For those of you that have had problems with your credit card abroad then this is for you.....
Top tips on how to get your credit card issuer to help you:
"¢ State that you did make the purchase but that the amount you have been charged is not the amount you agreed to.
"¢ If you act quickly i.e. up to and around the time you receive your monthly statement, your credit card company will probably not have paid for the item you are querying.
"¢ Request that the amount is taken off of your bill and that no further interest be charged against the item until the card issuer has investigated the original receipts. This can be done. In addition, state that you are not willing to make any payments against the item until the situation is settled. Many card issuers do this, but do not always offer, so do push for it.
"¢ Be aware that this is technically a grey area. Most UK legislation does not protect consumers against these s.c.a.m.s as they are conducted abroad, meaning that the card issuer does not have to do anything. However, there are moral implications to you, as the customer, and this is something you should make clear when you are asking them to help you.
"¢ Do ask to speak to a manager if the member of staff you are speaking to is unwilling to help you. Often junior staff are not trained properly and although you may feel they are being unhelpful, it will probably be that they do not know enough about the situation to be able to advise you properly. A manager should know more and be able to give you the correct assistance you require.
"¢ Do speak to the company's f.r.a.u.d department, again a manager if needed. General customer services may know little about the range of f.r.a.u.d policies in place to help customers, so do get the f.r.a.u.d department's telephone number and call through yourself.
"¢ Do mention that there must be a way for them to help you and that if they are not prepared to, you will be reporting the situation to the main governing bodies and the national press (as detailed below). Do use this as a last resort and remain calm.
"¢ After the first round of phone calls to the card issuer, you should know if they are prepared to help you. If you think they are not interested, write a letter stating what happened and details of all of the conversations you have had with your card issuer and send it to all of the addresses below. The official contacts should come back to you and inform you about ways they are able to assist you. You may be lucky and find that the press want to support you.
"¢ Then call your bank again. Mention that you are looking for an update on the situation and drop into the conversation that you have now circulated details of the poorly handled situation to the national press as well as a number of the banking industry's main governing bodies. ONLY DO THIS IF THEY HAVE NOT HELPED YOU BEFORE.
"¢ Do work with the card issuer to resolve the issue by providing them with a variety of contact telephone numbers and any other information that they may ask for. Despite the stress of the situation, do remain calm and civil. The person on the end of the phone probably does want to help you, but just does not know how.
"¢ Meticulously take notes of every person that you speak to, including their first name and contact centre. You never know when you may need it. Also, ask the person to update your account notes with the information that they have just told you. This should mean that you do not have to repeat your story every time you call your card issuer.
Official Contacts
Card Watch
c/o APACS
Mercury House
Triton Court
14 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 1LQ
Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR
Financial Services Authority (FSA)
25 The North Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London E14 5HS
British Bankers' Association
Pinners Hall
105-108 Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1EX
Newspaper Contacts
Personal Finance Editor
Daily Telegraph
1 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5DT
Personal Finance Editor
Sunday Telegraph
Telegraph Group Limited
1 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5DT
Personal Finance Editor
The Times
1 Pennington Street
London
E98 1XY
Personal Finance Editor
The Sunday Times
The Times
1 Pennington Street
London
E98 1XY
Personal Finance Editor
The Independent
Independent House
191 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9RS
Personal Finance Editor
The Independent on Sunday
Independent House
191 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9RS
Personal Finance Editor
The Guardian
119 Farringdon Road
London EC1R 3ER
Personal Finance Editor
The Observer
119 Farringdon Road
London EC1R 3ER
Personal Finance Editor
The Daily Mail
Northcliffe House
2 Derry Street
London
W8 5TT
Personal Finance Editor
The Mail on Sunday
Northcliffe House
2 Derry Street
London
W8 5TT
Personal Finance Editor
Daily Express
The Northern & Shell Building
Number 10 Lower Thames Street
London
EC3R 6EN
Personal Finance Editor
Sunday Express
The Northern & Shell Building
Number 10 Lower Thames Street
London
EC3R 6EN
