Issue with Very.co.uk refund and requesting personal documents

Lau03

I ordered 2 items from very a couple of weeks ago which were due to be delivered by yodel. I had a notification to say the package had reached our local distribution centre. However there was no update for almost a week. I contacted yodel who launched an investigation and later said they had never received the order from very. 

I contacted very on Monday and was told straight away that I could receive a full refund and it would be in my account within 7 days. 

I have received a refund for the £3.99 delivery charge but not the items. 

Today I have received an email stating that as I had not confirmed my details (they never asked me to!) they could not process the complaint further until I had confirmed. And they are now asking for a copy of my birth certificate etc to verify my BOB and a copy of a utility bill etc to verify my address. Does anyone know why they would need such documentation? It seems a little invasive to keep these documents on my file when I am only asking for a refund of items I have never received 

user1977

Presumably to check that the delivery address was genuine and this isn't some sort of fraud?

voluted

If you've opened a credit account they're required to perform KYC checks.

It looks like your complaint has made someone look at your account and realise they were not performed initially.

Lau03

I paid on card so no credit account. And yodel and very have both already admitted it was their fault. I feel quite uneasy sending them my documents with no explanation as to why they need them when the refund had already been agreed. I have emailed them back asking this question so hopefully they will get back to me with an answer. 

Jellynailer

I would NEVER give personal details for a purchase of goods by card.  I think maybe the OP has been scammed by a Very lookalike.  £3.99 is not much to give up if the reward is stealing details to gain so much more.  Do take care OP.

voluted

Lau03 said:

I paid on card so no credit account. And yodel and very have both already admitted it was their fault. I feel quite uneasy sending them my documents with no explanation as to why they need them when the refund had already been agreed. I have emailed them back asking this question so hopefully they will get back to me with an answer. 

Personally I'd just give them the documents. It's the same request they'd make if you had a credit account and they're an FCA regulated business, not some fly-by-night scammers.

eskbanker

Jellynailer said:

I think maybe the OP has been scammed by a Very lookalike.  £3.99 is not much to give up if the reward is stealing details to gain so much more.

That's quite a leap from the facts shared by OP to the company potentially being fake!  And OP wouldn't be giving up £3.99 (the already-reimbursed delivery cost) but the (undisclosed) value of the items....

Okell

I'd go back to them and ask them why they need this information.

Point out to them that they already hold your card details and all they need to do is to pay the agreed refund to that card.

Ergates

Okell said:

I'd go back to them and ask them why they need this information.

Point out to them that they already hold your card details and all they need to do is to pay the agreed refund to that card.

Agree.  There *are* circumstances in which I'd be prepared to provide a company with such information - but what is described by the OP doesn't sound like one of them.  Maybe there's a miscommunication somewhere.