Discussion
Ordered £50 worth of gear from a website that looked legit in September. Got order confirmation emails immediately after ordering etc, again all looked legit. Website is based in UK but distance away from me. Doubt the physical address
After a few weeks, still no delivery (was expecting it to take a couple of weeks at least).
Chased via email and got a "we'll respond with 24hrs" reply. No reply.
Chased via phone - answer machine only, left messages. No reply.
Google search then reveals it's a hooky site, with history. Opens up with a new name and address every few months etc.
Talk to bank about fraudulent transaction but whilst they raised a case with the fraud team they advise it might not yield positive result and as i paid via debit not credit card I can't claim back immediately. I paid with debit as it was easy on my phone so just me being lazy.
Bank still say investigation is active so no money yet, given up on it really.
Not worth small claims court as cost is same so guess the £50 is lost unless anyone has any suggestions?
After a few weeks, still no delivery (was expecting it to take a couple of weeks at least).
Chased via email and got a "we'll respond with 24hrs" reply. No reply.
Chased via phone - answer machine only, left messages. No reply.
Google search then reveals it's a hooky site, with history. Opens up with a new name and address every few months etc.
Talk to bank about fraudulent transaction but whilst they raised a case with the fraud team they advise it might not yield positive result and as i paid via debit not credit card I can't claim back immediately. I paid with debit as it was easy on my phone so just me being lazy.
Bank still say investigation is active so no money yet, given up on it really.
Not worth small claims court as cost is same so guess the £50 is lost unless anyone has any suggestions?
Ask them to do a visa debit chargeback if that's not what they are already doing.
"A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
"A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
R8Steve said:
Ask them to do a visa debit chargeback if that's not what they are already doing.
"A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
Always pay these by credit card (although I believe debit cards may also be covered since a few months ago)"A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
Pica-Pica said:
Always pay these by credit card (although I believe debit cards may also be covered since a few months ago)
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
Debit cards are covered also, they just don't have the same level of protection. OP should be fine in this case though. https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
R8Steve said:
Ask them to do a visa debit chargeback if that's not what they are already doing.
"A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
Card companies do not have to offer protection with a debit card, but must with a credit card."A Visa debit card offers significantly better protection for shoppers. Their scheme is called Visa Debit Chargeback and any bank that issues a Visa debit card has to comply with the scheme.
You can claim money back if the goods you buy are damaged, or the product or services are not delivered.
There is no limit on what you can claim. But you have to claim within 120 days of the date you expected the goods to be delivered or the firm going bust."
Been through the same hastle as the OP once before and now it's credit card or paypal only.
Pica-Pica said:
Always pay these by credit card (although I believe debit cards may also be covered since a few months ago)
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
That's as clear as mud. It still does not state which cards do chargeback and there are those conditions which must be met first.https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
I have tried this chargeback thing in the past and it is not a simple process.The banks don't like doing it they have a responsibility to the trader also.
kestral said:
Pica-Pica said:
Always pay these by credit card (although I believe debit cards may also be covered since a few months ago)
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
That's as clear as mud. It still does not state which cards do chargeback and there are those conditions which must be met first.https://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guid...
I have tried this chargeback thing in the past and it is not a simple process.The banks don't like doing it they have a responsibility to the trader also.
R8Steve said:
They definitely do.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback/"However, chargeback isn't a legal protection, and card companies offer it at their own discretion. "
Section 75 is the only legal protection and doesn't apply to debit cards.
Like I said not trying to be preachy, i've been in OP's shoes before and lucked out.
CP12 said:
R8Steve said:
They definitely do.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback/"However, chargeback isn't a legal protection, and card companies offer it at their own discretion. "
Section 75 is the only legal protection and doesn't apply to debit cards.
Like I said not trying to be preachy, i've been in OP's shoes before and lucked out.
It requires investigation by the bank to check the facts moreso than the section 75 cases for credit cards but the OP will 100% get his money back in this case.
I was part of the implementation team for bank chargeback/section 75 for visa so I’m fairly confident in this.

Thanks for the advice all.
Going back into the bank on Saturday morning to see what if anything can be done.
The firm does have a physical address apparently and i discovered last night that they are responding (well fobbing off) to complaints about them on TrustPilot.
I'll be leaving them a complaint later
Going back into the bank on Saturday morning to see what if anything can be done.
The firm does have a physical address apparently and i discovered last night that they are responding (well fobbing off) to complaints about them on TrustPilot.
I'll be leaving them a complaint later
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