Episode 5 Rip Off Britain


Episode 5

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Transcript


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'We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped-off.'

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I think this is very wrong for what they have done.

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The bank passed charges upon charges upon charges.

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Legally, it was right. Morally? That's where the doubt comes, in my view.

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GLORIA: 'You contacted us in your thousands,

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'by post, e-mail, even stopping us in the street.

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'The message could not be clearer.'

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-They just try and fob you off.

-I'm not happy with them at all.

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It's that small print that's got the clause in that you didn't realise.

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We're being ripped-off.

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'Whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,

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'we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do.'

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Keep asking the questions. Go to the top.

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We do get results.

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'Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.'

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Welcome to Rip-Off Britain,

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where it's our job to take to task the companies giving you a raw deal,

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and to make sure you've got the best advice on what to do when disaster strikes.

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We've got plenty of that today, because when the worst happens -

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a company goes bust or you've been a victim of fraud -

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obviously, you want to get your money back.

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-That could be simpler than you think.

-Too true.

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Paying by plastic is often the safest way to protect your purchases and stop you being ripped-off.

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Mind you, even the banks aren't always aware of the benefits.

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So for them, as well as you, we have some unmissable tips coming up

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that could just save you a fortune.

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'Meet the lady convinced that she'd lost thousands as a victim of fraud,

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'but whose bank just didn't believe her.'

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It's a nightmare that you can't wake up from. What else can you do?

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How can you prove you're innocent?

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'We've set up a pop-up shop for consumer advice,

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'and we're rushed off our feet.'

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Whenever we use a credit or a debit card,

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we're always asked to keep the PIN number somewhere safe,

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where no-one can get hold of it and use it without you knowing.

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We're told you have to have a number that no-one else knows, and not to keep it anywhere near the card.

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It's all common sense, really, because by doing that

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you significantly reduce the chance of a card being used fraudulently.

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In 2010, there were over 100,000 cases of card fraud identified in the UK,

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with the losses on those cards coming to a whopping £365 million.

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'When it was introduced in 2003, the chip and PIN system

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'was the biggest change in the way we pay since decimalisation.

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'Ever since, it's been heralded by the banking industry as infallible.

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'But Professor Anderson disagrees.'

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We've found a significant number of vulnerabilities in chip and PIN,

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which have led to a lot of fraud.

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What's more, in many cases, this fraud is blamed on the card holders.

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'Chip and PIN cuts down on fraud in two ways.

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'Firstly, there's a microchip on your debit or credit card

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'which stores personal data securely so it's difficult to counterfeit.

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'The second is the PIN - much harder to copy than a signature.

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'Since the scheme started,

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'credit card fraud has dropped by 69%.

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'Dr Stephen Murdoch, who works with Professor Anderson, also believes

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'that it's not as secure as the banks would have us believe.'

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The biggest source of card fraud in the UK is from "card not present" transactions.

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That's things like telephone, mainly online transactions.

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In most cases, customers do get their money back from this.

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The biggest threat to customers, when they don't get their money back,

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is fraudulent ATM withdrawals.

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Your card might have been taken out of your wallet and used.

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We asked ourselves,

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how is it possible for a stolen chip and PIN card to be used

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by someone who doesn't know the PIN?

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We found that if you put a suitable piece of wicked electronics

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between the card and the terminal, you can tell the card

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that a signature is authorising a transaction,

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and tell the terminal

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that the card accepted the PIN that was put in at the terminal.

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And everything works.

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'In other words, these Cambridge boffins have found a high-tech way

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'to crack chip and PIN.

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'Dr Murdoch's about to prove it.

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'Imagine that the card has been lost or stolen and he doesn't know the PIN.

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'That should mean that any transaction would be refused.

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'But with the help of this special gadget, he's hoping

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'to trick the sort of terminal used in most shops and restaurants

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'into thinking that the correct PIN is being used.'

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First, we'll put the card into this device.

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This can be made smaller and quite easily hidden up someone's sleeve.

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Then we put the card into the terminal, just as normal.

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Type in the PIN.

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I typed in 1111, which is not the right PIN for the card. Press enter.

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-The transaction goes through.

-The transaction HAS gone through.

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'Worryingly, it's worked.'

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We told the industry about this vulnerability in October 2009.

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'In the middle of 2010, one of the banks did some work to fix it

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'with one of their suppliers, but by December,

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'the fix had been taken out and the fraud worked.'

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We suspect that they found that the fix was causing too many false alarms

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so it would be better to take the risk, rather than upsetting a lot of customers.

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That's fair enough, provided they're prepared to give their customers

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the benefit of the doubt when they complain about fraud.

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'The UK Cards Association is...

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'They say, though technically possible...

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'And once you've reported your card stolen,

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'it would be blocked and the device could no longer work.

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'They insist that any innocent victim of card fraud

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'won't suffer any financial loss.

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'But as you'll see later, it isn't always that simple.'

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Although this is Rip-Off Britain, tackling all things British,

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what can you do if you've been caught by a company based overseas?

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Judging from your letters, it happens to a lot of you, including Tony and Margaret Hayden.

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They ran into trouble with a company based abroad after being cold-called

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with an offer that seemed too good to refuse.

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'The most famous light show of them all,

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'the northern lights, once just a story told by intrepid travellers,

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'now a regular sight on our screens.

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'They can be experienced first-hand

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'by people who go on an Arctic cruise.'

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Voyages to the northern lights...

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'Tony and Margaret Hayden from Manchester dreamt of such a cruise.'

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We've never been on one before and...we were getting interested,

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especially looking at things like the northern lights in Norway.

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'In July this year, they were cold-called by a company

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'called The Holiday Specialist, who offered to make their dream come true.'

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The young lady said to me

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that they were a wholesale UK-based travel agent

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who were able to get hold of cruises at greatly discounted rates.

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£599,

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and they would send us a voucher

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and we could book this cruise when we wanted

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within the next three years.

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'Tony happily signed up but, a few days later,

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'he checked his credit card statement online

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'and noticed that the payment hadn't gone to the company he'd spoken to.

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'Instead, it had been paid to one called Lifetime Marketing Solutions,

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'LMS for short, and they weren't UK-based.

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'They were in Benidorm, in Spain.'

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As soon as it came up LMS Benidorm,

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I thought, "Spanish company. Benidorm. Whoops!

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"I don't think this is what I first thought it was."

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And it's turned out to be that, as well.

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'Then the documents arrived and their worst fears were realised.

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'Instead of buying a cruise, all they'd got for their £600

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'was a holiday club loyalty card,

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'promising discounts on future holidays.

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'And a call to the company to clear it all up only made things worse.'

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Basically, the supervisor said,

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"Well, you knew you were buying a loyalty card.

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"You've bought the loyalty card.

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"It's non-refundable. We don't do refunds."

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'Tony and Margaret didn't give up that easily and there were avenues for them to explore.

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'EU law contains legislation called "distance selling regulations",

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'which should give consumers cooling off-rights

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'when buying goods or services without face-to-face contact.

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'But The Holiday Specialist claimed they were exempt,

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'that it didn't apply when buying loyalty cards.

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'Laura Ferguson from the UK European Consumer Centre has heard it all before.'

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The companies deliberately interpret the legislation

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to minimise consumer rights.

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What the law ACTUALLY says is that excluded contracts

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are contracts for accommodation that are to be provided on a specific date or time period.

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'So maybe the Haydens could battle on with that route.

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'In the meantime, Tony has gone down a different path, claiming a refund through his credit card company.'

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Section 75 covers, as they say, creditor, debtor and supplier.

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The bank are the creditor.

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I'm the debtor, because I owe the money.

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And the supplier is The Holiday Specialist.

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'That sound straightforward, but there was a snag.

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'Because the money was paid to LMS Benidorm,

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'not The Holiday Specialist, a fourth party was involved,

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'so the Haydens' situation isn't strictly covered

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'by section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

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'The decision on whether to pay out is at the discretion of each credit card company, and Tony's refused.'

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Some people find that their credit card company's really strict.

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Others find that they're more forthcoming offering reimbursement.

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Unfortunately, there's no standard. It's pot luck, I'm afraid!

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My main advice to consumers is do NOT give your credit card or bank details to anybody

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until you have received your paperwork and you know what you're getting.

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'Meanwhile, Tony may yet be in luck.

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'When Rip-Off Britain rang LMS,

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'they confirmed they are the same company as The Holiday Specialist,

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'which should mean the credit card company

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'looks at his claim in a different light.

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'But there are other questions LMS may find harder to answer.

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'Such as why all of the cruise liner companies whose logos appear on their website

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'deny ever selling their holidays through LMS.

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'They've told us that's so they can offer impartial advice

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'to clients who ask about cruises.

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'And the reason companies haven't heard of them is because customers book their holidays direct.

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'The company also told us

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'that what Tony bought is what he'd ordered,

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'although he maintains it's not...

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'..We suspect it still might be.'

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I think next time we book a holiday,

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it's not going to be... from a cold call.

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It's going to be through a reputable travel agent that we know,

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we've dealt with before,

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and do it that way - the safe way.

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The Haydens' story shows only too well how easily you can run into problems when buying from abroad.

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With more about what your rights are, here's Jane Negus from the Trading Standards Institute.

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Wherever you're shopping, in the UK or online,

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you need to make sure that you know where that trader's based.

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Just because it's a co.uk website doesn't mean that it's in the UK.

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You need to do your research first.

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If you've purchased something and there's a problem with it,

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the first thing to do is contact the trader involved.

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Most of the consumer law in the UK is now applicable across Europe.

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When things go wrong with a purchase or service that you've had in the EU

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there are things that you can do...

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If you've made a purchase from somewhere outside of the EU,

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there is an organisation called Econsumer that you can approach.

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They will signpost you to an appropriate organisation

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in the country you made the purchase

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to see if they can assist you to get your money back or to get the matter resolved.

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Earlier, we showed how easy it can be to crack the chip and PIN system

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that we all rely on to keep our credit and debit details secure.

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With banks reluctant to accept that the system might have flaws,

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where does that leave you if you think that somebody has been using your card to withdraw your cash?

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Eve Russell was sure she'd been a victim of fraud,

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but her bank just didn't agree.

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'Four little numbers to keep your bank details safe.

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'Since 2003, we've been using chip and PIN to make payments.

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'The four-digit code used to authorise these must be used

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'or your purchase won't go through.

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'Chip and PIN has significantly reduced credit card and bank fraud.

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'Banks repeatedly insist it's fool-proof.

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'One person who definitely wouldn't agree is Eve Russell.

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'She's had a dispute with Barclaycard which started in August 2010,

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'when she queried a new credit card number on literature they sent to her.'

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I phoned Barclaycard up and I was told it was my new card.

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I said, "What new card? I don't know anything about a new card."

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They said the card that I ordered.

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I'd phoned up and ordered a new card. I said, "No, I didn't."

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The story Barclaycard was told was that I,

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or someone pretending to be me, was in a bar in London,

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had too much to drink and lost their card so they needed a new one.

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This is according to Barclaycard, obviously.

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And I said it wasn't me.

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'Eve was adamant it wasn't her who'd ordered it, but in any case,

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'a new card was out there somewhere in her name.

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'Although it had a different number,

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'Barclaycard said the PIN was identical. Eve was baffled.'

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I thought it was a mistake. Maybe the wrong card number, the wrong Evelyn Russell.

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I couldn't believe what they were telling me. I have my card!

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I did not order a new card. I did not receive a card.

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I did not spend anything on a card, other than the card that I have in my possession.

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'Whoever rang gave one wrong answer to Barclaycard's security questions,

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'Eve's age on her next birthday.

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'For some reason, that wasn't picked up,

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'allowing them to order a new card.

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'Eve thinks the bank should have also picked up on another big clue that something was amiss.'

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In one month, whoever got my card spent £15,000.

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My normal spending pattern is roughly £50, £60 a month

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on my mobile phone bill, that's all.

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Not £15,000!

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And I only have a £10,000 limit.

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Barclaycard state they will monitor irregular spending.

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This is worse than irregular spending.

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This is somebody going for a jolly for £15,000 on a £10,000 limit!

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Totally different from however I've used my card.

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I've been a Barclaycard customer for over 20 years.

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Barclaycard should have flagged this.

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'As Eve continued to protest,

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'Barclaycard produced a somewhat grainy photograph

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'of the door the courier had delivered the new card to.

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'But it wasn't Eve's front door.

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'Although Barclaycard said the card went to a neighbouring address,

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'her nearest neighbour said they didn't receive it.

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'But that wasn't the worst of it.

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'Despite watertight alibis to prove she wasn't present when the card was used,

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'Barclaycard said she must have been because the correct PIN was used.

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'So they insisted that Eve pay back all the money that had been spent,

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'well over £15,000.'

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It's a nightmare that you can't wake up from.

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What else can you do?

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How can you prove you're innocent when you're told,

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even if your card had got delivered to Scotland, and the PIN was used, you would still be liable?

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'Eve's case is surprising

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'because in cases where banks refuse to refund disputed payments,

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'they are supposed to provide evidence that the customer's to blame

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'either through fraud or negligence, for example, letting someone know your PIN.'

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The law has given people additional rights to say that,

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even where a PIN was used, that is not proof that the customer

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authorised the payment.

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You have to have greater evidence

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that somebody was acting fraudulently or grossly negligently

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before a bank can refuse to reinstate a payment.

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The bank have got to come up with very good reasons and some evidence,

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to prove that you were either negligent or fraudulent

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in the way in which you'd used your card.

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They can't simply say, "We're not going to repay you."

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If you feel that your bank has acted unfairly,

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you ought to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service and let them sort it out.

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'Eve did just that and, in October 2011,

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'more than a year after the trouble began, the Ombudsman recommended

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'that Barclaycard wipe off all the disputed debt,

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'remove adverse information from her credit file

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'and provide her with compensation, which they've done,

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'as well as offering to "contribute to her costs".

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'Barclaycard told us they're sorry for their...

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'..They claim that Eve gave them contradictory information about the records she'd kept of her PIN,

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'but now accept that she was...

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'While her battle may be over, Eve is furious

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'about what she had to go through.'

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I feel terrible about the whole situation, emotionally drained.

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It's been an absolute nightmare of a year. Very, very bad.

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I really thought it would all end last year, but it takes so long.

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It's left me absolutely dreadful.

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'Still to come, our experts have been rushed off their feet

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'at our pop-up shop for consumer advice.'

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The law says that anybody providing a service should provide it with reasonable care and skill.

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'And we'll reveal a little-known fact that could help millions of you

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'claim money back when a purchase goes wrong.'

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We couldn't believe the process till the money arrived in our account.

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And we were elated!

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Next, a little-known fact

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that could prove to be a lifeline for many of you

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if a financial transaction goes wrong.

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Usually, we're told that while credit cards give you protection

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in situations where, for instance, a company from whom you've ordered something goes bust,

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a debit card won't.

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Well, actually, it might.

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Because if your debit card's Visa, as two-thirds of them are,

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it should still be protected in the same way.

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That's information that really could make all the difference.

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Unfortunately, apparently, even the banks aren't always aware of it.

0:21:510:21:56

It's rather lucky that when disaster struck for one couple,

0:21:560:22:00

they wrote to us.

0:22:000:22:02

'Lee Price and her civil partner Jane moved to the UK from Zimbabwe a year ago.

0:22:060:22:11

'They're braving the current financial climate

0:22:110:22:16

'and opening a cafe in Battle, Sussex.'

0:22:160:22:19

In Zimbabwe, I ran a cafe for three years.

0:22:190:22:23

We wanted to be able to fit it in with taking care of the children.

0:22:230:22:27

That's one reason why we chose the cafe in Battle, because it's seven minutes' walk from home.

0:22:270:22:32

'But first, the cafe needed a new kitchen.'

0:22:320:22:36

For a family, it's fantastic. For a business, it's not great.

0:22:360:22:40

We wanted to enclose this off, bring in a new entrance

0:22:400:22:43

and we'd add our sinks over here.

0:22:430:22:46

'In April 2010, they found what they wanted

0:22:460:22:50

'at Focus DIY.

0:22:500:22:52

'They were quoted just over £3,500

0:22:520:22:56

'and they paid up-front with a Nationwide Visa debit card.'

0:22:560:23:00

We felt that

0:23:000:23:02

although it was a quick decision to make, that it was a good one

0:23:020:23:07

with the price.

0:23:070:23:10

They seemed very helpful, up-front and, um...

0:23:100:23:14

it's such a big store that you have such confidence in it, actually.

0:23:140:23:19

'But six weeks later, they got a call from Focus DIY.

0:23:190:23:23

'It wasn't news they wanted to hear.

0:23:230:23:26

'The company had gone into administration.

0:23:260:23:29

'Concerned, Lee and Jane immediately

0:23:290:23:32

'went to the store where they'd bought the kitchen.'

0:23:320:23:35

They told us, "Don't worry. We're pretty certain...

0:23:350:23:39

"We're very certain that you'll get it.

0:23:390:23:41

"It's on a pallet stored for you already.

0:23:410:23:45

"It's just a case of being delivered. It might take a while to get delivered."

0:23:450:23:49

'Despite the store's reassurances, Lee and Jane began to suspect that the kitchen might never turn up.

0:23:490:23:56

'So they went back to the shop to try and get some more answers.'

0:23:560:24:01

It was a very different atmosphere.

0:24:010:24:03

The same salesman who had reassured us and said, "Don't worry.

0:24:030:24:08

"Your kitchen's on a pallet." He said - I'm quoting him verbatim -

0:24:080:24:12

"You won't be getting your kitchen now."

0:24:120:24:16

This is all on a computer programme. This is the stove...

0:24:160:24:19

'The couple were left devastated by this news.

0:24:190:24:23

'Their business plans were in tatters and they'd lost the money they needed to get the cafe open.'

0:24:230:24:29

-You burst into tears when we got home.

-Yeah. I did.

-I got angry.

0:24:290:24:34

It unsettled our home. The children were unsettled.

0:24:340:24:36

This is a bird's-eye view...

0:24:360:24:39

'Convinced they'd lost their kitchen and their money,

0:24:390:24:42

'they contacted Rip-Off Britain.

0:24:420:24:44

'And we were able to give them the good news that they hadn't expected.

0:24:440:24:49

'Because they'd paid with a Visa debit card,

0:24:490:24:53

'they were covered by a little-known scheme called...'

0:24:530:24:57

What I understand it as is...

0:25:080:25:10

..if you go to a company and pay for something with a debit card,

0:25:110:25:16

you can go to your bank and say, "I haven't received the goods."

0:25:160:25:20

And the bank will then be able

0:25:200:25:23

to chargeback your money, give it back to your bank account.

0:25:230:25:28

Which seems like a really amazing sort of...system.

0:25:280:25:33

'There are nearly 85 million debit cards in the UK,

0:25:330:25:37

'73 million of which are Visa cards.

0:25:370:25:41

'That means an awful lot of people could benefit from knowing about the chargeback scheme.

0:25:410:25:46

'But does it actually work in practice?

0:25:460:25:50

'It did for Lee and Jane, who put their claim in writing to the bank

0:25:500:25:54

'and got all the money back that they'd lost.'

0:25:540:25:57

We couldn't believe the process until the money arrived in our account. We were elated.

0:25:570:26:03

All of the feelings of loss and... loss of dreams, loss of hope,

0:26:030:26:10

was re-established, and we felt like we'd been grounded again.

0:26:100:26:14

'Lee and Jane are about to open their first cafe, after all.

0:26:140:26:19

'And with a little help from us, their plans are back on track.'

0:26:190:26:23

It was great to have a happy ending.

0:26:230:26:25

We were only too pleased to be able to help.

0:26:250:26:29

If like Lee and Jane, you have a situation you think could benefit

0:26:290:26:33

from the Visa chargeback system,

0:26:330:26:36

here's a bit more about how it works and when you're able to use it.

0:26:360:26:40

You may even find people in your own bank haven't heard of it,

0:26:400:26:45

but it's great protection when you buy things with your debit card.

0:26:450:26:49

If you buy something with your card

0:26:490:26:52

and it's broken, doesn't turn up

0:26:520:26:54

or the company's gone bust,

0:26:540:26:56

you can ask your bank to get the money back.

0:26:560:27:00

It's not legally binding, but...

0:27:030:27:05

It should mean that if something goes wrong,

0:27:080:27:10

you shouldn't be out of pocket.

0:27:100:27:13

You need to claim within 120 days of realising there was a problem,

0:27:130:27:18

otherwise your card provider may not be able to help.

0:27:180:27:22

What can you do if your card provider says

0:27:220:27:25

they won't help you under the chargeback scheme?

0:27:250:27:28

You can still go to the Financial Ombudsman.

0:27:280:27:32

It's a free service and they are there to help.

0:27:320:27:35

You need to do that within six months of ending your correspondence

0:27:350:27:39

with your card provider,

0:27:390:27:41

but the Ombudsman may well be able to help you get your money back.

0:27:410:27:46

GLORIA: 'When money is tighter than ever,

0:27:500:27:53

'you need to know that your cash is working hard for you,

0:27:530:27:57

'avoiding rip-offs and sharp practice along the way.

0:27:570:28:00

'We put together a booklet of advice

0:28:000:28:03

'to help safeguard your hard-earned money.

0:28:030:28:06

'You can find the link to the free guide on our website...

0:28:060:28:10

'If you want to receive a copy in the post,

0:28:130:28:16

'send an A5 self-addressed envelope to the address at the end of the programme.

0:28:160:28:21

'We went on the road and set up our very own pop-up shop,

0:28:260:28:29

'where we got the opportunity to talk to you and hear your stories.

0:28:290:28:34

'One issue that keeps cropping up is confusion over consumer rights,

0:28:340:28:39

'particularly when purchases are faulty or go wrong.'

0:28:390:28:43

'Newlyweds Mr and Mrs Robinson had tried to protect their wedding video purchase

0:28:430:28:49

'by paying the full amount on delivery.

0:28:490:28:52

'But I'm afraid they were in for a last-minute surprise.'

0:28:520:28:56

We booked a video for our day.

0:28:560:28:59

Paid £100 deposit up-front.

0:28:590:29:01

A few days before the wedding, she asked for full payment,

0:29:010:29:05

which I had my reservations about.

0:29:050:29:07

-How much was that?

-She wanted the full £300 up-front.

0:29:070:29:12

I said can I not pay half and the rest on completion? But she insisted

0:29:120:29:17

or she couldn't go ahead.

0:29:170:29:19

Weeks went on, no contact from her. Didn't reply to e-mails, texts, phone calls.

0:29:190:29:26

I finally sent her an e-mail threatening that I would take action if she didn't respond.

0:29:260:29:32

She said she was sorry and she'd sent a copy in registered post.

0:29:320:29:37

'After the third copy of the DVD did not arrive by post,

0:29:370:29:41

'the newlyweds paid a visit in person.'

0:29:410:29:45

We ended up at the address and demanded a copy.

0:29:450:29:48

Got a copy, which doesn't play on a DVD player, only on a computer.

0:29:480:29:53

And there's no sound. You can't even hear our vows.

0:29:530:29:57

It's all mix and match, not in any order.

0:29:570:30:01

You do have rights against her.

0:30:010:30:03

The law says that anybody providing a service should provide it with reasonable care and skill.

0:30:030:30:08

I advise you to to write her one final letter,

0:30:080:30:12

head it up "letter before action",

0:30:120:30:14

saying that you are unhappy with the DVD you were provided with.

0:30:140:30:18

"This is the last opportunity I'm giving you to give us a full refund, all the unedited footage,"

0:30:180:30:24

that you're asking for compensation, and give her seven days to respond.

0:30:240:30:27

Send it recorded delivery so you've got evidence it's been received

0:30:270:30:32

and keep a copy of it so you've got evidence as well.

0:30:320:30:35

If you don't get a response, you can fill in forms in relation to the court service online.

0:30:350:30:41

You can do it yourself, face-to-face in the Small Claims Court.

0:30:470:30:51

Or you can do everything online, if you don't want to meet her face-to-face in a court environment.

0:30:510:30:57

All the information's on Her Majesty's Court website.

0:30:570:31:00

-Are you going to do that?

-Yeah. We're not going to let it rest.

0:31:000:31:04

-We wish you luck with it.

-Thank you.

-And bin that!

0:31:040:31:07

Don't bin it! You need it as evidence!

0:31:070:31:11

GLORIA: 'If you'd like information about how to write letters of complaint,

0:31:110:31:16

'BBC Learning has got lots of tips on their Skillswise site.

0:31:160:31:21

'For further advice on this and more visit our website:'

0:31:210:31:28

When we use our credit cards, most of us do so safe in the knowledge

0:31:320:31:37

that should anything go wrong, we're better protected than if we'd paid by cash or cheque.

0:31:370:31:41

Thanks to the Consumer Credit Act, if we don't receive what we pay for

0:31:410:31:46

or it turns out to be faulty, we can probably get our money back.

0:31:460:31:50

There are some big exceptions you might not know about

0:31:500:31:54

that could mean that even if you've spent thousands of pounds, you've got no protection,

0:31:540:31:59

as this family found out.

0:31:590:32:01

'Your wedding day should be your happiest day of your life,

0:32:040:32:08

'family and friends gathered together to celebrate.

0:32:080:32:11

'Jennifer and Lloyd Cunningham spent years planning their special day.

0:32:110:32:16

'They decided to get married in Africa, with 25 of their nearest and dearest in attendance.'

0:32:160:32:22

We decided to get married in Ghana cos we'd been there and liked it.

0:32:220:32:26

It's a tropical place. We're also looking at relocating to Ghana.

0:32:260:32:31

We thought we'd have the wedding there and invite the friends and family, cos it's a beautiful place.

0:32:310:32:37

So my colour scheme was the yellow and the green,

0:32:370:32:41

and also to pick up on the Jamaican flag as well, the green and gold.

0:32:410:32:46

-This is my lucky colour.

-There we go!

0:32:460:32:49

'The guests began preparing well in advance.

0:32:490:32:52

'Jennifer's mother Beryl booked flights for herself, her husband

0:32:520:32:55

'and Jennifer's sisters, who were bridesmaids.

0:32:550:32:58

'Not being computer-savvy, rather than getting flights online,

0:32:580:33:02

'she'd booked them all through her local travel agent.'

0:33:020:33:05

They were wearing the burgundy...

0:33:050:33:08

I went to an agent.

0:33:080:33:10

I don't know about booking with an airline.

0:33:100:33:13

I tried it before and it seems very complicated for my age group.

0:33:130:33:18

I'm...quite old really.

0:33:180:33:21

'But a few months later, in May 2010,

0:33:210:33:25

'the couple and their wedding party had some shocking news.

0:33:250:33:29

'Ghana International Airlines,

0:33:290:33:31

'who they were due to fly with, had run into trouble and their flights,

0:33:310:33:35

'still months away, wouldn't be happening.'

0:33:350:33:40

I felt pig sick, really!

0:33:400:33:42

I thought my daughters didn't have the money

0:33:420:33:45

to go to their sister's wedding because of the recession.

0:33:450:33:49

They have mortgages to pay and they are single ladies.

0:33:490:33:53

And I paid all this money

0:33:530:33:55

and we are going to lose all this money not going anywhere.

0:33:550:33:59

-That's a nice one.

-I like the greenery.

0:33:590:34:02

'Over the next few months, Jennifer and her guests tried desperately

0:34:020:34:06

'to get their money back.

0:34:060:34:08

'They hoped they could book new flights and still make the wedding.

0:34:080:34:12

'Despite initial promises, they had no joy getting anything

0:34:120:34:16

'back from the airline.

0:34:160:34:18

'Beryl had spent over £2,000 on flights.

0:34:180:34:21

Because she'd paid with a credit card, she was confident that she'd be protected. But she was wrong.

0:34:210:34:28

'In the letter, they wrote back and said that we are not covered'

0:34:300:34:35

under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act

0:34:350:34:40

because I did not book directly with the airline,

0:34:400:34:44

I had booked through a third person.

0:34:440:34:47

I rang them to ask, "What is this third person?"

0:34:470:34:51

Because I didn't understand that at all.

0:34:510:34:54

They said I booked through a travel agent.

0:34:540:34:58

'In most cases, the Consumer Credit Act means the credit card company

0:34:580:35:03

'is jointly responsible for goods or services that customers have paid for but not received.

0:35:030:35:08

'Like most of us, Beryl had no idea that there's a clause

0:35:080:35:12

'that means that if you bought your goods through a third party you may not be covered.

0:35:120:35:17

'Because she'd booked through the travel agent, not the airline,

0:35:170:35:21

'she wasn't entitled to a refund.'

0:35:210:35:25

I've spoken to tons of people that travel a lot.

0:35:250:35:28

They go all over the place, and they did not know this.

0:35:280:35:34

You know? So I...

0:35:340:35:36

This was really a shock to me, really.

0:35:370:35:41

'A month before the wedding, none of the party had got their money back.

0:35:440:35:48

'Having spent thousands of pounds, Jennifer and Lloyd had no choice

0:35:480:35:51

'but to go ahead and travel to Ghana without their family.'

0:35:510:35:56

When I was walking down the aisle with my giveaway father

0:35:560:36:00

who took the place of my stepdad, there was definitely a void.

0:36:000:36:05

It was a sad day, but I tried to make the best of it.

0:36:050:36:08

We would have lost even more money because we'd paid

0:36:080:36:11

the money on all the things that we needed to pay for the wedding, so it was a sad occasion.

0:36:110:36:17

I wanted to be there for Jennifer cos I know

0:36:200:36:23

that she would be upset, she would not feel happy if we were not there.

0:36:230:36:28

But I just could not afford another 2,000.

0:36:280:36:31

The weather was perfect that day. It wasn't too hot...

0:36:310:36:35

'With just a handful of friends able to attend the wedding,

0:36:350:36:38

'the couple invited members of the church in Ghana to make up numbers.

0:36:380:36:44

'For the rest of the family, it's difficult to watch the footage,

0:36:440:36:47

'knowing they should have been there.'

0:36:470:36:50

-I love the beautiful colours.

-Yeah.

-I also love the greenery.

0:36:500:36:54

-The hotel looked like it would be right up my street.

-Yes.

0:36:540:36:59

You would have loved that...

0:36:590:37:01

'I was very sad that'

0:37:010:37:04

her giveaway mother and father

0:37:040:37:07

was her head teacher and her husband, and not me.

0:37:070:37:12

I felt really, really bad about it.

0:37:120:37:16

'And after everything the family's lost,

0:37:160:37:19

'the newlyweds are keen to warn viewers that there are some situations

0:37:190:37:24

'where you may think you're covered by using a credit card, but you might not be.'

0:37:240:37:30

'If you knew if you book with a third party you will not be covered,

0:37:300:37:34

'you'd get online and book directly with the airline.'

0:37:340:37:37

No-one knows about this. This is very, very strange to me.

0:37:370:37:41

I really would like to get this much clearer, the facts.

0:37:410:37:45

APPLAUSE ON VIDEO

0:37:450:37:47

'As we've been discovering,

0:37:520:37:54

'your credit and debit cards aren't always as safe as you thought.

0:37:540:37:59

'I've come to meet Jemma Smith from the UK Cards Association to shed light on the whole topic.'

0:37:590:38:05

So, Jemma, we've been hearing from people

0:38:050:38:08

who've fallen foul of this thing called Section 75.

0:38:080:38:12

Could you tell us what Section 75 does

0:38:120:38:15

and especially what it doesn't cover?

0:38:150:38:19

It gives a level of protection

0:38:190:38:21

that you don't enjoy with any other payment.

0:38:210:38:24

However, there are some basic parameters to the legislation.

0:38:240:38:28

You have to have purchased something that's over £100

0:38:280:38:32

or underneath £30,000.

0:38:320:38:35

People have been complaining that they thought they were covered

0:38:350:38:39

and turn out not to be because of the use of a third party,

0:38:390:38:42

people who've booked holidays through travel agencies.

0:38:420:38:46

It's deemed to be who you have the relationship with.

0:38:460:38:50

If you've bought something directly, a goods or service off somebody,

0:38:500:38:54

then you're covered.

0:38:540:38:56

If they are a third party supplier,

0:38:560:38:59

like a travel agent or they've sold you tickets

0:38:590:39:02

or, for instance, through PayPal,

0:39:020:39:05

then you wouldn't get the protection under Section 75.

0:39:050:39:10

Some experts are saying that the chip and PIN system

0:39:100:39:14

is not as secure as the credit card companies like to make out.

0:39:140:39:18

It is possible

0:39:180:39:20

a fraudster can get hold of your PIN and use your card, we see that.

0:39:200:39:24

Unfortunately, we see that happening in most situations at cash machines,

0:39:240:39:29

where a fraudster will overlook somebody's shoulder

0:39:290:39:33

to find out their PIN as they're tapping it in,

0:39:330:39:36

then subsequently steal their card.

0:39:360:39:39

It's very clear in the legislation.

0:39:390:39:41

A bank can't turn down a customer because a genuine PIN was involved.

0:39:410:39:46

However, every fraud claim is taken on an individual basis.

0:39:460:39:51

The bank will look at a whole raft of different information before they decide

0:39:510:39:56

whether to pay up or to turn down your claim.

0:39:560:40:00

The reality is there are customers who would claim it a fraudulent transaction when it's not.

0:40:000:40:07

What are the golden rules for people using their credit card?

0:40:070:40:11

Whether you're using your credit or debit card,

0:40:110:40:14

when you're typing in your PIN,

0:40:140:40:16

use your free hand to cover your PIN.

0:40:160:40:19

Second to that, make sure that you don't

0:40:190:40:22

let your card out of your sight.

0:40:220:40:25

It's valuable information in the wrong hands.

0:40:250:40:28

Thirdly, make sure that you check your statement.

0:40:280:40:32

If you see anything amiss, contact your card company straightaway.

0:40:320:40:36

If you're the innocent victim of any card fraud,

0:40:360:40:40

you should get your money back.

0:40:400:40:42

GLORIA: 'At Rip-Off Britain, we're always ready to investigate your stories.

0:40:440:40:49

'Confused over your bills?

0:40:490:40:52

'Trying to wade through small print that leaves you totally confused?'

0:40:520:40:57

I might have been stupid for not reading it or I've not took it in.

0:40:570:41:02

I could kick myself. I really could.

0:41:020:41:04

'Unsure what to do when you discover that you've lost out

0:41:040:41:07

'and that great deal has cost YOU money?'

0:41:070:41:11

"This cannot be true. It's totally unacceptable." I was so angry!

0:41:110:41:16

'You might have a cautionary tale

0:41:170:41:19

'and want to share your mistakes so others don't do the same thing.'

0:41:190:41:24

No-one knows about this. This is very strange to me and I'd like to get it much clearer.

0:41:240:41:30

'You can always write to us at...

0:41:310:41:33

'Or you can get in touch by sending us an email to...

0:41:410:41:44

'The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting

0:41:490:41:52

'to investigate your stories.'

0:41:520:41:54

That's just about it. We hear so much about how credit cards can get you into trouble.

0:41:550:42:01

-It's good to know they can get you out of it, too.

-You are so right!

0:42:010:42:06

It does give you peace of mind in these tough economic times

0:42:060:42:09

to know that if someone rips you off and you've paid by credit card,

0:42:090:42:13

all is not necessarily lost, and you will probably get your money back.

0:42:130:42:17

Find out more about your rights on our website...

0:42:170:42:21

-Check it out.

-That's where you'll find us all the time.

0:42:250:42:29

If you want to get in touch about anything that's left you feeling cheated or hard done by, please do.

0:42:290:42:35

We always want to help where we can.

0:42:350:42:37

We'll see you again soon, when we'll be investigating more stories.

0:42:370:42:42

-Until then, from the three of us, bye bye.

-Goodbye.

-Goodbye.

0:42:420:42:45

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:43:040:43:07

E-mail [email protected]

0:43:070:43:10

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