t8769 wrote:
> Here's an excellent scam that's earning this company a lot of money,
> I'm sure. They managed to rip me off £125, and I'm just warning
> others.
>
> I wrote to this company to cancel my account at the end of 1 year.
>
> The operator confirmed my account wsa closed, but asked if I'd like a
> PAC code, saying it would cancel after 1 month. I said that would be
> fine, I was thinking of keeping the number.
Aha, that's your problem. Ofcom states that requesting a PAC will
supercede and cancel all other requests to terminate an account.
> What she didn't tell me, and what this company didn't tell me was that
> my account would be kept open even if I didn't use the PAC code and my
> account would still be debited every month. Even thoug I'd confirmed
> with them that it would close.
Yes, that's perfectly normal. A PAC is valid for 30 days, after which
if it hasn't been used to tranfer the number it just expires and
everything returns to normal - no transfer, no cancellation.
> So here's the scam.
>
>
> They told me it would remain open, but only in a text message, hidden
> under Pac code information.
Incidentally, how did they provide you with the PAC? Sounds like they
texted it to you? They're also required to provide written confirmation
of the PAC, and how it works, to be sent within 2 days of the PAC being
requested. I expect you would have received that letter.
If they texted it to you, seems a bit strange that in the same medium
they sent the PAC (possibly same message) they explained how the PAC
worked, and the side effects of not using it. If delivering a PAC is
valid via text, then surely the T&C's regardin that PAC is also valid.
As I said, you should also have received a written copy of the PAC and
other details.
> Of course I didn't realise there was information changing my account
> in this text, and they made an easy £125 by tricking me into keeping
> my account open when I'd asked for it to be closed.
£125 - either you were on a very high value tarrif (couple of months),
or you fail to monitor your bank accounts sufficiently (quite a few
months). Either way, you should have noticed things earlier. Lets just
hope you're not claiming Child Benefit
> This nice little earner probably makes lots of money for CPW.
>
>
> They're leagally covered, because techinally they did tell me, but
> they did it in such a dishonest, sneaky, difficult way, that I (and
> I'm sure lots of others) did not realise.
Legally covered - so they did nothing illegal then.
> Its pure dishonesty and I'm sure illegal, but who's going to go to
> court over a small amount.
Oh, now it's illegal. What changed in those 2 lines?
> They even charged me for insurance I hadn't asked for..
I very much doubt they started insurance at the point of asking for a
PAC, so I suspect you're complaining that the £125 included insurance
payments that continued.
D