I noticed that two amounts of £2.99 had been taken from my bank account by Equifax. On looking on here, and looking at my emails from a year ago I found that I had cancelled my Equifax account 1 year ago, and confirmed in an email to them, which simply stated that I wanted the account cancelled. I did not agree to any other service, yet they have started taking this money. I have just spent 30 minutes on the phone trying to get it sorted out, and was told that they could cancel the subscription but that they couldn't give me a refund and that I had to do that using their website at equifax then forward slash ask (I couldn't input the URL) I complained this was ridiculous but was told it was the only way I could ask for a refund. So I did it whilst she was still on the phone, but it asks for a category and then a question subject - but guess what - REFUNDS aren't on there at all! So after lots of messing around I have now submitted the question to this stupid system asking for my refund and confirming that if I do not receive it within 7 days I will report them to Trading Standards (and I work with the ECC Trading Standards a lot through my work) and the police. This is out and out theft! They should not be allowed to get away with it. Yes it is only £2.99 a month, but the principle is the same if it was £299 a month. They should not be taking it. For safety, I am also contacting my bank to ask that they also stop it from their end, as I cannot trust this thieves any longer. If they think this will ever mean I go back to them if I need a credit report in the future they will be very much mistaken.

Hey jac1970stone, how did you get on with cancelling and reclaiming the money? I am still being charged, my bank told me there was nothing they could do so interested to know whether that approach worked for you?

They're absolute thieves, I agree, and should not be on MSE as a suggested provider for Credit Scoring when they seem hell-bent on just screwing you over.

Ask or even request they cancel the payment, ask what the last payment will be taken and if the 1 after it has been taken then complain.

If you ask the bank to cancel CPA's they must. Contact your bank again and insist, speak to a manager if you have to.

I would also insist on a refund from when you original asked them.

Thanks JKSandy. They said that the issue was that it was set up as a card payment so they couldn't cancel it. I'll speak to them again tomorrow and see if they can change their tune.

If I get a refund from when I originally asked (online form, phone call and letter) then I should get at least a years worth back!

Afraid you spoke to an idiot. A CPA on a card is just you authorising a series of card payments. Each goes through individually.

Payment Service Regulations 2009 s55 give you the right to withdraw consent for both an iU]individual payment[/U] or a series of payments, so this bloke is plain ignorant or fibbing to you.

Talk to a manger and insist they do it. Tell them you will also be claiming back any already taken or that are taken in the future, via the FOS if necessary

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17870704

It's still ongoing so I will be taking this information and fighting for my money back. Have just contacted my bank to ask for their "advice" on the matter, now to write another letter to the credit report thieves and politely demand they pay back all that they stole.

Thank you so much for your advice!

The ONLY thing to do with Equifax is AVOID them at all cost.

If you have to give a Card Number for this (or any) subscription... use a CREDIT CARD and not a Debit Card. A Credit Card can more easily be cancelled whilst it's almost impossible to stop a company TAKING money from your bank account without closing the account!

Experian are much easier to deal with or cancel . Simply contacting Equifax online is a real nightmare.

Equifax are just HORRIBLE.

Noddle is the best option - permanently FREE.

AVOID Equifax!

I cancelled last week with Equifax once i had checked my report.

I used my debit card with no issues

I phoned Equifax to cancel, didn't bother contacting them online.

Weren't for me, did have to reiterate a few times I wanted to cancel

Id say the opposite.

You can't cancel online, I think that's the gripe - you have to go through the hard sell

So just cancelled during my free trial, and it seems to have gone okay. The initial call queue wasn't too bad - sometimes with these products where you have to phone to cancel you always get "due to unexpected call volumes", so was pleasantly surprised I got through in under a minute.

To anyone cancelling, be firm and say you want to cancel, be polite too as the call centre person is just doing their job and probably have to go through a script . They will offer you additional free trial alerts, reiterating no cost but then ask to confirm last digits of your card - you need to again say you don't want the trial (unless you really do want to try it??) as I guess they are hoping that because its free people will take it up!

If you need a report and eligible for the free trial, then don't be afraid to try it. Cancelling is a bit of a hassle as you have to phone up, but so long as you are aware they will offer a 6-month alert trial that you need to turn down, then its simple enough.

Of course if you are not eligible, a £2 standard report is cheaper, unless you need your score as well as report, even though only you see the score not any lenders.

Yes the waiting time wasn't long, maybe a minute for me.

Agreed, didn't take long for me to get it cancelled.

Makes sense that you cant cancel online, to be honest having to call wasn't a chore.

Does it? Experian allow you to cancel online from within your account page. If you sign up online you should be able to cancel online too. Its only because by requiring to phone means they get the option to sell,especially a six-month free trial alert service. I'm sorry but if the alert comes up with a change, will they let you view what's changed, no you probably have to re-join for that nugget!

I've had free trials for other stuff where you have had to phone to cancel, and its usually involves a protracted sale talk.

In what world does it make sense? It's purely their way of trying to make it awkward for you to cancel, and to give them an opportunity to retain your custom by offering the service for a cheaper price. It's really underhand.

They allow you to sign up online, so you should be able to cancel online, as you can with pretty much every other online subscription service I've ever used.

Rang the 0800 number - selected the options to cancel free subscription - thought I'd have to wait ages as it was mid afternoon but was answered immediately. There was a SOFT sell of one other product that I declined, then I was thanked and told I would receive an email confirming the cancellation.

So I got
- a free credit rating
- a free £7 from Quidco

easy cancellation

Well done Equifax