It's more than misleading as they have clearly employed psychologists and market research to deliberately trick their customers. Something similar happened to me earlier this year when I ordered a small item from Amazon UK. You are correct in the that the prime offer always comes up and you make a particular point of NOT signing up to it. However they seem to have changed tack and offer instead free one delivery without mentioning the automatic sign up to prime... (especially as some of us have explicitly ticked box against it for the last 9 years). They must tailor careful people accounts too deliberately in the form of a computer program that hides the prime sign up to careful customers. There a Amazon prime complaints page actually on amazon forums strangely and boy everyday there are scores of complainants some of which say they aren't even Amazon customers that have been signed up to Prime. Amazon must have some form of mailing list from the credit card companies they are using. I may have originally not noticed the free one day delivery box which is filled by default but changed it back however despite this I was still signed up as Prime customer...I am a person that orders a couple of times a year btw. Luckily for me I did notice my Prime sign up because they e-mailed me about the benefits of my new prime membership ... perplexed by how this came about I frantically searched the internet eventually found the very very obscure cancel page. So I wasn't charged but they had started my FREE? months membership .... which like many thousands of others hadn't actually knowingly signed to at all. The laughable and odd thing about is that the item I had ordered didn't arrive the next day! Misleading is an understatement .... It is a deliberate contrived CON based on their American model where the consumer law isn't so tight and it where the onus of proof is on the customer. Luckily we have the direct debit guarantee and consumer law that at this time of writing allows you to get your money back in the UK. Things could change with Tory ethos of allowing companies more power to sign people in by verbal contract etc. and softening of trading standards regulation (which is pretty limp even now) For many the first thing they know about it is when Amazon takes a £79 payment from your card. And now looking on the complaints forum Amazon have tweaked their con... it is now apparently £7.99 a month... crafty s c a m designed so the smaller figure won't be noticed so easily.

I had a neighbour a few years that got in a similar pickle, he was bombarded with calls from banks and creditors. All starting from a relatively minor amount which compounded with their various charges and interest fees etc. Anyway getting rid of the phone... matter of fact BT cut him off.. but it was a relief to him not to nagged on a daily basis by these people. And in the end it was a successful outcome.

Well I suppose does show the inherent problems with paypal.. a horrible system. Credit cards are better as they will pay the buyer their money back if $cammed. Ebay and paypal seemingly don't want this for some reason and force you to use paypal which I think may actually be illegal. Moving on... The first thing is change your phone number so that they can't hassle you via that. I'm wondering also whether you ought to report the whole affair to the local plod,.. . not that they will do anything but at least it is on record that you have been $cammed. Still you imply it has put you out over your own bank account ... and you know they will add interest so we're going have to come up with a plan to deal with that too.

For some unknown reason the text in your system has changed the word s c a m to the word problem. Please read the above with this in mind.

I have been thinking about this issue of [problem] phone calls and it probably doesn’t affect mobiles but home phones where until fairly recently you could not cut-off someone you phoned and if they didn’t put the phone down. The scenario goes something like this: Elderly Agnes gets a lot PPI calls and salesmen for double glazing and indeed silent calls. So Agnes decides on the recommendation of her local trading dept and BT to see who is calling by dialling back the number displayed on her caller display. So she inputs the 0844 or variant and it rings a couple of times and goes silent nothing appears to happen it is blank. Agnes puts her phone down and goes about her daily business as usual. However unbeknown to Agnes the computerised [problem] has still got her phone connected at the highest rate per minute that they can charge. And this remains so for the next few hours or until the system times out. The first thing Agnes finds out about it is when she receives her direct debit from BT and her bill. In Agnes mind it is too late and she has been scammed! Reminiscent of the computer diallers [problem] a few years ago. But there is an answer to this to resolve the issue…..?!? Mobiles you surely simply switch off. I only ever use payg and top up only with £5 top ups so these £3000 bills (roaming) can never happen but the mobile companies hate these and are doing their best to phase them out and discourage people using them. To Didlum… The moderators have removed your post reply to mine as it was off topic OK…it didn’t directly address phone problems but what you said had a lot of truth and does resonate with me and probably a lot of others here too. I feel they overreacted when they took it off. In answer to you and to anyone looks closely at the courts Police and government you can see that it is a bit of a charade that looks like and appears that deals with the public in a fair manner and to some extent it does; except when it comes up against a council, local authority, Police, judiciary or government or agent of a government…and ultimately acts to protect those in power and privilege and will never act against them whatever crimes they commit. Even though the crimes by these so-called guardians of the public actually are often enemies of the public and contravene the English bill of rights and Magna Carta. Very suspect in the parking charges industry... A fine example of this is the Barry Beavis case which ultimately threatened the councils and very dodgy debt collecting agencies around them. The old TV and movie quotes echo in my mind …. “We are the Law” And that’s really what they believe….

Absolutely correct about 08x numbers .... originally designed to confuse with 0800 Freephone numbers but were anything but "Freephone" then when 0870 numbers were exposed as the rip-off that they were...they then made a big song and dance about how they were allowing these for free .... but every company and BT simply got around this by quietly changing the number slightly to 0871 and variants. (and didn't tell anyone that these were still chargeable at the rip-off rate), and hoped the public didn't notice which in general they did not.. Outrageous that such a confidence trick should ever possibly be allowed without serious criminal charges. But then in country where we now have seriously bent courts, bent judges, bent police, bent corporations and councils, bent governments. They have successful created a society where they have encouraged everyone to go about ripping off everyone else. I would like to call for a complete ban on ALL premium rate numbers ... in particular ones like 118 ... that according to my telephone provider Post office phones is NOT a premium... and as I said to them "if £6 plus to a number that lasts for a few seconds isn't a premium rate number then what is?" The reason I say 118 numbers is that you can elect to block outgoing calls the various 090 type numbers etc. but not 118 type numbers .....as I said in the my previous line if 118 variants are not premium then what are? Characters like Simon Cowell have made 100s of millions £s by these numbers so what do BT make?... outrageous. Just simply a goldmine for thieves, conmen, rip off merchants, unscrupulous people and organisations. As for international premium numbers BT and the other companies need to either pay them from their profit or block the numbers. Or don't pay them ... it not down to the public to do so. We need people like Martin Lewis the TV celebrity money expert to petition the government to ban ALL premium numbers of at least allow the telephone customer to be able to bar any number they wish including such rip-offs like 118.

All these MPs that spent time in "prison" if you can call it that spent in fact merely 1/4 of the term handed down by the judges. Do look that fact up. Furthermore every last one of them served their time in a very soft open prison. And I have a relative that works at Leyhill open prison and it's a standing joke that it's more luxurious than more pay for fitness/health boot camps that exist throughout the country. Open prisons are really the wealthy and powerful version of a free health boot camp similar to the tv programme for naughty teenagers shown on mainstream tv. Lord Archer spent much of his time in prison writing a book and spending weekend time at the opera and fine restaurants with the prison governor. Why hasn't his title been removed and surely a fine of £1,000,000 and a prison spell in somewhere like Strangeways as a penalty? To honest most of these toff dicks need a very hefty fine related where possible to their personal wealth. It is a waste of time putting them in prison. It's like former MP Margaret Moran (never prosecuted for major fraud) and indeed recently the tory MP Patrick Mercer ( brushed under the carpet and very likely never to be prosecuted). These of course are only the ones that have been caught numerous other MPs including Cameron and Clegg, Ed Balls and his wife were doing very dodgy deals "within the rules" - (their own rules) making tens of thousand by flipping properties and yet the likes of Tory boys like Cameron and his fag Osbourne with allegedly offshore accounts in the channel islands yet criticizing companies like Google for working "within the rules" too. Quite honestly you've got more chance of the IPCC finding the Police guilty of malpractice and as you are well aware that hasn't happened in the history of the Police. For the same reasons why these MPs never get properly punished. This lady is wasting her time and money bothering to take the DWP and Atos to court as true as IPCC is as about as independent to the Police service as my head is to my body, and ultimately the courts will always rule a nine bob note is legal tender if the government tell them to do so.

I've been watching this tv programme and I'm wondering whether there is any breach of law too. The repo agent Sean on some levels is quite personable but when you look the links to the tailgating incident in 2008 and the fact his wife is in prison for wheel clamping related blackmail. And the general slant of the programme is to promote a positive view of the repossession business when it is shady to say the least shows quite a bias from channel 4. The legality of this is very dubious. see below links..... http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4915825/Star-of-TV-bailiff-show-Repo-Man-beat-driver-with-a-hammer-in-a-road-rage-attack.html#ixzz2Sdd7DHZo http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2008/04/29/mother-faces-jail-for-clamping-con/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7415331.stm http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2008/04/24/i-didnt-make-1000-an-hour-clamper/ http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2008/05/23/clamper-boss-gets-four-years/

I think this will carry on until something extreme happens, may I suggest along the lines of a clamper or clampers being shot dead preferably by some yardies or something; however an on the edge motorist might do the trick somewhat better - roll on!

If by that you mean all the various parking agency staff statements as well the drivers statements then yes.. That I agree should happen and make it a criminal act too.

I think the court (if you can properly call it that) does accept proof of delivery with a recorded delivery signature.... I've already done a trip to an adjudicator and this was the case. Look green and mean ... we're on the same side aren't we? The councils parking depts. do pull dirty tricks OK... The point about perjury is that outright lies are regularly told by all levels of the parking depts. from the parking attendant right up to senior admin just to get you to pay. So what essentially is the difference? Just make sure you make duplicates, record phone calls, where you can get signed and stamped receipts, as you can't trust these depts. at all. They exist principally to extort money by government backed racketeering and that's the plain and simple truth.

duplicate

Do you work for the parking dept?

Indeed the envelope could contain anything but what would be the point of sending nothing? I mentioned the postmaster/mistress/teller .. you could take a digital photos of them packing the items into and countersigning facsimiles as exact copies of what went into the envelope. With some strokes the traffic dept pull this would be advisable. Now the recorded delivery signature shows that the right and proper dept (ie the one they put on their tickets) did receive a copy - now whether or not they bother to read or respond is irrelevant as they received it We all are pretty familiar with the Town hall or dept of transport and the rackets Al Capone would be proud to get revenue. By the same token a bent judge or mayor might just get a wake up call at 3am with 8 guys in balaclavas wielding heavy pick axe handles and baseball bats to teach him and/or his family and to illustrate the true meaning of justice.

there seems an annoying advert linked into my posts here for "small claims procedures in the county court" It has not been placed by me and can you please tell me how remove it as it doesn't seem to appear on anyone else's post?

Did you see the signature. they're supposed flag up a jpeg picture. and is insured to do so for a certain amount of money. You can only prove a person received a packet or letter that signed the receipt. You would also have to have really the postmaster/mistress teller also sign that the appropriate documents were sent. The context I'm talking about involves the council parking appeals team and their appointed address, not someones private address. The person that signs the receipt will be an employee and representative of the council parking team (sent to either an address or po box provided from them) and as such would qualify as being received by the parking appeal board. get yer bible ready folks and swear to almighty God.

Having having experience of a councils procedures of sending out NTOs and charges certificate and THEM claiming they hadn't received the appeals forms yet I proved they had by showing the post office recorded delivery receipts. The council officials are quite prepared to lie so would they do so if signing a declaration under risk of perjury? What do you reckon?

I think it's best to keep calm, no doubt there are witnesses to you being forcibly accosted by the security staff at Tesco. Given the fact that they didn't find anything on you I think you have a very good case for a prosecution against Tescos. Having a magnet on your person is not a criminal offence. Get some good legal aid advice no win no fee and you could sue for many thousands of pounds and give Tesco a bloody nose. See the case earlier .... where a man sued M&S for slipping up on a grape. M&S shopper who slipped on a grape sues for £300,000 | Mail Online Now this is an example of what can happen and I think you may well a much better founded case. Mental distress, damage to reputation and self respect etc. Not least bad PR for Tescos. Do give it a try!

I have a suggestion for beating the bailiff in particular the likes of Mr Waller - it involves several large gentleman from the Gypsy community a number of pick axe handle iron bars and stun guns.

hello Hacksaw! thanks for the reply ... I've only just seen the link in my email back to consumergroup. So what you're saying then is that they could write and tell us to take down the satelite dish even over the normal four year limit as it a grade 2 listed building? Mind you when we originally enquired about the dish the planning department said they would pass it as long as it wasn't visable but blueprints and tech drawings had to be submitted. With all the rigmarole and hassle it was just easier to put it up without all this and this was done. no-one's complained so far, and it certainly isn't visable from the street but you never know if some nosey busybody jobsworth is going to notice and cause bother.

Can anyone here tell me whether a satellite dish set up on a listed building some 5 years ago can be ordered to be taken down. It is one of the sky smaller ones. I have heard although not confirm officially that work done some time in the past without the council etc seeing can't be stopped after a certain period of time. Can anyone say how long that is and whether or there is some catch. Thank you

Well the written confirmation came through. What do I do now to get refunds for all the other people that have been fined on this stretch of road. Anyone able to tell me?

I have had the NPAS hearing on 18th March 2007 and the adjucator ruled in my favour! I have still to receive the written confirmation, it wasn't as easy as I thought though and at one point I thought he was favouring the council. He did agree that their signage i.e. the badly painted road lines wasn't adequate and for that reason dismissed this. My other points like the ticket wording he reckoned they were within the correct parameters. Of course the council could go to the high court but that's probably unlikely. I will post again when the written confirmation comes through.

Hello again everyone, I have my date for the personal hearing for the parking adjudicator set for March 2008. The council miraculously found my documents I'd sent them when I give the time date and name of the person who'd signed for them at their office. They did send an official Notice of Rejection and cancelled the "charge certificate with a application form for the Adjucator. I got a dossier of copies of photos and letters I'd sent the council with comments and filled in a separate page with other info. This was over Christmas in fact I sent on the 20 th december but they actually got on 5th January once again I'd sent it first class recorded delivery ( supposedly a 1 day service!) So they did receive within the deadline because you are given more time for christmas. Despite the council sending me another "charge certificate" for £90 the adjucators office have frozen and overuled it and it stands at £60 even if I lose the case. Since all this I see they're going to bring in higher charges for parking particularly where I live and of the penalties for parking on lines throughout the UK. The council have yet to send me any TR0 or the details of the ombudsman. I am going forward the letters the council sent me to the adjudicators office just to show the dismissive tone of them. If anyone else has got any more help or advice on what else to do or say then I will be glad to hear it. I will report any more details as and when they come to hand.

Hello ladies and gentleman, I said I would keep you informed of the developments of my parking appeal and there has been a development. I have just returned from a short holiday and fortunately used the royal mail keepsafe service ( they hold your mail until you get back). I had a set of about 10 letters one of which from B&NEs council called a "Charge Certificate" in big red letters and at the bottom "It is now too late to appeal against paying the penalty" it goes on to say about the debt being pursued by bailiffs. Now you can imagine how this felt when I saw this, ... it said about me not sending them out the reasons and evidence to cancel and so on. But the point was I did! I did send it by recorded delivery as someone here very sensibly advised, I phoned them and they maintained they hadn't received any representation from me, I warned the receptionist that any bailiff or indeed any officer etc attempting to take any of my property would be met with ultimate force ... this will happen one day and I do believe some of these people have been killed or crippled but it's covered up you rarely see reports of it. The lady at this point put the phone down on me. Fuming I drew the best and most deadly blade from the kitchen knife rack and imagined using it to rip and spill the lower abdomen from a bailiffs body you know, as you do. Calming down I knew I had sent the letter of representation via recorded delivery the online service clearly showed it had been received and signed for by someone from their dept. I phoned again the same receptionist quickly transferred me to a more senior woman, who ask me for the details from my point of view and again said they hadn't received the letter, I quoted the recorded delivery item number. And here's the part you will need to remember yourselves ... she asked whether I'd returned the Notice to Owner form ... Of course I said I had but importantly I'd made a photo copy of both sides of this document because if you send it back ... how can you prove what date etc they've quoted you? I pointed that I'd done this photo copy at this point she asked whether I'd had the recorded delivery number and receipt of course I have and said I have photo copies and copies of EVERYTHING. Here she started to sound a little worried herself. The recorded online clearly shows that they received this within the appeal time yet 6 days later they send my out the Charge Certificate. This lady takes my number and promises that after they've checked the recorded delivery they will get back to me. About 10 minutes pass and my phone goes and another more senior lady tells me that whoops the Charge Certificate has been sent out by mistake and my letter had been received but placed into a pending file until I got back from holiday. I pointed out that it was sent some days after the letter was received, she said well it was "in error" and that they are going to look at it now I'm back next week... I'll let you know what happens next.