Unauthorised Payments Taken By NOW TV

[Deleted User]

NOW TV somehow set up a sports pass on my account without my knowledge. They apparently sent me an email, which to date I have not been able to find. Unfortunately, I didn't become aware that this sports pass had been set up until 3 months later and NOW took 3 unauthorised payment of £33.99. I have asked them to provide me with an explanation of how a pass was set up without my knowledge or authorisation, but they keep giving me the same vague reply quoting a date and time the pass was set up. I have been through a complaints process with both NOW TV and CISAS and an 'independent' adjudicator has ruled in favour of NOW and my case has been closed.

 

I'm not prepared to accept this, and I have read that other people have experienced similar problems. Setting up passes without people's knowledge and taking payments without authorisation is verging on criminal. I think consumers need to be made aware that this company has some rather dubious practices, so I have contacted the Radio 4 programme You and Yours. I would urge anyone else who has had similar experiences to me to do the same. If a whole lot of people contact the same consumer programme the likelihood is they'll notice it and run an item on it. So, I hope anyone out there reading this will support me.

 

Thanks!

The_Fat_Controller

How many people have access to the relevant email and NOW TV account ?

How did you miss £39.99 being debited for 3 months ?

What was the exact ruling from CISAS ?

[Deleted User]

'How many people have access to the relevant email and NOW TV account ?'

Myself and my wife. Neither of us are sports fans!

'How did you miss £39.99 being debited for 3 months ?'

I missed 3 months worth of payments by not checking my statements for three months. A mistake, I know! However, the fact they set up a sports pass without my knowledge is extremely concerning and also underhand. Usually when you buy something you are made aware of the fact at the time of purchase. 

'What was the exact ruling from CISAS ?'

Conclusion 8. My conclusion on the main issues is that: a. The company has not broken a term of the contract between it and the customer or failed in the duty of care which it owed to the customer. b. The customer has not provided sufficient evidence to justify the claim. 9. Therefore, my decision is that the customer’s claim does not succeed.

greyteam1959

£39.99 taken out of your bank account for 3 months & you never noticed ??
Do you never look at your bank statements ??

[Deleted User]

It was taken from my credit card from November 2020 to January 2021. I was having a busy time with my business. I was also spending quite a bit of money on my card at that time and quickly skimmed the statements which looked about right. It was £33.99, so it wasn't such a large amount to attract my attention. Yes, I know I should check my statement every month! 

My main concern though is that a pass was set up without my knowledge. I've since removed my payment details from my NOW TV account, so they won't be able to take anymore money from me. My other concern is that I've tried to completely delete my account with NOW TV and it doesn't seem possible.

I have also asked them for an address to write to as I want to send them a letter recorded delivery. They would not give me their address. I have since found it on the Companies House website.

olgadapolga

Now used to be able to look at an account and see whether or not a pass had been used. I had a couple of occasions where I thought that I'd cancelled a pass but hadn't, contacted Now and got refunds based on the fact that the pass hadn't been used. Might be worth exploring? Failing that, small claims court?

[Deleted User]

They looked at this for me. They were only able to look at one week's use. They said it had been used on three occasions during that week for one or two minutes at a time. I don't think I've ever watched a sports channel in my life, unless I've been in a pub that had it on. It's not really about the money anymore. It's the principal that they have done this without my agreement. I'm going to contact citizens advice next and take it from there. But yes, if it comes to it I may well go to the small claims court.

powerful_Rogue

Did NOW TV refund the 3 months worth of sports package?

[Deleted User]

No, they offered a month as a 'gesture of good will' but I turned it down. I told them I didn't see it as a gesture of good will to refund money they'd taken without my agreement and that I wanted a full refund. I guess if they give me the full refund they're admitting they're at fault.  

visidigi

Sounds like your account has been compromised. And that same person may have also, based on your information provided,  had access to your email account (curious if your account is still linked to your email address?)

This would explain why your claim failed, as you can't provide evidence that NOW acted against the terms because the user was logged into your account, used your saved settings then logged into your NOW account on their device.

Have you asked NOW to check what IP's have used your account?

[Deleted User]

They told me that there's been no suspicious activity on my account. The evidence they gave me of when and for how long the sports channel has been used is odd. It's odd that someone would watch it for one minute. I don't think my account has been compromised. The only thing I can think is that I have inadvertently signed up to the pass. This is why I want them to explain to me how the pass could have been set up, but they just keep giving vague answers. I would have thought there would be an 'I agree to set this up' button that you have to click, but I wonder if they have some way of setting up a pass without customers realising. Having read some reviews other people have left online it certainly seems this could be the case. In which case this could potentially be fraudulent.