Alert signalled Direct action
THE signals were not good after a shopper bought a TV antenna online, but did not receive it.
Emyr Daniel got several automated emails responding to his enquiry as to the whereabouts of the TV Fox device he paid £78.49 for, plus an additional £2 bank fee, in May last year.
Billed as a plug-and-play alternative to cable TV in the US, the gadget that caught his eye promised free, over-the-air access, including some usually paid-for channels.
“But each reply I have got since only says my request had been ‘revised’. The website I bought from seems no longer there, there’s very little information on the emails and no customer services, just an address in code,” said a downcast Emyr when he came to Crusader three months later in a last-ditch attempt to recoup his costs.
It appeared from the scant information he had that payment had been taken by an overseas company, making any bid for redress even more difficult. Any bank card – and the consumer protections that offered – had more potential for a refund we reckoned.
Had Emyr paid by credit card however, which under Section 75 rules make card providers equally liable when things go wrong, he would not have been covered as it HOLIDAYMAKERS looking for cheap overseas flights are being targeted by fraudulent ticket sellers armed with new tricks.
The warning comes from Action Fraud which has seen a spate of cons netting £98,043. Cold-calling is at the core of the swindle, but crooks appear to know victims have been doing flight searches.
Action Fraud said: “It is suggested this is because the victim has provided contact details when searching for flights on a bogus website which records their personal details. Once contacted the victim wrongly believes the call to be genuine and the deliberately low quote tempts many into making payment.”
People get a confirmation email but then find from the airline the booking does not exist and contact with bogus sellers is severed.
Check if companies are members of Abta or Atol and don’t pay by bank transfer or reveal personal details on a unsolicited call.
Action Fraud 0300 123 2040, abta.com
lonly works for purchases of £100 or more.
But the long-time customer of First Direct bank settled with his debit card enabling the possibility of a chargeback transaction.
Although offered by card providers such as Visa, MasterCard and Amex at their own discretion, it
BEWARE OF BOGUS FLIGHT SELLERS
covers goods that have failed to be delivered and involves a customer’s bank asking for money back from the supplier’s one.
But there are time limits on this so action needs to be taken within 120 days of payment.
As time was ticking on in Emyr’s case, we asked First Direct to look into the matter and barely a week later it had decided to refund him the full amount.
Delighted he told us: “I very much doubt this would have happened without both your help, thank you so much.”
Our antenna and buying tips:
Check whether any device works with UK broadcasting systems.
Be very careful with models that promise unfettered access to channels that you normally have to pay for.
For a clear, simple guide start with consumer group Which?’s How to Buy the Best Indoor Aerial, see which.co.uk/reviews.
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