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Family member using debit card for X box and won't cancel - advice.

Hi. 
Bit of an odd thing long story but I'm wondering if anybody can advise

We've recently moved house and moved my mother in law with us to take care of her. She's asked us to take care of her finances as well. 
While sorting out her money we noticed two separate payments coming out for x box and have been for two years. Seeing as she's 82 and has no interest in gaming it threw up a few flags with us lol.

We asked her about it and she had no idea why it was coming out. She then said she'd given her debit card to her grandson (who is 35) a few years ago so he could use it to get a free trial on x-box and she said he'd said he'd cancelled it. 
I contacted him and he confirmed it was his and that his nan (My MiL) had said it was okay. She may be 82 but she's got all her marbles and has said she had not. She called him on Saturday and she asked if it was his and he said yeah it is. She asked if he could cancel it and he said no and put the phone down. I then called him last night as she was rather upset and he started screaming down the phone at me like a toddler and said "Thats my subscription. She promised me it so F you" and hung up.
We have also discovered hes taken out a mobile phone as well in her name. She doesn't want to get the police involved and has said "Let him have that phone (as there's only two months left on it)" but doesn't want to pay for his X-box anymore.

Is there anyway we can cancel it. We don't know his Gamer tag, email etc. 

We're planning on contacting the bank tomorrow when my MiL gets back from the hospital (she's in over night for a small procedure). But I don't think there is much they can do. Anybody got any ideas? I've seen a few ppl on forums saying the way X box works even if you change the cards the money is still taken. Is this true? Thanks. 

Additional:  she is with Halifax if that's any help. Thank you. 

Her grandson is an alcoholic and a drug addict. None of his family have anything to do with him after he attacked his pregnant sister a few years back so we sadly can't contact them for help. 
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Comments

  • jbrassy
    jbrassy Posts: 937 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper
    If the Xbox subscription is a direct debit, can't it just be cancelled using online banking or by ringing Halifax? I assume this is for the Xbox Live? If so, cancelling it will have no impact on your MILs credit score.

    The phone is a bit tricky. Is the phone a contract phone and who's name is the contract in? If the contract is in the grandson's name, then again cancel the direct debit and the phone company will chase him for payments. If it's in the MILs name, wait for the contract to come to an end, then ring the phone company and tell them you want to cancel the contract. 

    That's what I would do anyway.
  • Thank you for the reply. 
    That's what is throwing me. It isn't showing in DD's and some say to just cancel the cards but others have said it doesn't make any difference unless you report your cards as stolen and show a police report. 
    While the phone personally bothers me lol it's not my money or card and she said as there's two months left to pay to just leave it as she doesn't want him getting the police after him. Once again Ty for your reply :)
  • Zanderman
    Zanderman Posts: 4,812 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    jbrassy said:
    If the Xbox subscription is a direct debit, can't it just be cancelled using online banking or by ringing Halifax? I assume this is for the Xbox Live? If so, cancelling it will have no impact on your MILs credit score.

    The phone is a bit tricky. Is the phone a contract phone and who's name is the contract in? If the contract is in the grandson's name, then again cancel the direct debit and the phone company will chase him for payments. If it's in the MILs name, wait for the contract to come to an end, then ring the phone company and tell them you want to cancel the contract. 

    That's what I would do anyway.
    If it's been done via debit card it won't be a direct debit. More likely a CPA, which can't be cancelled by logging in, but can be cancelled by the bank, though sometimes seems more difficult to do.
  • Zanderman
    Zanderman Posts: 4,812 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 June 2024 am30 9:34AM
    Thank you for the reply. 
    That's what is throwing me. It isn't showing in DD's and some say to just cancel the cards but others have said it doesn't make any difference unless you report your cards as stolen and show a police report. 
    While the phone personally bothers me lol it's not my money or card and she said as there's two months left to pay to just leave it as she doesn't want him getting the police after him. Once again Ty for your reply :)
    It's not a DD. A CPA can't be cancelled by getting a new card. You need to actually ask the bank to cancel it.
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 4,633 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Just report the card as lost or broken, and have Halifax issue a new one. If your MiL is ok to write off the Xbox expenses then I'd just get the card cancelled. No need to file / produce a police report
  • Zanderman
    Zanderman Posts: 4,812 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 June 2024 am30 9:37AM
    Emmia said:
    Just report the card as lost or broken, and have Halifax issue a new one. If your MiL is ok to write off the Xbox expenses then I'd just get the card cancelled. No need to file / produce a police report
    If it's a CPA that was set up two years ago reporting the card as stolen now makes no difference! It would have to have been reported at the time.

    The C in CPA is for Continuous - it outlives old cards.
  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 13,958 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 June 2024 am30 9:38AM
    Emmia said:
    Just report the card as lost or broken, and have Halifax issue a new one. If your MiL is ok to write off the Xbox expenses then I'd just get the card cancelled. No need to file / produce a police report
    As others have said, if it's a CPA (Continuous Payment Authority) then just getting a new card probably won't work,. She needs to contact the bank and specifically ask them to stop the CPA 
  • kempiejon
    kempiejon Posts: 534 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    Thank you for the reply. 
    That's what is throwing me. It isn't showing in DD's and some say to just cancel the cards but others have said it doesn't make any difference unless you report your cards as stolen and show a police report. 
    While the phone personally bothers me lol it's not my money or card and she said as there's two months left to pay to just leave it as she doesn't want him getting the police after him. Once again Ty for your reply :)
    I suggest you do not worry about what others have said. You'll get a few opinion on here, mine included. Have mum contact the bank. They will explain how to cancel.

    With the phone, make sure it can't be renewed/rolled over by the offender.
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