PPI and dodgy trick

Silver999

Hi,

Two questions. First about PPI. I took out a credit card a long (7 years) time ago and still use it today. I also took PPI out with it. First fact, I'm 100% sure I was missold PPI at the start. However I have another ridiculous issue.

I've tried to cancel the PPI several times. The first time I was directly conned into keeping it - the advisor told me I magically qualified for a special offer (which sounded good), until I later checked my card's terms and conditions and found the "offer" was a standard feature of the card.

The second time I called the PPI line and asked to cancel it. The advisor asked me the standard questions, and I explained that the one time I may have needed it I was told I wasn't eligible (true, from a while ago). THe advisor asked me to explain the circumstances, I did, and she said I was actually eligible. I asked for info on how to claim, then asked to cancel the PPI. She stated that if I cancelled the PPI I would not be eligible to claim. I explained that I was paying PPI and the policy was in force for the period of time I wished to claim for, but she stated that I would not be allowed to claim if I cancelled the policy.

I believe this is wrong - can someone confirm? To give an example, imagine you took PPI out on Jan 1st. On March 1st you become unemployed. On June 1st you return to work. On July 1st you call up to ask to cancel. Assuming dates etc are all in line with the policy T&C, I believe you can cancel on July 1st and make a claim for period March 1st to June 1st.

Next I call to cancel again. Nothing happens this time. I check the card details a couple of months later and find I am STILL paying PPI.

So here's the kicker. I call back and explain I tried to cancel twice at the start of the year. The person in customer services AGREES WITH ME - she can SEE THE CALL LOGGED ON HER SYSTEM where I called to cancel. She transfers me through to the PPI dept. They ALSO AGREE they can SEE THE CALL LOGGED where I try to cancel.

However they REFUSE to refund me the PPI payments between that call and now. The woman states that I "Must have changed my mind" whilst on the call, despite me calling TWICE on the SAME DAY - both calls logged, and both calls state I called to cancel the PPI.

Utter insanity. Does anyone know what I should do in this case? I've now decided I want 7 years of PPI payments back, so do I send the card company a letter or just go straight to the FSA?

On a different note, watch out for this new trick. Barclaycard are sending out statements with "Zero minimum payment required". If you call them up and ask, they'll tell you "valued customers" are getting this "special offer" of suspended payments. However what they don't tell you unless you probe is that they are still charging you interest on your whole balance. More cash for them. Sneaky trick because the way they phrase it and promote it, it's like it's a payment holiday and with no mention of increased interest.

Cheers...

letitcomedown

Request the data held on their system under the Data Protection Act as a first step. This will provide you with the evidence you need, you should get all the call log history.

ad44downey

why does anyone take out these rip-off policies int he first place? It's an amazing waste of money.