Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Brian60 on January 16, 2019, 09:21:03 am
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Just been on my bank account and my wife queried what I had bought from Amazon for £7.99. Nothing! I had bought a book in December for £19 but on january 13 and again on february 13th they took £7.99.
It seems that a sneaky small print box needs to be ticked if you DON'T want to sign up for Amazon Prime at checkout - I had missed ticking this box, so craftily they start taking £7.99 every month for free delivery on your goods, 80 quid a year! I use them maybe once a year for stuff so what a con this is!
Moral, make sure you tick every box you need to before proceeding to make the final payment!
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I’ve just been done for the same thing <*<
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Yes, there have been a lot of complaints about it but it is a practice adopted by many other companies these days, sneaky airline charges (Ryanair!), Norton Antivirus, most insurance companies who renew automatically 'to keep you protected' with a hefty markup on the previous year. It's a minefield out there and you always need to take great care.
I buy quite a lot of stuff from Amazon and also use their film and Ebook services so it is worthwhile for me but if you only use Amazon occasionally it is a bad deal.
Colin
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Just been on my bank account and my wife queried what I had bought from Amazon for £7.99. Nothing! I had bought a book in December for £19 but on january 13 and again on february 13th they took £7.99.
It seems that a sneaky small print box needs to be ticked if you DON'T want to sign up for Amazon Prime at checkout - I had missed ticking this box, so craftily they start taking £7.99 every month for free delivery on your goods, 80 quid a year! I use them maybe once a year for stuff so what a con this is!
Moral, make sure you tick every box you need to before proceeding to make the final payment!
That should be illegal (if it isn't already). Thanks for the warning - now I have just got remember it.
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I was caught by the same "trick". A telephoned complaint produced a result. All the money refunded.
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Norton took £70 off me for renewal two months before my subscription expired. The current new price was £25. I used their online chat and they refunded the difference immediately, the guy was obviously used to doing it.
Colin
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This sort of stuff is naughty. You should have to actively opt in, not opt out of services. Far too many websites are now tucking away gems like 'If you do not want to received marketing information, click this box' etc.
It's the same with auto renewal for car, home and buildings insurance etc.
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Hi I got caught out by Amazon in this way. After complaint they refunded the money.
I also was very annoyed with a web site thatI had joined for a one off browse of documents . During this time my Internet email provider decided not to do it anymore (Boltblue), gave me good notice and I found another.
However the 'document' company sent an email indicating that if no reply they would renew my membership. This went to the non working email company so I never had access to it.
When I was reviewing my bank account I found this payment and rang them. After quite a lot of blustering they did refund the money as I had not used the site during that time, I complained to them this was not the way to market themselves.
regards, Roy
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Don't forget the Paypal scam! >:-o https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,59750.msg627339.html#msg627339
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Jeff Bezos: World's richest man ever in modern history
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Not for much longer, he's getting divorced!
Colin
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Thanks to this heads up I have just cancelled prime by going to my Amazon account online. It was very easy to navigate the screens. Many thanks again. I made a purchase just before xmas and was caught into signing up for prime by default.
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The last time I bought something on Amazon the site kept pushing "Prime" at me all through the check out process. I kept on rejecting it right up to final payment when I found it back in again on the invoice. I cancelled the transaction , cancelled prime and delated Amazon from my site links.
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I am not sure how not reading the small print correctly can constitute a "scam"...
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I am not sure how not reading the small print correctly can constitute a "scam"...
Nothing to do with not reading small print. Its the fact you have to opt out of it, not once but twice. In other words, you tick the box to say you don't want it, review your details, go to the payment page and its automatically added back in. As I found out, you have to untick the box a second time before clicking the final payment. This is underhanded and you wouldn't be able to get away with it in Tesco, Asda or any other shop. Imagine the cashier offering you a 'deal' you turn it down, only to find on looking through the till receipt later that they added it on anyway!
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I am not sure how not reading the small print correctly can constitute a "scam"...
It's not about small print, it's about when you have said NO they still keep pushing it back in , that is where their trading ethics leave much to be desired, ie scam
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So does saying "no" the first time actually do anything or is it just the second time that matters?
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The changes to GDPR have meant nothing to me in reality. To me anyway there was a marked change on the day of it coming into force. Beforehend everyone was saying there was the change to needing to have to "opt-in", whereas on the day of the roll-out and ever since, everyone changed back to being automatically enrolled (to maintain your "convenience") -but they're advising you that you have to "opt-out" in order to comply wih the new rules. Eh? If that makes any sense compared to how the published reules are, then feel free to explain!
...I am very sceptical about check boxes. In my experience, opt-outs on webpages mean absolutely nothing or, in the case of placing an order, you can't actually place the order unless you check the "opt-in" box. It's very naive to think a company will delete your details just because of GDPR. They will break the rules until they end up in court, and then it's just damage mitigation or "collateral damage". Keep on checking them little boxes and small print though. I went away from ordering from the likes of Amazon years ago when I realised allot of it was available in shops anyway, so I always prefer to support them direct instead, and cut-out the middle-man.
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So does saying "no" the first time actually do anything or is it just the second time that matters?
I said NO twice but it still ended up on the final statement
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I use prime. pretty cheap at sub £2 a week. A very good collection of free films besides recent pay to view. Many products delivered free next day. Cancel anytime
Can also upload all your photos and share them on forums {-)
EDIT never actually tried this. My first attempt at a photo link
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/clouddrive/share/XBcm5l3nVM5xM9hCIDhoCJJ2SqyZatZG9LlUnJPDmQJ)
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Unless a delay is normal that's a fail {-)
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Hi all, just had the same experience as Baldrick said NO twice and still got signed up. Have gone in and unsubscribed will see if that works.
THIS IS A SCAM.
If you want it fair enough but I do not, said so twice and that should be enough.
regards Roy
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...I am very sceptical about check boxes. In my experience, opt-outs on webpages mean absolutely nothing or, in the case of placing an order, you can't actually place the order unless you check the "opt-in" box. It's very naive to think a company will delete your details just because of GDPR. They will break the rules until they end up in court, and then it's just damage mitigation or "collateral damage". Keep on checking them little boxes and small print though. I went away from ordering from the likes of Amazon years ago when I realised allot of it was available in shops anyway, so I always prefer to support them direct instead, and cut-out the middle-man.
That's not correct even if it is your impression. Until recently, I worked with a number of major financial service companies such as Bank of America \ MBNA, Virgin Money etc, etc. One of the things I had to test were the marketing preferences presented to the User on the relevant websites and ensure where the 'I do not wish to receive....' by phone, email, post, SMS box is checked, no output is created.
I have to disagree with the assertion companies will do nothing until they end in court. The plain truth of the matter is people frequently miss or misread these website terms and conditions. Yes, some companies may make it harder for you to indicate you do not want to receive stuff but it is there on every legitimate UK website.
Ive used Amazon many times to buy stuff and yes, the Prime 'offer' is always presented by default. Ive never yet bought anything from Amazon and been mislead into accepting Prime. I make sure Prime is not included before I 'check out.'
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…………………... Yes, some companies may make it harder for you to indicate you do not want to receive stuff but it is there on every legitimate UK website...…………...
Isn't that exactly what we are complaining about. Surely spending my money should be opt in rather than opt out with difficulty.
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its there on Amazon in grey text off to one side, the two big buttons they present you with say something like - yes i want to look at the benefits of amazon prime, and No take me straight to the checkout with amazon prime, the no I dont want to try amazon prime - take me to the checkout without joining me up is set apart from these two big buttons, and is just a small wedge of text elsewhere on the page, all carefully designed so thet either button takes you to prime if you dont read the page carefully. I did get caught out with a free months trial, but spotted it as I went through the checkout, and cancelled straight away, before completing the transaction.
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I use Amazon a lot so pay for prime - but was aware of this for quite a while.
However about 7 years back I switched insurance companies for my car and despite informing (by phone, email and mail) my previously insurers I would NOT be taking up the "generous" inflated quote my account was debited by them.
So in essence I had two car insurances at the same time and took a while to get canceled / refunded. In their small print the also a clause about contacting the police if they suspected you were driving without insurance...so :police:
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I use Amazon a lot so pay for prime - but was aware of this for quite a while.
However about 7 years back I switched insurance companies for my car and despite informing (by phone, email and mail) my previously insurers I would NOT be taking up the "generous" inflated quote my account was debited by them.
So in essence I had two car insurances at the same time and took a while to get canceled / refunded. In their small print the also a clause about contacting the police if they suspected you were driving without insurance...so :police:
My son was caught out by this last year. The insurance company offered the excuse that it is now law that a car has to be insured at all times - hence the reason for them renewing it even though he told them he no longer wanted their services. They told him it was his own fault, he had to notify them with evidence of the new insurers. This was a very large insurance company that advertises on the telly using a woman dressed as a pirate, not some fly by night.
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I use Amazon a lot so pay for prime - but was aware of this for quite a while.
However about 7 years back I switched insurance companies for my car and despite informing (by phone, email and mail) my previously insurers I would NOT be taking up the "generous" inflated quote my account was debited by them.
So in essence I had two car insurances at the same time and took a while to get canceled / refunded. In their small print the also a clause about contacting the police if they suspected you were driving without insurance...so :police:
Thats the main reason why I pay mine in one lump manually. It gives "them" a strong incentive to contact me, and prevents any nonsense about automatic entitlement to my money.
Up to a couple of years ago I was shopping around, winding up with quotes that were much of a muchness, then I contacted a non-comparison one. Over £100 per year less, same cover, painless transfer. The last couple of years their quotes have reduced, the competitions' have increased. Not the lady dressed as a pirate, but the gangster enforcer character. As ever, I'm hoping that I never find out whether they are any good at handling claims, but that is true whatever company you place your bet with.
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My Daughter has found the Gangster Enforcer Character's lot very good to deal with on claims which is obviously important. The Naval (not piratical) lady is easier on the eye though.
Always read the small print to ensure have got the cover you want. Some of the cheap quotes have a lot of limitations.
Colin
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I have been with the Bint in the tricorn hat for a few years (multicar policy) have found them quite good but with insatiable appetite for walking the premium. Usually they come down if you threaten them to change
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I've just had another "Scam" call. Don't know what the bloke wanted but in the somewhat confused conversation he established that my name is John Dickins. And I learnt that his name is "David", and his second name is "Jones". No prizes for guessing where I suggested he went!
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Davey Jones, drummer with 1960's pop band The Monkees
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Davey Jones, drummer with 1960's pop band The Monkees
They were a con as well <*<
Ned
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Davey Jones, drummer with 1960's pop band The Monkees
Sadly not quite correct. Micky Dolenz played the drummist; DJ was the impossibly cute one with the Manc accent and Beatles haircut that payed nowt except a tangerine...or summat like that. I could never work out whether they were lousy actors pretending to be good musicians or the the other way around. Mike Nesmith - the one with the hat - had the good sense to avoid their "comeback tour". I too was relieved of £7.99 by Mr Bezos under dubious circumstances. Like he really needed it? I've crossed him off my Christmas card list for 2019.DM