Unrecognised "Amazon"debit card transactions

Contains_Mild_Peril

I was checking my bank statement recently and found two debits on different dates each for £7.99. One said "Amazon Prime" and the other "Kindle Unltd" followed by some numbers/letters, both ending with the last 4 digits of my Visa debit card number.
When I click the "Contact" button on Amazon's help page, it wants me to log in, which I am unable to do because it wants to send an authentication email to the email address I have registered with Amazon, which is no longer current. Because of this issue I haven't used Amazon for some time since I can't log into my account and I never bothered making a new one. I have never used Amazon Prime or Kindle services (though an item a relative purchased for me was delivered to my address using Amazon Prime's free delivery). Is it likely that Amazon is responsible for these transactions? Do I need to contact my bank?

Zanderman

Both Amazon Prime (fast delivery and streaming video) and Kindle Unlimited (library of kindle books) are subscription services. So there won't be just one instance - they would probably be monthly.

Both also have free trial periods, easily signed up to (sometimes by users who don't bother to read the small print that says this will result in a sub), that will result a week or month later with actual subs, unless cancelled.

If these are new transactions you've never seen before then it seems likely you have been signed up to them. And your account was authorised.

If you don't use Amazon at present then it's a mystery you need to contact Amazon about - did your relative use your card details to order that recent delivery (and the relative signed up for the free trials?)?

How long since you last used Amazon personally? If the relative used your card, on their account, to order your item, it may be that you are now paying their (the relative's) Prime and Kindle subs - contact the relative in that case!

Amazon are (usually) fairly good at refunding these subs if the accounts have not been used - i.e the service hasn't been used after the free trial period.

sal_III

Who has access/control to the e-mail you used to register with amazon in the past? That person has likely used your amazon account.

If you yourself no longer have access to the e-mail it will be difficult to close your Amazon account as they have no way of verifying you are the account holder without the e-mail address. Call/chat with amazon and explain the situation.

At the very least I would recommend you cancel any cards that might have been saved in that amazon account.

alphabravocharli

By any chance did you subscribe the Amazon Prime as a student as they were/are giving 6 month free period for students. Now it might be that that free trial period is ended and they have charged you and you might not have that student email account now.

molerat

Contact your bank and dispute the transactions.
Phone Amazon during UK office hours as that increases the chance of you getting a UK call centre and try and sort it out.

[Deleted User]

molerat wrote: »

Yes there is but as one has not been mentioned on this thread why is it of any relevance ? This is about the poster's bank debit card being charged by Amazon.

Post builder that's already been rumbled.

born_again

Though an item a relative purchased for me was delivered to my address using Amazon Prime's free delivery

Did you pay for it on their account.
If their card has expired. Then Prime & Kindle are transferred over to the next valid card.

Ring Amazon. Clearly you know the email address used. When speaking to them, that is all they want to know.
If these are not on that account. Then it is going to be someone you know that you have used your card on their account.
Often family member.

Never see fraud to prime or kindle as there is not gain to fraudsters.

Odds on bank will ask you to contact Amazon 1st. That is what we do, due to the number of people who "Have forgotten" that they have done it, but not realised that you have to pay for it....

Contains_Mild_Peril

Relative who bought something for me on Amazon used own card. I can't remember when I last used Amazon but it wasn't recently (at least several months ago, probably more than a year) which is what makes these transactions particularly suspicious. I've heard of customers apparently being signed up to Amazon Prime without their knowledge, but how could that happen without even being signed into Amazon?
The email address I previously used for Amazon was an old Googlemail address. I was locked out without warning some years ago because of unspecified "suspicious activity" on my Gmail account, which was very inconvenient at the time but as far as I know nobody else has/had access to that email account. I forgot to update my email on Amazon but since I still know my Amazon password it was never an issue until comparatively recently when I replaced my broken computer and Amazon then wanted email verification to allow me to log in.

born_again

Thanks.
Are there any family members who you may have had your card details on? As if the default card expires it will then charge the next live card.

I've spoken to plenty of people who claim "being signed up to Amazon Prime without their knowledge" Yet every one has then found out that they did sign up for FREE NEXT DAY DELIVERY and never realised that was Amazon Prime, or that their card was linked to another party who's card had expired.

Best bet ring amazon explain the situation that you are not aware of the charges. If it not on your account. Then you will have to ask them is it on X account. They can't tell you who's account it is, but will often just say YES it is one of the people you mentioned.