Atruchecks testing scam?

langmad

To return from Portugal I was forced to have a lateral flow test at Faro airport for me and my wife at a cost of 30euro. Before arriving at the airport I had to book a 'Day 2' pcr test to come to my house for when we arrived. I viewed the gov.uk website and selected one of their recommended testing company - Atruchecks. I ordered 2 test kits on Tuesday 1st June at a cost of £67.99p each, this included £19 for next day delivery. The test kits were not there when we returned home and I have not received notification that they have been shipped so I cannot track them. I have writen several emails to them including their inhouse email system but have had no reply. I have tried to phone them but the automated voise tells me that I cannot be connected. I clicked on a link that was supposed to take me to their system but it would not load. Our day 2 since arriving is up tomorrow and therefore I cannot provide test results to satisfy the covid restrictions. Failure to do so can mean a £500 each fine! 
Does anyone have any idea where I should go with this with a view to recovering my £136?

sheramber

If you paid by card ask your bank to do a chargeback.
Plenty similar complaints on their facebook page.

michael1234

Let us know what happened in the end langmad. I hope you do get your money back.
Interestingly the company is threatening legal action against its customers for speaking out !

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/atruchecks.com

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Published 26 April 2021
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Pollycat

langmad said:

To return from Portugal I was forced to have a lateral flow test at Faro airport for me and my wife at a cost of 30euro. Before arriving at the airport I had to book a 'Day 2' pcr test to come to my house for when we arrived. I viewed the gov.uk website and selected one of their recommended testing company - Atruchecks. I ordered 2 test kits on Tuesday 1st June at a cost of £67.99p each, this included £19 for next day delivery. The test kits were not there when we returned home and I have not received notification that they have been shipped so I cannot track them. I have writen several emails to them including their inhouse email system but have had no reply. I have tried to phone them but the automated voise tells me that I cannot be connected. I clicked on a link that was supposed to take me to their system but it would not load. Our day 2 since arriving is up tomorrow and therefore I cannot provide test results to satisfy the covid restrictions. Failure to do so can mean a £500 each fine! 
Does anyone have any idea where I should go with this with a view to recovering my £136?

According to gov.uk:

The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider - you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider

michael1234

Pollycat said:

langmad said:

To return from Portugal I was forced to have a lateral flow test at Faro airport for me and my wife at a cost of 30euro. Before arriving at the airport I had to book a 'Day 2' pcr test to come to my house for when we arrived. I viewed the gov.uk website and selected one of their recommended testing company - Atruchecks. I ordered 2 test kits on Tuesday 1st June at a cost of £67.99p each, this included £19 for next day delivery. The test kits were not there when we returned home and I have not received notification that they have been shipped so I cannot track them. I have writen several emails to them including their inhouse email system but have had no reply. I have tried to phone them but the automated voise tells me that I cannot be connected. I clicked on a link that was supposed to take me to their system but it would not load. Our day 2 since arriving is up tomorrow and therefore I cannot provide test results to satisfy the covid restrictions. Failure to do so can mean a £500 each fine! 
Does anyone have any idea where I should go with this with a view to recovering my £136?

According to gov.uk:

The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider - you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider

Not sure how this answers the OP's question. I couldn't answer it but at least I didn't nitpick his question.

Pollycat

michael1234 said:

Pollycat said:

langmad said:

To return from Portugal I was forced to have a lateral flow test at Faro airport for me and my wife at a cost of 30euro. Before arriving at the airport I had to book a 'Day 2' pcr test to come to my house for when we arrived. I viewed the gov.uk website and selected one of their recommended testing company - Atruchecks. I ordered 2 test kits on Tuesday 1st June at a cost of £67.99p each, this included £19 for next day delivery. The test kits were not there when we returned home and I have not received notification that they have been shipped so I cannot track them. I have writen several emails to them including their inhouse email system but have had no reply. I have tried to phone them but the automated voise tells me that I cannot be connected. I clicked on a link that was supposed to take me to their system but it would not load. Our day 2 since arriving is up tomorrow and therefore I cannot provide test results to satisfy the covid restrictions. Failure to do so can mean a £500 each fine! 
Does anyone have any idea where I should go with this with a view to recovering my £136?

According to gov.uk:

The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider - you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider

Not sure how this answers the OP's question. I couldn't answer it but at least I didn't nitpick his question.

It wasn't nit-picking.

I was pointing out - for any other posters who may read this thread - that

The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider - you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

You are right that it didn't answer the OP's question.

But it did correct the OP's erroneous belief that the companies listed on gov.uk were recommended.

And for anyone reading, it hopefully - and helpfully - it could send them off to read reviews on whatever company they're considering using, thereby avoiding the same problem the OP had.

So although I agree that my reply was not necessarily helpful to the OP, it might help someone else by stopping them making the same mistake.

So no - not nit-picking at all. Just a well-intentioned heads-up.

Part of posting on a public forum such as this one is not just about answering someone's question.

It's also about trying to help other people.

JanetHazel

Same problem here, I ordered Day 2 and Day 8 tests from Atruchecks on 28th May and paid £7.99 extra for express delivery. I only ordered them because the original company I'd ordered from didn't send me a confirmation e mail and I needed an order reference for my Passenger Locator Form. Their tests (the other company) arrived but the ones from Atruchecks attempted delivery by DHL on Saturday  5th June(Day 7 of my self isolation). I refused delivery and told them to return to sender. The parcel was split in two and posted through my letter box at 6.50 this morning, Monday 7th June, and now DHL tell me to ring Atruchecks to get them picked up, but they can't offer me a phone number and neither can Google. 
Yes, I've raised a dispute with my credit card company, and yes I've received the email from Atruchecks regarding the amount of abusive emails their staff are receiving. What a surprise. I've emailed them 3 times and received no response. Grrr

CephalopodBC

So although I agree that my reply was not necessarily helpful to the OP, it might help someone else by stopping them making the same mistake.

So no - not nit-picking at all. Just a well-intentioned heads-up.

Part of posting on a public forum such as this one is not just about answering someone's question.

It's also about trying to help other people.

I am in the same boat with Atruchecks. While gov.uk does say that people should do their own research as you point out, there are 120+ testing providers listed on their site and Atruchecks is one of the first ones that pop up. That list is not exhaustive - I looked into providers near me but did not find them on the gov.uk list so went with Atruchecks as they were on it. The implicit assumption most will make is that these companies meet some kind of minimum standard by virtue of being on the list. It is unreasonable for the government to expect people to look into up to120+ providers - especially for those that are older and/or lack the technological acumen or don't have first language English fluency. I managed to get a refund from my bank because the Day 2 test was not delivered by Day 2, a requirement for which one can be fined. I informed the NHS via 119 and they sent a replacement test. I'd recommend others do the same if they have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with Atruchecks.

I'd also recommend reporting Atruchecks to the CMA who is keeping track of companies exploiting and defrauding customers during the pandemic.

goingpostal

If the Government has decided to approve a company and lists them on their site then they hold responsibility. End of. There are hundreds and hundreds of people frantically trying to get their results of refunds STILL as of today. And the company still has not been taken off the site. The scam goes on and is being completely ignored. Most of us are reporting them to ActionFraud. I think we really need a high profile media source to shout about this.

Pollycat

goingpostal said:

If the Government has decided to approve a company and lists them on their site then they hold responsibility. End of. There are hundreds and hundreds of people frantically trying to get their results of refunds STILL as of today. And the company still has not been taken off the site. The scam goes on and is being completely ignored. Most of us are reporting them to ActionFraud. I think we really need a high profile media source to shout about this.

But has the government approved any of the companies listed on GOV.UK?

Not according to this statement:

The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider - you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

goingpostal

Yes, it has been approved. Also written about in the Parliamentary review.
Worth noting that the other company called Atrumed owned by the the same person has been issued with a Compulsory strike off in the last 24 hours.