Octopus, energy, direct debit

Dippygoose

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

essentially, this is a direct debit fraud because they have no mandate. Can I try and claim compensation?

MWT

Dippygoose said:

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

No, not fraud, they acquired Bulbs customer base along with their payment details, if Bulb showed you as paying by DD then they are entitled to transfer the DD to themselves, and no compensation is due.

If you didn't pay Bulb by DD how did they have your details?

The DD would not have been for a specific bill, as a DD it would be to take a regular payment towards your ongoing bills.

Dippygoose said:

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

How do you intend to pay Octopus for your energy?

Qyburn

I expect that "fraud"" requires intent. I would call it a screw up rather than intentional criminal activity. 

If you're newly with Octopus and the billing still needs to settle down, you might want to start off on variable Direct Debit so your paying exact bills each month.

Mobtr

Dippygoose said:

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

essentially, this is a direct debit fraud because they have no mandate. Can I try and claim compensation?

How did you pay your bills with Bulb? Don’t see how they can set up a direct debit without your bank details

Mstty

Seems like the least hassle way for octopus to transfer over millions of customers. Not fraud just sensible practice.

Cancelling your DD will result in higher charges as well.

Qyburn

When Iresa went bust in 2018 Octopus took over the existing DD. From their email at that time ..

• If you pay by Direct Debit, you don’t need to change anything. This will transfer to Octopus automatically.

They didn't just have access to current bank details, because when they credited our balance from they paid it to the account we'd used when we first signed up with Iresa not the account that they DD used at time of the takeover.

Dippygoose

Mobtr said:

Dippygoose said:

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

essentially, this is a direct debit fraud because they have no mandate. Can I try and claim compensation?

How did you pay your bills with Bulb? Don’t see how they can set up a direct debit without your bank details

I paid using one of payments for direct debit I had with bulb was cancelled about two years ago.
Because bulb insisted the direct debit had to be ridiculous amounts.

Dippygoose

Mobtr said:

Dippygoose said:

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

essentially, this is a direct debit fraud because they have no mandate. Can I try and claim compensation?

How did you pay your bills with Bulb? Don’t see how they can set up a direct debit without your bank details

I paid using one of payments for direct debit I had with bulb was cancelled about two years ago.
Because bulb insisted the direct debit had to be ridiculous amounts.

Dippygoose

Qyburn said:

I expect that "fraud"" requires intent. I would call it a screw up rather than intentional criminal activity. 

If you're newly with Octopus and the billing still needs to settle down, you might want to start off on variable Direct Debit so your paying exact bills each month.

I paid using one of payments for direct debit I had with bulb was cancelled about two years ago.
Because bulb insisted the direct debit had to be ridiculous amounts.

cm4ever

@Dippygoose you've still not offered an answer to the question asked by @MWT .....

How do you intend to pay Octopus for your energy? (moving fowards)

TheElectricCow

Dippygoose said:

Mobtr said:

Dippygoose said:

Bit of an odd question, I was a bulb customer on my account has now been merged with octopus energy. They Just tried to set up a direct debit without my permission for a bill I’ve already paid.

Claiming this was how I paid my bill with bulb in there in titled to set it up, which was not true.

What can I what should I do about this?

I’ve already been on to the bank and have the direct debit cancelled and reversed.
I’ve also been onto Octopus and inform them what’s happened?

essentially, this is a direct debit fraud because they have no mandate. Can I try and claim compensation?

How did you pay your bills with Bulb? Don’t see how they can set up a direct debit without your bank details

I paid using one of payments for direct debit I had with bulb was cancelled about two years ago.
Because bulb insisted the direct debit had to be ridiculous amounts.

How did you cancel the direct debit? Did you get it cancelled directly via your bank or did you arrange for it to be stopped via bulb?

If you didn’t cancel it with the bank the direct debit would have still existed it would just be that bulb would have stopped taking payments through it, so it would still be on your account when transferred to Octopus. Bulb cannot cancel the DD, only you/the bank can.

If you did cancel it with the bank then your issue is with them, not Octopus, as it would be the bank allowing payments on a cancelled instruction.

In either case the most you’ll get is an apology from the responsible company, there’s no compensation to be had as you haven’t lost anything and were at no risk of losing anything. If Octopus for whatever reason did manage to take an unauthorised payment the bank would have immediately returned it to you and cancelled the instruction, as is thoroughly explained anytime you set up a direct debit - all those words in the direct debit guarantee aren’t just for show.