Health Shop Scam

[Turboman]

Hi

My friend has been scammed by a company
http://www.1-stop-health-shop.com/

He followed an "advertising link" for some weight-loss tablets at around £5-6 but now he is being debited regular sums ( he paid by a debit card originally)--£18,£25, £77,£88,£77......etc every few days and is now £400 down

The Halifax Bank doesn't want to help him and he gets fobbed off on the telephone to the firm

Using Google--it seems he is not alone
http://www.scambook.com/company/view...althStore-Shop

Appeciate any advice on what to do to stop it

Turbs

[ostell]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Get onto the bank and tell them to stop paying this company. You have already contacted the company and they are not taking action so the bank are obliged to take action, despite what they probably say. May even be able to do it today.

Then get round to disputing the payments and get as many as possible brought back.

Someone will be along soon to quote the relevant regulations that allow this.

[leclerc]

Re: Health Shop Scam

As Ostell has said, it sounds like a repetitive payment and is therefore one that he can instruct the bank to cancel from their end and they have to. make sure that the name of the advisor is taken as well and write it down in case they do not stop the payment.

[leclerc]

Re: Health Shop Scam

having said that there is a signing in thing. Does the person have to sign into an account? there should be something there to cancel any such account....

[MissFM]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Turbs - I really had a bad experience along similar lines with the Halifax some years ago. Cancelled everything, closed the a/c and so forth. They still kept paying DDs I'd cancelled and charged me every time without me knowing! So suddenly I had notification that an a/c i believed to be closed was not just still active but 100£s (all charges for stuff I'd not incurred) in debit. Won't bore you with the all-too-familiar details.

Long before I found this site btw (obviously) - but the Halifax is not to be trusted IMHO and probably to blame.

[gravytrain]

Re: Health Shop Scam

http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updat...2#.UXQkuLWG2HQ

CPAs are often confused with direct debits, but they do not offer the same guarantees. Customers can cancel a CPA with either the company taking the payment, or with the bank or card provider. Customers should tell the bank or card issuer that they have stopped permission for the payments. The bank or card provider has no right to insist that you agree this first with the company taking the payments, although it is good practice to also notify the compan

[gravytrain]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Quote this

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/209/regulation/55/made

Consent and withdrawal of consent

55.—(1) A payment transaction is to be regarded as having been authorised by the payer for the purposes of this Part only if the payer has given its consent to—

(a)

the execution of the payment transaction; or

(b)

the execution of a series of payment transactions of which that payment transaction forms part.
(2) Such consent—

(a)

may be given before or, if agreed between the payer and its payment service provider, after the execution of the payment transaction; and

(b)

must be given in the form, and in accordance with the procedure, agreed between the payer and its payment service provider.
(3) The payer may withdraw its consent to a payment transaction at any time before the point at which the payment order can no longer be revoked under regulation 67.

[MissFM]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Please would you give a footnote GT on what CPA means?

[gravytrain]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Continuous payment authority.(C.P.A)

[MissFM]

Re: Health Shop Scam

er herherhmm.. one that the thick can understand?

[gravytrain]

Re: Health Shop Scam

You pay naughty man with debit or credit card, naughty man continues to take payments using the previous authority.

[leclerc]

Re: Health Shop Scam

If the person has logged into a forum or website which I indicated earlier that the repetitive payment thingy does not mean a thing.....

[MissFM]

Re: Health Shop Scam

If the person has logged into a forum or website which I indicated earlier that the repetitive payment thingy does not mean a thing.....

Sorry - still don't understand. I pay for something and authorize a DD or SO (never been knowingly offered a CPA..) - I cancel it but it's still taken? and am charged penalty charges for the privilege? Isn't that wrong?

[leclerc]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Sorry - still don't understand. I pay for something and authorize a DD or SO (never been knowingly offered a CPA..) - I cancel it but it's still taken? and am charged penalty charges for the privilege? Isn't that wrong?

Easiest example, is betting online(sorry i do), you have to log into the system to authorise the payment.

Direct Debits are covered by the DD Guarantee scheme and Standing Orders if cancelled through the bank would be dealt with as a bank error so that would put you back into the account plus any related charges. DD Scheme does not carry the same thing but as a poster on MSE put to me, an indemnity form can be completed and there is a section for "consequential damages" however that refund does not come automatically into the account and has to be processed by the company that took the DD in the first place.

[MissFM]

Re: Health Shop Scam

Easiest example, is betting online(sorry i do), you have to log into the system to authorise the payment.

Direct Debits are covered by the DD Guarantee scheme and Standing Orders if cancelled through the bank would be dealt with as a bank error so that would put you back into the account plus any related charges. DD Scheme does not carry the same thing but as a poster on MSE put to me, an indemnity form can be completed and there is a section for "consequential damages" however that refund does not come automatically into the account and has to be processed by the company that took the DD in the first place.

Thanks Leclerc but Doh? Still don't get why if you instruct your bank not to pay someone and they still do it's your fault?

You need to explain it very simply, sorry, for us chickens - would be most grateful if you did.