Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Ancestry.co.uk - BEWARE AGAIN !!!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Ancestry.co.uk - BEWARE AGAIN !!!

    This is going to be rather long but necessary. I have today discovered, resulting from online banking, that Ancestry have taken £83.40 from my bank account without reference/permission from myself.The bank will have a few questions to answer tomorrow, as well !!! Several weeks ago I decided to renew via Quidco as Ancestry ignore long-term subscribers and only offer discounts to new people, as far as I can see. The sub. was cancelled but, as a result of their email and subsequent telecall, I relented and re-instated until 13th July when renewal was due.This was all explained in the conversation with a girl who didn't know what Quidco was - and knew very little else, either. She was told quite firmly NOT to use the credit card ( I actually said it was no longer in use, as added protection ).

    I have, of course, emailed a complaint to Ancestry and a demand for re-instatement of the monies tomorrow, by which time they will have received it, plus an explanation as to how they acquired the bank details; this must have come from the credit card centre as, to the best of my knowledge, Ancestry have never been given my bank details; unnecessary as using a credit card. As the card centre is owned by the bank - and we all know banks are as untrustworthy as politicians - someone has a lot of explaining to do.

    Be careful.

  • #2
    BC.....

    Thats terrible, hope you get some sort of explantion and your money returned tommorow, please keep us posted, this serves as a warning to the rest of us......

    nicky

    Comment


    • #3
      Went to bank this morning. They can't help as this was a debit card used, therefore a cash transaction and they can only act if it was a credit card. It seems I must have used it some years ago and they have retained the details ! Bank manager agrees this should not be allowed but, unfortunately, it is perfectly legal. The bank has ordered me a new debit card so there is no way Ancestry, or anyone else, can dip into my account again. No reply yet from Ancestry.

      Comment


      • #4
        I'd suggest phoning them if you can. You'll get a much quicker response.
        Tracy

        Comment


        • #5
          Two things which may help:
          • A company can retain card details only for as long as the vendor-customer relationship is reasonably likely to exist. Beyond that time, they have to show that they had reasonable cause for believing that there was an ongoing vendor-customer relationship in place. If they can not, they are at the very least in breach of the Data Protection Act. Also, by using your debit card without your express permission they are technically committing a fraud -- however this may be difficult to prove. Proving a telephone conversation is also difficult but you could ask for a transcript of the call (if they recorded the call). I always conduct transactions by email or letter as I then have written evidence. Always remember, whenever someone offers you a 'freebie' for a month or two, they will usually automatically start charging your at the end of this period unless you cancel. Sky are famous for doing it with the "movie channels free for a month" deal. Always check the small print. If done by telephone, the seller MUST tell you this and if they do not they do not have a leg to stand on and have mis-sold you a service.

          • Secondly, with the launch of pre-paid cards in the last few years I exclusively make all my on-line purchases using this card. I control how much I top it up by and they can not withdraw more than is in the account. It takes a little more thought and effort to manage the balance but I feel it is worth it. There are many options out there and all charge a small fee so read the Terms and conditions carefully. I personally like the top-up card from PayPal.


          I appreciate none of these directly help your problem now -- Good luck in your quest to get your money back.
          Last edited by daj; 22-07-09, 14:28.
          David.
          Researching: Jamieson/Glasgow, Scotland + New York. Fiddaman/Durham. Russell/Lanarkshire

          My Tree

          Comment


          • #6
            Latest info: Rang them today ( had not seen Orange Blossom's post ). They don't read emails in less than 72 hours ! Eventually convinced the girl with whom I spoke, to a) read the email and b) organise the refund in full or 25%, the discount if I paid through Quidco. She does not know who Quidco are, either. She eventually agreed to refund the full amount. Whether I renew, through Quidco or not, is undecided. My request for information as to why they retain and use card details without reference was brushed aside, of course, with a lot of waffle about renewal system and if I didn't want that card used I should have told them. It will take 3 - 5 business days for the refund to go through - she advised waiting 5 days before enquiring again.

            Comment


            • #7
              David, thanks for the info: - it will be useful for the future.

              Comment


              • #8
                I don't think that the right for a supplier to use your card is usually on the basis of you having actively to prevent it - unless you had already explicitly opted for continuous renewal... and even then, they have to tell you in advance of the withdrawal.

                The whole thing sounds very iffy to me!

                Christine
                Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

                Comment


                • #9
                  When you subscribe to Ancestry, you do so with a continuous card authority. Unfortunately, with a debit card, even if the number changes (last 4 digits I mean) they can still get the money - as I found out last year.

                  Still seems odd they took money if you told them not to use the card.

                  Glad it's sorted now. They're usually ok at giving refunds, even if reluctantly.
                  Tracy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by BC View Post
                    Went to bank this morning. They can't help as this was a debit card used, therefore a cash transaction and they can only act if it was a credit card. It seems I must have used it some years ago and they have retained the details ! Bank manager agrees this should not be allowed but, unfortunately, it is perfectly legal. The bank has ordered me a new debit card so there is no way Ancestry, or anyone else, can dip into my account again. No reply yet from Ancestry.
                    BC, debit cards ususally have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 yrs.... how can it be a card that was used years ago? 2 yrs ago ancestry tried to renew on my card that had run out the month before and couldn't.
                    I would ask your bank, what was going on rather than Ancestry...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Peppie - unfortunately my debit card has a ' shelf life ' of 3 years and is valid to December this year. Must have used it when it started but still don't like the idea of firms retaining the details in their system. Payment is, after all, a CASH transaction.

                      Orange Blossom - you've had similar trouble I see. The card I told them not to use was a credit card, not the debit card that I'd forgotten had been used for a previous renewal. It won't happen again ! They did an instant ' cut-off ' and I am now a Registerd Guest. Made it clear I will not renew until the money is back in my account and, if I do renew, it will be via Quidco. On the other hand I may go to a different company as Ancestry are getting above themselves and there are too many transcription errors, particularly place names.

                      Christine - Unfortunately I'd forgotten using the debit card previously. Thought I had covered myself by telling them not to use the credit card they were showing in the ' My Account ' page. Just goes to show how careful we have to be and how cunning they are!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Bc..... Well glad your getting your money back, useful tips from Daj , will try and remember them for the future.

                        Nicky

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          They paid up ! Money refunded to bank account on Friday. Now I have to decide where to go - Ancestry or Find My Past. Can get 25% cash back from Ancestry through Quidco although it takes 2 or 3 months according to Quidco site. Don't know FMP sub: nor what they offer. Will have to explore and cogitate !

                          Don't forget, if you use a debit card on Ancestry, they retain the details somewhere in their records but do not show this on the ' My Account ' page if you later use a credit card !

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X