Online buying-sharp practice

[Parksy]

Many Practical Caravan forumites will have seen the popular television programme that is filmed just up the road from me called Peaky Blinders.
I've just encountered their online equivalent - Cheeky Blinders!
Back in May I renewed my internet anti-virus protection online by paying via my debit card on my computer and downloading the protection codes and software.
All well and good, it does what it says on the tin and keeps me safe from cyber nasties.
I vaguely remember an advert appearing to do with savings on days out, leisure activities and such things as theater tickets and I clicked on it just to have a look without really thinking too much about it.
I was checking my bank statements this morning when I noticed a £10 deduction for something that I don't remember buying.
The information wasn't clear from the bank statement what I'd bought and upon looking further back I saw similar £10 payments.
The bank supplied contact details and a quick online search revealed several complaints regarding unauthorised deductions from bank accounts from various people.
I used the automated phone line to cancel my 'membership' and an email confirmation was sent back straight away.
From the information given in the email I found that I'd somehow become a member of a leisure savings group which apparently offers discounts on such things as days out, theater tickets and assorted leisure activities, none of which I'd ever be likely or able to use.
I phoned the company concerned again and hung on to speak to an operator who agreed that I hadn't consented to pay this money and has promised a full refund within the next ten days.
Naturally I've contacted my bank to block these scam merchants from taking any more money in the future and I've emailed those concerned to let them know in no uncertain terms that any further attempts by anyone connected with their activities to steal my money will be reported to the police as alleged theft.
The moral of the story is one that I ought to have thought about, never click on anything that you don't know the origin of. Be careful when making online purchases, the amounts involved were relatively small and apparently this scam is attached to several big name legitimate online traders so regard anything which advertises leisure time or savings as suspect and don't touch it.

 

[travellerone]

I travel the US and Europe always online and use Micro Soft Security Essential and Malware bytes both free and never had any issues. Would never pay for some of these protection services that in the end are memory hungry and slow the machine down.

 

[Parksy]

I've tried the free versions of internet security in the past but have returned to a paid for protection service because of issues and nuisances that have affected my online security.
The free resources that I tried seemed to let some things slip through the net, the paid for sevice from Kaspersky fully protects my desktop, my laptop and my I-phone for £29.99 a year.
The scam site somehow latched onto the online purchase, possibly via a pop up window which I hadn't blocked at that time. Theft or intention to defraud would be difficult and time consuming to prove, although as soon as I have time I'll alert Kaspersky and the police to see what comments they make, if any.
The same allegedly scam operating company which I won't name in line with forum etiquette was allegedly involved when others who reported similar from the same business bought goods or services online from reputable companies such as John Lewis, Debenhams and others, so my issue is not with Kaspersky who have done nothing wrong and are probably unaware of this scam.
My warning is for internet users to be very careful if they click onto something without thinking, as I did.

 

[Raywood]

I am always very wary of on line purchases but had not seen this one. It pays to be very wary although personally I do not use my bank card but a credit card when buying on the net. That way any scammers if they get through cannot clean me out and I can then deal with the credit card issuer which is not my bank.
I gather the idea of payments of £10 or so is that people are less likely to spot it and if they do the sum involved to them means many will just write it off but the total of all those £10s to the scammers can be quite substantial.

 

[Parksy]

I am always very wary of on line purchases but had not seen this one. It pays to be very wary although personally I do not use my bank card but a credit card when buying on the net. That way any scammers if they get through cannot clean me out and I can then deal with the credit card issuer which is not my bank.
I gather the idea of payments of £10 or so is that people are less likely to spot it and if they do the sum involved to them means many will just write it off but the total of all those £10s to the scammers can be quite substantial.

You hit the nail on the head there Ray, the sum involved is relatively small and it's easy to miss or to dismiss as something bought but forgotten about.
I noticed the payment last month when using my laptop in the caravan to check my current account balance but a poor internet connection meant that I didn't investigate at the time, but it appeared again this week whilst I was checking using the desktop at home.
That particular current account only ever has small sums of money it, I use it almost exclusively for online purchases so a tea leaf is unlikely to become immediately wealthy at my expense buta tenner here and there is easy to overlook.