses

Send them a letter quoting Section 75 of the credit act, if there is a dispute on the credit card for anything over the amount of £100 then the credit card are are liable for rectifying the problem. I had issues with Barclaycard last year. As soon as I got advice off Trading Standards and quoted Section 75 at them, they sono backed done and refunded my card.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/guides_to/consumerlaw/index6.shtml

This isn't really related to fraudulent transactions but as there is a purchase of £500 on her card for something she did not receive then this law is still valid in her situation.

The people in the call centre won't have a clue about this so send the letter recorded delivery to head office.

pin

As the fraudulent / disputed purchase happened in the States section 75 (at present) doesn't apply. The OFT is challanging this, but the law as it stands today means that the Consumer Credit Act doesn't apply to foreign transactions.

However A&L may have in its own T&C's its own fraud prevention rules. Have you looked at the A&L credit card terms and conditions?

mrcow

Why doesn't this surprise me from A&L? :mad: As if it's not a difficult enough situation to find yourself in, without hitting a brick wall with a rude and unsympathetic customer services team.

Good luck with your continuing struggle.....I can only recommend that you escalate the complaint as high as you can, as in my experience, their managers don't appear to be as rude and dismissive as their front line staff.

bluenose1

Thanks for your helpful responses. I will let you know how I get on.
There is no way I would ever get a credit card from A and L.
Anne

BenL

Bluenose

The A&L credit card is adminstered by MBNA like the virgin and abbey cards.

Alliance and Leicester will probably not even know of the problems.

I know the abbey guys could not see any details except that you have a card that is branded abbey.

All transactions go through on the MBNA systems.

You may want to get rid of your MBNA accounts and affiliated companies while your having a clear out.

Ben

Paul_Varjak

pin wrote:

As the fraudulent / disputed purchase happened in the States section 75 (at present) doesn't apply. The OFT is challanging this, but the law as it stands today means that the Consumer Credit Act doesn't apply to foreign transactions.

However A&L may have in its own T&C's its own fraud prevention rules. Have you looked at the A&L credit card terms and conditions?

Surely S.75 covers transactions where a breach of contract has occurred. According to bluenose1, this is a fraudulent transaction (no contract entered into). Surely, there is compensation for any fraudulent transaction whether it is in the UK or elsewhere?

pin

Paul_Varjak wrote:

Surely S.75 covers transactions where a breach of contract has occurred. According to bluenose1, this is a fraudulent transaction (no contract entered into). Surely, there is compensation for any fraudulent transaction whether it is in the UK or elsewhere?

Not necessarily, see this press release from the OFT from November last year:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press+releases/2004/186-04.htm

MarkyMarkD

I agree with Paul.

A credit card company has to prove that you authorised any transaction they charge to your account. That's nothing to do with section 75 and applies wherever the transaction was initiated.

If it's fraudulent, they won't be able to prove you authorised it, so it is not valid.

peter_the_piper

pin wrote:

Not necessarily, see this press release from the OFT from November last year:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press+releases/2004/186-04.htm

If I've read the release correctly it is referring to purchases made abroad, i.e. where you have bought something and there is a dispute. Surely this does not apply when it is a fraudulent transaction and the OP has not made the purchase. In this case the normal rules would logically apply. Keep after them.
Peter.

pin

All I was trying to say was that the CCA 1975 probably won't apply here. However I do agree with both Peter, Paul and Mark - fraudlant transaction, A&L should be doing something about it. Contact your local trading standards office (as roses suggested).