WARNING OF THIEFS

L

lizstuguinness

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 July 2006
Messages
518
Visit site
Firstly I know is going to sound defamatory... but please hear me out. This is for the sakes of anyone with a bank account.

I placed an order with Vprewards, unknown to me they have signed me up to a "membership" scheme which basicalY invloves them taking £10 from my account every month. They have been doing this for nearly 8 months now and I cant stop them.

I have emailed and phoned about 5 times, each time "very sorry madam, your membership has now been cacelled"
next month comes and money gone.

At the same time I am trying to get my bank - Alliance and Leicester to cancell these payments, however they wont.
Due to some legislation they "cant".

try doing a search on vprewards and see what comes up. For me endless people complaining about the same problems, only with a slight twist...
Their banks are able to cancell and stop these payments, meaning they only loose £20 or so.

I personaly dont like AL anyway and have moved to halifax who i find very good, I have kept this one account going due to the large overdraft facility. (which is now being paid off and closed)

Just wanted to warn everyone
dont touch vprewards, and although may be good for some stuff I personaly think there are better banks than AL.

THIS IS TRUE AND NOT OPION, PLEASE LEAVE ON AS WARNING TO OTHERS
 
The banking world has a code of practice and as a result you have something called a Direct Debit Guarantee. This is a quote from the Alliance & Leicester website :-
"Direct Debit guarantee
This guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme. This efficiency and security of the Scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or Building Society.

If the amounts to be paid or the payment dates change, you will be told of this in advance. If an error is made by the company or your Bank, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your Bank for the amount paid. "

You have the right to cancel a direct debit with your account and if a company "wrongly" take a payment under the guarantee they have to credit the money back into your account.

I suggest that you go back to your bank and firstly cancel the direct debit and then ask them to fulfil their requirement under the Direct Debit guarantee. Hopefully to support your case you have made a note of who you spoke to and when?

This Vista Special (often after you purchase on Vistaprint, you get a special discount club offer and it all starts) has been going for some time and there are lots of postings on other forums about the same thing - you are unfortunately not alone.

As a course of things to do, heres your options:
1) Send an email to cancel@vprewards.co.uk stating your membership no, name, address, postcode and email address used for vp
2) If your payment is via credit card - consider cancelling your credit card, or requesting a new one - this would effectively make it impossible for them to collect their fee
3) If your payment is via your bank - cancel the DD/SO
4) Contact your local council - Trading Standards Officer for any further advice available, to highlight the situation
 
I had a similar problem with cancelling AOL some years ago, due to being unable to get through on the phone to the cancellation dept, I phoned my credit card company to cancel my mastercard credit card payment, they couldn't/wouldn't, saying that AOL had to cancel it, I said what if I cancel my card, they said "they" still had to pay it, what if I died, "they" still had to pay it, only AOL could cancel it, this was why internet companies alway tried to get you to use your credit card for direct debits as they were gauranteed the money, I had to keep trying to get AOL on the phone until I got them to cancel it which they did, unless things have changed it will still be the same, apparently "you" can cancel a direct debit if it's from your bank account but not a credit card, "so I was told" by my credit card company by the lady on the phone.
 
Watch out for companies doing the same assumption of continuous authorities on your debit card too - there is no such thing but you wouldnt guess that from the renewal letters which say we will be taking this money on x date....
 
Just had a look on google, legal or not it's seems like sharp practice to me
frown.gif
 
If this is a Direct Debit through your Current Account then you can definately cancel it through your Bank as Iconique
says AND claim all the money back from the Bank. The Bank then has to pursue the debt with the company.

If this is through a Credit Card I'd ring the lost/stolen line and report the card stolen.
 
VPrewards also took money from my account. First time it happened I phoned them, complained and they paid the money back. No problems since. If you're not having any joy with them say you're going to make a formal complaint and see if that helps. They should refund everything they've taken to date.
 
Wouldnt have been daft enough to set up a DD, and would have cancelled it straight away if it was. Apparently the banks tells me it a "continuous card payment" request which they cant cancell.
 
direct debits have to be cancelled by you to the company unless no money in the a/c then the bank can cancel the direct debit

but the direct debit can be represented by the company it came from on another date
you have to write in and cancel the dd with bank and the company it orginates from

banks and companies have control over a direct debit untill authuroised by you to close you have to inform both parties


but if you want to be in control of your bills for a set date as to when it can come out of your bank and to which the
bank cannnot alter unless advised by you
then do a standing order--

didrect debits have variable dates and can be represented

s/o orders dont-- they have one set date that the money comes out on --you have full control of a standing order
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top