Problem with Aqua credit card

davidkentman

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice about a situation which is worrying me a great deal and affecting my health.

On 15 October 2022, I attempted to use my Aqua credit card to purchase a product online, but to my concern, when I was asked to verify the transaction, two telephone numbers I did not recognize were offered for the verification code to be sent.  In fact I had used my Aqua card only a few weeks earlier and Aqua's message showed the correct phone number for the code.
I have no idea from where these new numbers came:  Aqua has/had my correct number, as it has also sent text messages to it about my balance.
I then tried to contact Aqua and I was told that I would have to wait 45 minutes. That was bad enough, but after an hour and a half, no one had answered my call.  Aqua does not even have a dedicated number for complaints or lost/stolen cards - these issues are all dealt with by the same number - which is not answered.
On TrustPilot, there are recent complaints by customers reporting their calls are not answered, with no response to the 'Chat' facility either. Before the hour and a half session began, I had made an earlier attempt and on mentioning "[potential] fraud" to the automated menu system, I spoke to someone in Aqua’s lost/stolen card department. He said that he could not see my telephone number, but only those ones in the verification message earlier that day, which I suspect are numbers provided to Aqua by someone attempting to use my card fraudulently. He said he could not cancel my card/account (which is what I now want to do as I no longer trust Aqua), and I would have to speak to customer services - but that doesn't answer the phone...

I wrote by "snail mail" to Aqua on 17 and 26 October, heading both letters "FOR THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SENIOR MANAGER. POTENTIAL OMBUDSMAN COMPLAINT,* and asking for my card to be cancelled. However, I have not had any response to these letters either. It appears that Aqua is in some sort of total meltdown, and all I want to do is end my association with it.
All Aqua statements before October had my correct telephone number, but the latest one, in October, did not and had one of the two numbers I do not recognize and certainly are not mine.
As I cannot get any response from Aqua, I thought I should contact the Financial Ombudsman but this says it cannot investigate until eight weeks have elapsed, this means I have no way of resolving this now as I very worried that my card is being misused.

Can anyone suggest anything I can do to resolve this, please?
Thank you

cymruchris

Have there been any fraudulent transactions on your account?


In your app (mine is iOS - if yours is Android it might be slightly different) - click the 'more' at the bottom right - and then account settings.




Then click 'Personal details' - are the details shown within correct?




If not - have you called this number (Under complaints)

[Deleted User]

1) change your password to something secure
2) login to app or website and change the numbers back

App looks like you can report the card lost which should block it or login to the Aqua website and report the card stolen / lost - link here

Use online for stuff, better than trying to speak to front line call centre staff who probably will have limited options for help anyway, far easier to manage it yourself than wait in call queues

MorningcoffeeIV

They're not in any sort of meltdown.

It's less than two weeks since your letters, so await a response.  If you don't hear, raise another complaint but only using the contact methods on their site, not adding anything additional that may confuse issues.

born_again

davidkentman said:

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice about a situation which is worrying me a great deal and affecting my health.

On 15 October 2022, I attempted to use my Aqua credit card to purchase a product online, but to my concern, when I was asked to verify the transaction, two telephone numbers I did not recognize were offered for the verification code to be sent.  In fact I had used my Aqua card only a few weeks earlier and Aqua's message showed the correct phone number for the code.
I have no idea from where these new numbers came:  Aqua has/had my correct number, as it has also sent text messages to it about my balance.
I then tried to contact Aqua and I was told that I would have to wait 45 minutes. That was bad enough, but after an hour and a half, no one had answered my call.  Aqua does not even have a dedicated number for complaints or lost/stolen cards - these issues are all dealt with by the same number - which is not answered.
On TrustPilot, there are recent complaints by customers reporting their calls are not answered, with no response to the 'Chat' facility either. Before the hour and a half session began, I had made an earlier attempt and on mentioning "[potential] fraud" to the automated menu system, I spoke to someone in Aqua’s lost/stolen card department. He said that he could not see my telephone number, but only those ones in the verification message earlier that day, which I suspect are numbers provided to Aqua by someone attempting to use my card fraudulently. He said he could not cancel my card/account (which is what I now want to do as I no longer trust Aqua), and I would have to speak to customer services - but that doesn't answer the phone...

I wrote by "snail mail" to Aqua on 17 and 26 October, heading both letters "FOR THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SENIOR MANAGER. POTENTIAL OMBUDSMAN COMPLAINT,* and asking for my card to be cancelled. However, I have not had any response to these letters either. It appears that Aqua is in some sort of total meltdown, and all I want to do is end my association with it.
All Aqua statements before October had my correct telephone number, but the latest one, in October, did not and had one of the two numbers I do not recognize and certainly are not mine.
As I cannot get any response from Aqua, I thought I should contact the Financial Ombudsman but this says it cannot investigate until eight weeks have elapsed, this means I have no way of resolving this now as I very worried that my card is being misused.

Can anyone suggest anything I can do to resolve this, please?
Thank you

RM on strike Thursday, the 20th and Tuesday, the 25th October 2022. So will delay mail. In some cases by several days.

To give a bit of insight how mail is handled in banking.
It comes into building, then it will be opened & scanned onto systems (not simply sent to a "Senior Manager" of which there will be many.) People wandering around with post on trollies ended years ago.
It will then be put into the correct department Queue's to be worked. Depending on how busy they are, it can take a while to be looked at. Given you have selected more than 1 request. That will delay the process, as it is bounced between departments to do the various tasks. Not everyone will have the facility to stop a card.
Add in we would never action a stop on a card without speaking to customer. Same with live chat as you can not verify you are the customer. Reason, it could be anyone sending a letter in or on chat. 

By far the best way is to pick up the phone & speak to them, call just before they open is the best time. When staff are ready & waiting for calls. They will be able to stop card straight away, maybe explain the issue, if not. Then pass you to the complaints team, or log the complaint for them to contact you.

davidkentman

cymruchris: No, thankfully I have not noticed any fraudulent transactions yet, but it appears someone only changed my phone number in early October.
I do not have an app as I only have a basic PAYG phone.
Your info about Newday was very welcome, and I am very grateful for that. I ascertained the phone number for the company which has been constantly engaged! However, I was also able to obtain the email address and wrote to this and have received an acknowledgement. Many thanks for the info as it was very useful.

Farfetch - I do not use any app or online facility.

bornagain - As a financial institution, it will be aware of the current mail situation, in which case it can email me. You say "Depending on how busy they are, it can take a while to be looked at", but as this is a matter of possible fraud, I would have hoped that some urgency would be applied.

---------------------------------
 
In sum, the fact that I couldn't speak to anyone at Aqua after waiting an hour and half (despite Aqua's promise of the wait only being 45 minutes!), and it has still not responded to two letters, both flagged urgent and warning of an Ombudsman compliant, and also reporting possible fraud, I consider it reasonable to view the company being in meltdown, i.e, not having enough staff to deal with basic issues. This is reinforced by sites such as Trustpilot now having customers complaining of not being able to speak to anyone on the 'phone or through 'Chat'.

I've used credit cards since the 1970s (without any problem) and I don't think it unreasonable to expect a credit card company to talk to customers on the 'phone.

Hopefully the help I've received here will produce a satisfactory resolution. Thanks.

[Deleted User]

Choosing not to use an app or online account is the problem here then, hence you have to wait on the phone for an answer. It's really helpful to have apps for banking as you can immediately freeze a card, see suspicious spending within hours, if not minutes etc

Don't forget many people will ring up firms and ask for things they can do themselves but choose not to, hence clogging phones up. Doesn't excuse the fraud/lost card response you got but you're stuck in a queue because people are ringing up to check balances or make payments etc things they can do themselves off the phone. Firms cut their staff to reduce their overheads because so many people use the technology, those who can't or won't do this will lose out

cymruchris

In addition to the above - the way technology is moving, I wouldn't be surprised if a little way down the line you won't be able to use a credit card without an app. Some providers have already turned off their web-based browser access and are now app-only. I would think it likely that's the way the market will go over the next couple of years. I'm sure you have your reasons for not wanting a phone that can handle apps - but is there a possibility you'd consider one? It would make your life in terms of financial products a little easier, and certainly less stressful. 

davidkentman

Well, a month after I reported suspicious activity and several phone calls, I have still not received anything in writing from Newday/Aqua. I have warned them I will submit a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, but that doesn't seem to bother them though.

davidkentman

"Don't forget many people will ring up firms and ask for things they can do themselves but choose not to, hence clogging phones up."

In which case they should have a dedicated line solely for reporting suspected fraud. But they don't.

[Deleted User]

davidkentman said:

Well, a month after I reported suspicious activity and several phone calls, I have still not received anything in writing from Newday/Aqua. I have warned them I will submit a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, but that doesn't seem to bother them though.

Just submit it to the FOS given the time - you are allowed to after 8 weeks regardless

davidkentman said:

"Don't forget many people will ring up firms and ask for things they can do themselves but choose not to, hence clogging phones up."

In which case they should have a dedicated line solely for reporting suspected fraud. But they don't.

Move provider then, that is poor service