Many thanks ims21. I will have a look at both sites and see what he wants to do. Maggiebroom

I have not been on CAG for quite a few years now. Many reasons (don't ask) He has a few claims for PPI he did not know he was paying and has asked me to supervise for him as he doesn't have much time. I am trying to find my way round the new (to me) layout, but first and foremost I wish to find the template letters for initial claims. can anyone point me in the right direction. maggiebroom

Hi lollybuck Well at least two of us got a result. I would rather have seen Ideal World get a roasting in that article, but I guess they have to be careful of the legalities and Ideal World are a huge conglomerate. Apparantly it is legal for them to pass around details in their own group of companies. What annoys me is that they passed our bank details around, when our dealings were only with Ideal World. There is something immoral about that and the sooner they get more publicity the better. Michael Lincoln from Barking is my husband. I shall now start to bother Watchdog again. Perhaps with Anne Robinson in the chair and if more of us write in they will give it a go on the telly. By the way the quote at the bottom that said that Ideal World told my husband they had acted within the legal restrictions was NOT true. We have never heard from Ideal World at all. Somehow the Mirror got that wrong. However, I am not too bothered as at least we got some publicity. Nice to meet you lollybuck, if only in print maggiebroom

A month later Still waiting for letters from anyone. All is quiet on the NatWest front. Perhaps they will all go away. maggiebroom

PS Don't expect a reply from Trading Standards. We never got one. It was a waste of time and a postage stamp writing to them.

UPdate The Daily Mirror have highlighted this [problem] on their Investigations page this morning. Now for Watchdog IDEAL WORLD should get the publicity as they are the ones who passed on the information. This disgusting [problem] MUST be stopped. maggiebroom

Hi Lollybluk My husband now has his money back, but I have heard nothing from Ideal World after writing a very strong letter. I too reported it to the police and trading standards. The police said there was nothing they could do as it was the Banks fault for letting the payment go through. I have not yet received a reply from Trading Standards. (they are a toothless lot anyway) I do have a crime number, which may come in handy should anything come of this. I also contacted Watchdog and the Mirror's investigation team, but got no reply. It seems it need loads more people to complain before they will look at the problem. One girl at Travel Steps said she would produce a recording of the phone call, but how strange they can't find it. Your right, it is stealing from peoples accounts, and a gross abuse of peoples trust. The Data Protection Act seems to have been breached as well. I have been waiting the outcome of all this to write to the ICO, and now they have not produced the phantom phone call recording I shall be doing that as soon as. The bank don't seem to be too worried but their fraud department have said they will use the information for future customers. I think it is theft and fraud on a grand scale. Perhaps if more people kick up a fuss it would be noticed by organisations that can give more publicity. It does make you so angry though. Maggiebroom

Hi Fedup 74 I couldn't get through to Ideal World as their call centre is in India and nobody would put me back to a UK centre. However I did speak to Travel Steps who agreed to refund my money immediately. I have written a very strong letter to Ideal World's CEO and have complained to Trading Standards and the Information Commissioner. My husbands bank are also getting their Fraud Dept involved. I have reported it to the police, (got a crime number) and contacted Watchdog, and also the Daily Mirror investigation team. Lets hope something can be done to stop what is basically theft. I want to give these people so much bad publicity that they will stop this underhanded way of stealing from people. I am also taking legal advice. My husband NEVER gave Ideal World permission to pass on his card details to anyone, and I think this a gross misuse of peoples trust. We never had a phone call as they claimed we did. We never receibed an information pack or any sort of free trial offer. My husband is disabled and we live on my pension and his benefits. Why on earth would we pay £99 annually for a travel brochure we are never likely to use. I can pick up all the brochures I need for nothing in any travel agents. Its a [problem] and nothing else. They are thieves and I intend to do all I can to stop them. My husband and I are so angry, we have steam coming out of our ears. Thanks for your good wishes. I will await and see if his money comes back when they say they it will. Hopefully these people can be stopped before they con anybody else. maggiebroom

Bump Anyone?????

HI All Not been on for a while as there really hasn't been anything to update, and I went deaf (don't laugh). I got a letter from Westcots stating that after they had investigated the issue I raised with them they would not be dealing further with me and I should get back to the NAT WEST Since then not a peep from anyone. I guess its back to the waiting game. maggiebroom

NOt sure if this is the right place for this thread but I'm sure someone will put it in the right place if it isn't. Has anyone else on CAG experienced money taken from their account without permission? On Monday 20th April, my husband noticed that £99 had been deducted from his account on 15th April, which he knew nothing about. He called his bank (Alliance and Leicester) and asked them what the £99 was for. He was told the entry was for HOME SHOPPING 08707870792. He told them he knew nothing about the entry, cancelled his card, and the bank reversed the entry and gave him his money back. Two days after this the money was re-applied for and again taken from his account. Again he phoned the bank, who by this time were beginning to think he was trying to [problem] them. He then received a letter from the bank saying that he should contact Home Shopping and when he had found out what was going on to get back to the bank. I put the phone number into google and discovered that the company was Travel Steps (a company we had never heard of). Loads of people were complaining that this had also happened to them, and that the company was associated with IDEAL WORLD home shopping channel. This was worrying as we had never given IDEAL WORLD (who we had not dealt with for months) permission to pass his card details on to another company. I phoned the number and spoke to someone at TRAVEL STEPS who stated that Ideal World had made a customer service call to us on February 27th and we had agreed to take TRAVEL STEPS brochure for an annual fee of £99. This is completely untrue as my husband is on benefits and he would not have committed that amount of money just to receive a brochure on the off chance that we would be travelling. Neither of us can remember a courtesy call from IDEAL WORLD either. I was incensed, and demanded that Travel Steps refund the money immediately. They agreed to return the money without quibble, and I then phoned the bank's fraud department, and explained what had happened. They were very interested, and will look into the matter further. Meanwhile my husband is £99 down on his benefits and because he has gone overdrawn, the bank are now adding charges to his account. We are absolutely gob-smacked that IDEAL WORLD are passing on card details to other companys who are deducting money from people accounts without their knowledge. WE have reported this matter to the Police, and we are now going to write to Trading Standards, the OFT, and the Data Protection organisation. We have also reported this to the Mirror investigation team, as we think this is theft on a very grand scale. How many people do not check their bank statements in great detail and do not miss the £99? Perhaps a litttle publicity will stop IDEAL WORLD from passing peoples card details on without their permission. Anyone else had this happen to them? Very very angry maggiebroom

Congrats HHNF. Just caught up with your thread, (been up to my eyes in poo poo lately) not literally. Well they rolled over quickly for you. You and me both with Nasty West. We'll fight them on the beaches etc..... (I have just watched a programme with Churchill in it. It is Sunday after all). maggiebroom

I spoke too soon. Still had no letter telling me what their investigation has found, but the phone calls have started again, despite their statement that all communication will cease until they have investigated. Then I got a letter offering me a settlement, but I must phone their office blah, blah, blah. I don't think so. They will receive a strong letter accusing them of not sticking to their statement that all collection activities will cease until they have investigated. Lets see what that brings. I do have a lot of dogsitters though. Every time I get a call I say I am the dogsitter. maggiebroom

Hi Folks No development with my case. I expect all will go silent for a few weeks. Forgot to mention. A few weeks ago I got a brown parcel through the post will all my statements from Nat West. Had to laugh though. It is only about 18 months after my SAR. I had forgotten all about it. Its quite amazing how these people operate. Did someone have a dull day and decided to find something to do after all this time? News as and when it falls in my lap. I am not holding my breath maggiebroom

At the moment there is no harassment. The phone calls have ceased Guess what folks, today I got a letter from Westcots. They have acknowledged a query on the account, and all activities (letters and phone calls) are suspended while they investigate the whole matter. This may take several weeks, and they will appreciate my patience during this time. Interesting development this, don't you think? They will not find a valid CCA and they will have to pass it back to Nasty West. Yet another DCA bites the dust. Mind you, I think Nat West are more to blame here, as they pass these accounts with alleged debts on to DCA's without the proper papers or legal authority to do so. The way the banks are acting lately, they deserve all the stick they get. Onwards and upwards folks. maggiebroom