Banned from M&S

[Lucy1289]

Hello,

I was banned from M&S 6 weeks ago, for leaving the store without paying for 2 beauty products worth £36. That was the first time I had done something like that, I was very nervous, very stupid, and I regret my actions very much. The security guy stopped me as I left the store, asked me to follow him to the back where he asked me to empty my bag. He then asked me why I did it, threatened to call the police, and asked me for my ID. I apologised to him for what I did, gave him my driving license which he photocopied, then he asked me to look at the CCTV camera whilst he took a picture of me, handed me a Civil letter that said I was banned from all stores, and escorted me out of the store.

This incident has affected me a lot, I haven't been sleeping properly ever since this happened, everytime someone knocks on my door I jump. Every time i see adverts of M&S on TV my stomach is turning. My quality of life isnt the same as it used to!! And I am to blame for it which makes it even worse!! The fact that they have a copy of my ID on file, worries me a lot, and also the fact that I am never allowed to shop there again makes me very upset. What will I tell my friends and family if they want me to go in there with them at some point, even worse what if I want to stop and fill up my car at a BP, to go and pay for the petrol I'd have to enter M&S which I am not allowed to anymorrree!

The letter they handed me said I was going to receive a fine from Drydensfair solicitors, however I have not received anything in 5 weeks!! I am happy to pay the fine and move on, but I am not sure why they havent sent me one yet and I am starting to worry even more. I know that the advice is not to pay, but I do not want numerous letters sent to my address as I am still living with parents and they sometimes open my mail.

On a different note, I am planning to write to the store and to the head office to apologise and ask them to lift the ban as I have learnt my lesson and will never think of doing something as inmoral and irresponsible and I hope that they can reconsider my case.

Please can you advise on the letter from drydensfair .. why haven't they sent one yet, and what your thoughts are on writing to the store and head office. Would they be likely to lift the ban?

Many thanks in advance.

[paulajayne]

It is not a fine.

Search the forum for posts on DRP.

[des8]

hi and welcome.

as already advised, it is not a fine.
You will be sent a speculative invoice for probably something in the region of £150.
Please don't pay it 'cos all it does is to fund their vigilante style of injustice.

Really your parents should not be opening your mail, so why not tell them to cease that practice and respect your privacy

On the other hand why not confide in your parents.
You are an adult, admit an error.... embarrassing for a short while, but it is a tiny offence.
Then you can ignore the letters.

Regarding going back into M&S:
If you do go back and they spot you, all they can do is ask you to leave.
If however whilst there you are tempted to remove some goods without paying, you could be charged with burglary (so don't do it)
Fill your car at other petrol stations.
I believe some if not all M&S stores use facial recognition software, so you are quite likely to be noticed

Undoubtedly Drydens will eventually get round to sending their begging letter, but not possible to say when.
I would not think it worthwhile writing to M&S to lift their ban just yet

[2222]

How is that going to work? You pull up at BP, where you are not banned, put petrol in your car, then go into the shop to pay. Are M and S going to stop you paying for the petrol?

[Lucy1289]

Hi all

Many thanks for your replies.

It was a stupid mistake, i am most certaintly not going to repeat it again. Unfortunately there are lots of M&S stores across the country and i cannot bear the idea that i will never be allowed to go into one again not in a few months, years, ever again. i would like advice on how to fix this please, with no other previous records of any sort, I am hoping that there is something i can do for them to reconsider their decision of banning me.

As for the letters from drydensfair, I understand it is not a fine, however the only reason I would like to pay it still is so that they stop sending letters as I understand when they start they will send quite a few of them ..

many thanks again

[2222]

Lucy, M&S can ban you, in exactly the same way that you can decide to ban me from your house. That would be your prerogative, and you don't need any good reasons for banning me.

If you leave it a year or two, and then contact M&S they may relent. Indeed, at the current rate of progress M&S may be bust and out of business in a few years, anyway, so problem solved. In the meantime, you'll just have to live with the ban. Or go into a store and see if anything happens.

[Lucy1289]

Facial recognition software was mentioned here .. is that something M&S actually uses in their stores, so if I was to pull up at a petrol station fill up my car, go inside to pay for the petrol and someone inside the car asked me to get them a coffee from inside? Would I not be allowed to pay for the M&S coffee but still be allowed to pay for the BP petrol.. as it they share the same tills. I know someone has said if you're banned they also block any card payments with your name.

I know this may be overthinking, but I am worried that as I am always driving it'll be really embarrasing if for some reason I had to avoid M&S and drive another 6 miles or whatever to find another shop. do you know what I mean?

I know actions have consequences but I would just like to put this behind me, fix my mistake and go back to how it used to be.

Also would this ban affect my credit score or CRB in any way .. i read this on another thread

[MIKE770]

Banned from Marks & Sharks?? you will be richer shopping elsewhere, no CRB unless you were convicted of something

[Lucy1289]

Marks and Sharks haha ... thanks, will my credit score be affected in any way? Am I on any records other than the M&S's database? From reading other posts M&S have pictures of people who are banned in their staff rooms so that staff members can recognise them if they are to come into the store ... will my picture be displayed in every M&S in the country as that thought is quite frightening. I can imagine walking around an M&S and every single person working there recognising my face when they see me.

I want to put an end to this as it is stressful not knowing exactly what will happen. Ideally i would like for the ban to be lifted for my peace of mind should I ever want to shop there again

[MIKE770]

not on credit score has nothing to do with them

[MIKE770]

do not fret you are probably forgotten already, and regulation regarding photos is in place etc etc - M&S well how they lasted this long I do not know, overpriced sub standard wears. hence they are closing a lot of stores

[Lucy1289]

what do you mean regulation regarding photos is in place .. are you referring to GDPR?

[MIKE770]

no there is an area regarding of use of photo!s and stores etc have to abide by them, as far as you are concerned I would learn lesson and get on with your life and enjoy it as worrying is no good ok?

[MIKE770]

If you should ever get correspondence from any of them get back on here and get help OK?

[Lucy1289]

So is there nothing I can do now ??