MBNA Pressure Selling

rdwarr

At Oxford Services today (on the M40) were a couple of young ladies promoting the MBNA National Trust card. The spiel was that the card would be sent out "unactivated" and that nothing further would happen until I "officially accepted" it.
I specifically asked if a credit check would take place to which the answer was "No, we use our own internal scoring". I said I didn't want any more credit cards and was assured that I wouldn't have to accept it.
Anyway, I gave my name/address (seemed the quickest way out) and she gave me the form to sign. It was clearly a standard credit card application with lots of small print saying implying there WOULD be a credit check and that I would be on the junk mail list of MBNA plus others. At that point I declined to sign the form and crossed out my name/address (if I'd been less angry I would have taken it with me).
Was I shamelessly lied to, or am I being too defensive? Can you be accepted for a credit card without a credit check? Anybody else had problems with Motorway Services sales people?
At least I wasn't asked to buy an "Aston Gerard" watch by a bloke in the car park.

PeeWee

I had the same thing, at knowsley safari park, this is terible in my opinion.

THe sales people walk round and offer free cuddly toys to the kids with you, in return for "applying for information" I looked at the forms and they were defo a credit application form. At this point I lost my cool and told the little !!!! If he lied to me again I would string him up by his balls, I also told him how dare he use teddy bears to coherse people into applying for a card.

I also said if I saw him talking to anyone else I would take his head off.

Needless to say my Mrs didnt speak to me for a few hours (yes a bonus I know) and the young man kept well out of my way!!

I really cant believe this was allowed to happen, Number 1, the use of cuddly toys to sign up, and number 2 the blatent lie that you are just requesting information.

It stinks!!!

Niteflyer

This is an extract from their T&C's online.

14 Releasing personal information to agencies
14a We will release some personal information about you to the following agencies.
· Credit reference agencies when we search their records about you. They will record details of our searches. We will also release information to credit reference agencies about any account which you hold with us or any member of the MBNA Group, including information about any payments you have missed. Information held by credit reference agencies may be linked to other people who you have a financial association with.
· Fraud prevention agencies. If you give us false or inaccurate information and we suspect fraud, we will tell them this.
14b The credit reference and fraud prevention agencies will share search details and account information with us and other organisations so that we and they might:
· assess applications for credit and related services, and manage accounts and insurance policies with you or members of your household;
· check your identity to prevent money laundering (passing money through a business so the police cannot trace where it came from);
· prevent, detect or prosecute fraud and other crimes; and
· recover and trace debts.
14c The fraud prevention agencies will share records with other organisations to help make decisions on proposals for, and claims against, motor, household, credit, life and other insurance, for you and members of your household.
14d The credit reference and fraud prevention agencies will also use personal information for statistical analysis about credit and insurance fraud. Please phone us on the customer satisfaction number shown at the top of these terms and conditions, if you would like details of those credit reference and fraud prevention agencies. You have a legal right to these details.

They clearly do a credit check

rdwarr

That rings a bell. There was something on the form I nearly signed saying "You must read sections 13 and 14 of the T&C before signing".
Trouble is, they were nowhere to be seen!
I already have an MBNA Platinum Plus - what's the best way to use this to cost them money?

N9eav

Someone did this to me in the USA once when I was on holiday. I got a free T -Shirt with the sports team I was about to watch on it if I signed up.. I told him I was on holiday and he did'nt seem to listen. So I made up an address (Main street is always a good one), a tel number ,ficticious job and took his T -shirt.

Thanks MBNA

balsingh

If you think thats bad, I am a MBNA cardholder, and when I call the customer services, the hard sell of other products is unbelievable - insurance, card protection, you name it!! Its so annoying that even though I have given them my business, they still have to push to try and get that little bit more.

Paul_Herring

rdwarr wrote:

Can you be accepted for a credit card without a credit check?

My last 0% card was obtained without a (Experian etc.) credit check - my bank.

daveboy

It's only a 'hard sell' when you are stupid enough to stop for them - once you stop for anyone, it automatically becomes harder to get away from it.

Funnily enough, I've never been hard sold a thing.

Whilst the companies that do it are a big pain in the behind, we all have legs and can keep on walking (in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act I accept some people use a wheelchair....but even that is able to move).

I have no sympathy for people who simply can't say "no thanks" and continue on their way.

Niteflyer

II've just e-maile dthe National Trust and MBNA, lets see what they have to say

HelenR_3

Paul_Herring wrote:

My last 0% card was obtained without a (Experian etc.) credit check - my bank.

they may have used equifax ?

Paul_Herring

HelenR wrote:

Paul_Herring wrote:

My last 0% card was obtained without a (Experian etc.) credit check - my bank.

they may have used equifax ?

No - they didn't use any of them. I acquired it during one of those meetings banks usually invite you to to sell you stuff. Using prior information they had about my bank account, they were immediately able to offer me a £10,000 (non-0%) overdraft and a £10,000 0% CC for 6 months. I took them up on £500 overdraft (just in case) and the card. No search was evident when I checked my credit reports a month later.