Suuba

Hi, Need some legal help..

My good friend owns a shop (sells computers), he had a customer phone up and order a £500 computer over the phone, everything went through fine credit card details taken, processed and computer sent out..


Seemed like any other sale


However a few days ago he recieved a letter from his credit card terminal merchant (streamline), who said the customer did not authorise the transaction, which he f*cking did as he bought it!!!!

Now my friend doesn't have a contact number for the customer as it wasn't taken down or lost.

BTW , when he phoned streamline they said the card belonged to a relative of the customer not himself.


So if my friend can't get in contact by letter he'll be left £500 down.


Some help or advice please.

ChrisB

Sounds like this:

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/200..._denial_fraud/

Drunken Bungle Whore

Try the CAB, solicitor, small claims court route.

BTW I can't imagine your friend will own a shop selling computers for very long unless they start keeping more detailed customer records......

Dracoro

Well presumably he has the address that the computer was sent to.

Suuba

He has everything but the customer number, he takes everones down, even the ones that come in and buy off the street...


Yes he has the address and the courier reciept it was delivered too.

Who could he phone to obtain the phone number for the address as 118 118 can't find the customer surname and can't hand out numbers for address's

Dracoro

Has he reported it to the police?

Suuba

Yes, they said to send a letter, streamline say he has 3 weeks to find a solution and then if he can't prove fraud etc the £500 will be taken out of his account.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

Its obtaining goods by deception when this happens ( doesnt matter if it was a relatives card or a complete strangers they had stolen, the person who owns the card didnt authorise the payment ).

Forget CAB etc... send a special delivery letter to the customer telling them they have 48 hours to pay for the item or return it, and if they dont he'll proceed with legal action.

If this doesnt scare the prat into paying and the police arent interested, he'll have to go through small claims court to recover the money.

If he knows the address, get the phone number from 192 and contact the card holder - could be its the card owners kid has bought it and the father may be able to sort it out and return the PC.

Suuba

Good route of action to take..

David Lock

Streamline did this to me but thankfully for a much smaller amount. Mail order, credit card authorised but then letter saying no permission to use card or something. Phone number customer left was duff.

I made a big fuss asking what was the point of getting an authorisation only to find out this was worthless. Got nowhere and wrote if off.

However I think there is too much buck passing here. You pay Streamline for a service and I think they should do something about it. The guy has committed fraud so I think Streamline and/or the police should take action. If Streamline can't be arsed then you should be refunded. dl

Scooby Soon!

I can give you the facts on this as I had the Streamline rep in only 2 weeks ago and asked him the exact question because we send loads out on Mail order.

Heres how it goes,

Basically when you put a CNP through (customer not present) you are asked for the address details and the CVV number but these are for YOUR referance only they are nothing to do with if the payment will be approved or if it will be guranteed. You have to make an executive decision on every transaction, every CNP is a risk!

He said that if the transaction was disputed then you would first supply details of delivery signature and or the tracking numbers that should be able to be checked online. If the customer still disputes the transaction (although he said most would give up after you had supplied tracking details) after this then streamline WILL chargeback the amount from your bank account. There is nothing you can do apart from possibly take the person to court but by the sounds of it (and by putting in the dispute so quickly) they have played the game before!

Suuba

He's just sent a very threatining letter with legal action etc.


The police have said they'll give him 1 week to respond, if nothing happens then its fraud and will get handed to the police in the fraudsters area.


Streamline should do more to be honest like do some investigating on the card itself..

David Lock

I just have a terminal and input card details for mail order to get authorisation code. No facility to input customer name or address. How do you do that or do you have to phone through every time?? dl

Scooby Soon!

How long have you had your terminal? and account ?

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Should be able to find the telephone number through this site HERE

David Lock

At least 3 - 4 of years now. Through a group called CardSave who give pretty decent Merchant Charges*. Less than 1.6%. Then processed thro' Streamline.

Before then it was all phone or fax authorisation when customer details were required.

*PM me if you want more details.

GC8

As Chris says; its known more commonly as cyber-shoplifting and its become widespread...

Scooby Soon!

David check your PM's

David Lock

Thanks - will respond this evening. Got to go and get shredder.........

DJ73

The wife tried to pay for something over the phone a few time's with my card but has been told " sorry it must be cardholder " ??

Dracoro

I purchased something the other day online. As it was my 1st purchase from them, the product had to be delivered to the billing address of the cardholder (which had to be verified as ccards are associated with a billing address).

Suuba

Update:

Friend with the computer shop has managed to get the guys home and work address, plus a mobile number which seems off all the time (no sim card), but however the credit card that was used was infact the mrs of the customer...


He's not to sure who to go to for help on this, the police are following it up but he's a tad worried he may not see that £500 again!

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

Tell him to just go straight to the small claims court - just getting the paperwork through normally frightens most people into returning the goods or coughing up the money.

Link is www.moneyclaim.gov.uk and you can file it all online.

Suuba

Lives in Scotland, buyer in london...

Solicitor says the only way would either to get the police to go to the door and retrieve the computer or put him through court which is costly.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

Or send up his own 'collection agency'

sti-04!!

I am sorry to hear about your friends misendeavour, but tbh i feel that he could have prevented this.

You tell us that it was some guy that had ordered it, then it turns out its the mr's card, he should have asked the question there an then, instead of being to eager to get the sale, i feel its lesson learned here.

sti-04!!

Ps were is the shop ??, PM me if you like as i am looking for some wireless stuff & other bits & bobs. As i am in scotland

Cheers

Suuba

True, think in the future things will be tightened up..


However the funny thing is streamline will take out the £500 to refund which then automatically makes the customer/fraudster in possesion of stolen goods, leading to police investigation.

MikeCardiff, its the other way round. The f*cker is in london.


See how the police do, then a wee trip to london with my good friend if nothing happens.