Microsoft owe me money!

SarahRoseanne

Hi there,

I need some advice because I don't know what to do. Long story so bear with...

I purchased a subscription to Microsoft 365 three years ago.

A year later I got an email saying it was up for renewal and that if I did not cancel they would take £79.99 and automatically renew my subscription. I logged into my account and no product was listed there with the email address I use for that account. However the date came round and they took money from my account.

I contacted them at the start of this year to raise a query on this and to make sure it would not happen again. They asked for evidence so I sent them bank statement, emails and part of my card details (through a secure link). 

They took so long to respond that I had to keep getting in touch via their chat function as I couldn't find any other means to contact them. However, time went on and once again I received reminder emails and then £79.99 was taken again. 

I pressed on through the chats and was told to upload evidence again - two bank statements this time, all emails from Microsoft and my card details. I also have two other email addresses which I checked to see if there were any 365 products associated with and nothing. It's definitely aligned with my current email address.

They have recently come back to me to say they cannot find anything on my account (which we knew from the start) and that it isn't their problem. My bank statements show it's an official payment to Microsoft and no one else so it's not a scam. I also don't share my card with anyone so it's no one else's account either. I don't understand why they can't trace the order number to the transaction / card details. 

I don't know where this leaves me as I have been charged twice now for a product I don't have and am not using and I really don't want this to happen a third time. I can't find any details online for a number or contact of anyone who I can physically speak to apart from this chat function.

Can anyone help or advise what I should do!? I should note that I did contact my bank and they told me to raise a dispute online and this did not block the charge or help the situation.  

Thanks in advance. 

Sarah 

arciere

The most likely explanation is that the email address linked to the 365 subscription is different than the one you normally use. Have a look at the emails you got, see what account is mentioned there. It's pretty much impossible that they would charge you for an inexistent subscription.

SarahRoseanne

arciere said:

The most likely explanation is that the email address linked to the 365 subscription is different than the one you normally use. Have a look at the emails you got, see what account is mentioned there. It's pretty much impossible that they would charge you for an inexistent subscription.

Hey! Thanks for your reply. They don't mention my account, but there is a button where I can log in. I have logged in with all email addresses I have and there is nothing except an old subscription - the one I initially purchased, but no record of the updated subscription that they are charging for. They too, cannot trace anything on my accounts. They've been through all of my email addresses. So I feel really stumped at the moment. 

arciere

The problem is that they can only check the accounts that you ask them to check. I don't remember exactly what those emails from Microsoft looks like, but there must be the address in there, try to take a closer look.

Also make sure that you type the address exactly as you read it in your email.

Just as an example, if you have an email address like firstname.surname@gmail.com you will also get emails sent to firstnamelastname@gmail.com , without the dot. But on the Microsoft website, those would be two completely separate accounts.

SarahRoseanne

arciere said:

The problem is that they can only check the accounts that you ask them to check. I don't remember exactly what those emails from Microsoft looks like, but there must be the address in there, try to take a closer look.

Also make sure that you type the address exactly as you read it in your email.

Just as an example, if you have an email address like firstname.surname@gmail.com you will also get emails sent to firstnamelastname@gmail.com , without the dot. But on the Microsoft website, those would be two completely separate accounts.

Thanks. I'm not sure this helps me I'm afraid. Microsoft have checked all of my accounts whilst I was on chat to them. The emails to my current email address do not list an email address in the body of the email. A copy of one of the emails is below if you are interested - my email address is not mentioned. The 'your subscription' was hyperlinked to take me to the login page, where, as I have said, I have logged in with my email address, as well as two others to ensure the subscription is not on an old account, which it isn't. I've only ever purchased a Microsoft 365 service once and that is down on my account as expired. So this really should not be difficult to trace but apparently the higher investigation team is also stumped.

Why would they ask for bank statements and card details as well if they can only check email address?

Thanks for trying but think I'm still stuck in the same situation. Hopeless!

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for subscribing to Microsoft 365 Family. Office 365 is now Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 includes everything you enjoy in Office 365, like premium Office apps, and 1 TB of cloud storage, plus new subscription benefits. Your subscription was successfully renewed on 14 May 2021. Your next renewal is scheduled for 14 May 2022. Recurring billing will happen every year at £79.99 including taxes. You can see your subscription information, change how you pay, or cancel at any time to stop future charges.

Jenni_D

This isn't really a tech help question ... Consumer Rights may have been a better place for this.

I guess you could flag the transactions as unauthorised to your bank and see if you could get the money back that way. The first one may be too long ago, but the latest one may still be in time. (I'm assuming these are annual subscriptions).

SarahRoseanne

Jenni_D said:

This isn't really a tech help question ... Consumer Rights may have been a better place for this.

I guess you could flag the transactions as unauthorised to your bank and see if you could get the money back that way. The first one may be too long ago, but the latest one may still be in time. (I'm assuming these are annual subscriptions).

Thanks Jenni, I had no idea where to place this to be honest. Is there a way I can edit where it sits? I've only come on here as a last resort. Thanks x 

Jenni_D

You can PM (private message) a board guide to ask them to move it. Board guides for each board can be found via the link below.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6108155/board-guides-list

SarahRoseanne

Jenni_D said:

You can PM (private message) a board guide to ask them to move it. Board guides for each board can be found via the link below.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6108155/board-guides-list

Thanks Jenni, I'll see if I can get it moved. I have written this mainly to link to on Twitter to explain the situation. Microsoft have now DM'd me, so perhaps there may be some luck in that. 

Carrot007

SarahRoseanne said:

The emails to my current email address do not list an email address in the body of the email.

You would need to look in the headers. Google "email header" and name of whatever you are using for email and you should find out how to look.

SarahRoseanne

Carrot007 said:

SarahRoseanne said:

The emails to my current email address do not list an email address in the body of the email.

You would need to look in the headers. Google "email header" and name of whatever you are using for email and you should find out how to look.

Thanks, I have found it and it's the same email with the old subscription on. It's so weird. 

Think what I need is the email address or number of someone I can talk to at Microsoft. Contact details online just seem to be the chat function or Twitter, which I am now communicating through.