I received a bill from Evans Essentials dated 30 June 2009, account number: 6331 7952 0197 6836 that featured 2 external transactions dated 23 June 90 and 24 June 09 for the sums of 2.30 and 4.52, respectively. These were apparently on-line transactions. I was in Cyprus on holiday and was physically unable to carry out these transactions and therefore deduced that they were fraudulent uses of my account. On receiving the statement I therefore had to call the telephone number: 0871 522 5900 on the back of the statement to ascertain who/what and how it was possible for these amounts to be debited to my account. I was kept on the line for exactly 30 minutes and 1 second the first time at a cost of 8 pounds and 94p and then was advised that I had to call a further number to make yet more enquiries; telephone number: 08702418050 for 4 minutes and 27 seconds at a cost of 75p. Notwithstanding this, I then had to call the same telephone number for 9 minutes and 40 seconds at a cost of 1 pound and 64p. The total of these calls equals 11 pounds and 33p + VAT from my mobile provider, Orange. I have accessed my Orange mobile bill on line to provide these exact costings which I require to be reimbursed to me with all haste. The short story that I EVENTUALLY received, after having to listen to many minutes of awful music and speak to various employees from India and Liverpool, is that I had to pay the original Evans bill so that I could then CLOSE my account, and a fraud enquiry would then begin in approximately 28 days from my closing the account and raising an enquiry into the fraudulent use of my account. This would, by and large prevent any further fraudulent used of my account. I was further advised, when I complained at that time that the cost to me for having to make the above mentioned telephone calls to enquire about transactions that were not mine would be reimbursed to me when I provided evidence from my mobile phone provider. I now have received the paper bill as well as the on-line bill and can forward these details in PDF format or a copy of my bill with the items to be reimbursed highlighted for the attention of whoever requires them. So far I am deeply disappointed with the service I have received and am even more deeply concerned that it was possible for my card to be fraudulently used in the first place. Please email me at [email protected] with ur comments.
Jayne Johnson