Paul Walsh, the Irish Opportunist

[...] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptFor some reason, Carphone Warehouse has never been able to take payment from my Irish company credit card, forcing me to go into a shop every month. So as you can imagine my payments are sometimes late. I currently have an outstanding … [...]

I’m afraid it’s you being a little touchy.
I’m not excusing CPW but they’re only doing what the banks themselves do. If you fall behind on your credit card payment, you’ll find your (all) bank(s) on the blower requesting your debit card details to effect an instant payment. They will also verify your identity by asking for post code etc. so CPW are only following the industry norm. Besides this is how telesales has worked for years.
On the plus side for you, this is actually the safest way to use your card. As you did not sign or PIN verify the transaction, you can always repudiate the charge when it arrives on your statement.
You should consider direct debit?

Liam - how on earth is this the safest way? how do you know the caller is who they say they are. My bank (RBOS) will never ask for those details and in fact, spend a lot of money reminding me not to believe anyone who may call on their behalf. Furthermore, HSBC have stated that they have not advised Carphone to ask for these details as they would never ask customers for CC details after making the outbound call.

I’ve since received a call asking me to call HSBC’s Press Office, so how do you explain that?

It is the safest way as you’re not liable for this type of fraud. You are only liable if you lose physical possession of your card. e.g. if I fraudulently use your card details to buy something, you can repudiate that charge (when you find it on your statement) and the banks/retailers have to take the hit. It’s how online fraud works.

RBOS, HSBC and the call centres of all banks do ask for these card details. You might not have experienced it but the millions in arrears certainly have.

Perhaps next time CPW call, you should do a Tom Mabe on them…
It is the safest way as you’re not liable for this type of fraud. You are only liable if you lose physical possession of your card. e.g. if I fraudulently use your card details to buy something, you can repudiate that charge (when you find it on your statement) and the banks/retailers have to take the hit. It’s how online fraud works.

RBOS, HSBC and the call centres of all banks do ask for these card details. You might not have experienced it but the millions in arrears certainly have.

Perhaps next time CPW call, you should do a Tom Mabe on them…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5z4Vs26-TI

[...] Paul is enduring such customer service pain and has blogged about it here. [...]

Liam I think you’re missing the point. It was Carphone who made the call. Banks do not call customers and ask for their credit card details. They do however, ask for them when *you call them*. There’s a massive difference.

Banks
1) call their credit card customers when in arrears, and
2) request debit card payment over the phone to clear the arrears.

They initiate the call and they ask for cardholder payment details. ALL BANKS DO THIS. I am not saying they are right to do this, I’m merely pointing out that CPW is only doing what the banks already do.

Liam - all banks don’t do this. I’ve called 2 to confirm and they’ve both said that they would never make an outbound call and ask for customers’ credit card details.

So, perhaps you’d like to name someone specifically who I could ask? Perhaps some do it. But it’s still exceedingly bad practice.

Ive been searching up on them and it seems like people only have bad things to say about them. They lack customer support on top of many other things.

http://www.ebbnb.com/carephone-warehouse/

I signed up for the free laptop deal with Carphone Warehouse after being told all I needed was a BT landline. I then get a letter from AOL to say they can’t provide me with broadband or the laptop but they can provide me with dial up instead. I tell them to cancel, I’m not interested without the broadband or the laptop. AOL then try to take over my line and blame Carphone Warehouse for me not getting the laptop and Carphone Warehouse blame AOL. I have tried to contact them both to sort it out and I keep getting the same old standard response. I have even been told by AOL not to worry I have cancelled - so why did they contact BT is what I keep asking them. I wish I had never stepped foot in to the Carphone Warehouse store - it has been a nightmare.

hi
jus had to say i agree totally with your comments about carphone warehouse. I truly believe that they require an iq below 80 to work there. They have the most disgraceful customer service i have ever encountered in my intire life and yes their managers are not only pig ignorant but also it appears unable to organise feeding themselves. My problem is with a phone that was sent in for repair or replacement. Now given that it fell three stories and was in about a million pieces they told me that it would have to be sent of to see if it could be repaired HAHA HA HA HA this is the monkey approach you tell the monkeys to tell the customers it has to be sent of no common sense. They tell me at first 2 to 4 days I ring im then told no it would be up to ten days again I ring after 14 days and im told up to 14 working days again I ring im told “eh its not back yet” ” can you find out what the delay is” I ask “eh youll jus have to wait till it comes back” ” can I talk to the manager please ” eh hes not available ” ” this is not good enough I inform the monkey im going to speak to customer services regarding this matter” “go ahead do you want the number” im told and the manager has continued to avoid me since. DO NOT TAKE OUT THEIR INSURANCE you have been warned
Since then i have emailed customer services who it appears are as bad as they have not even had the decency to reply. its your choice use them if you choose but be warned and dont come crying to this site after ignoreing this

hi,
I also signed up for the aol free laptop/broadband offer over the phone in Nov 2007 and was told it would cost me £32.49 but in Jan 2008 it would reduce by £10 due to unbundling at my phone exchange, so in Jan I called aol customer support to see if this has happened but they told me this  is not happening and that they had recieved more calls like this, so after many phone calls to Aol/Carphone warehouse I  have ended up at the dept that sold me the offer and misadvised me, all they told me was to make a complaint so I have sent a letter to aol,s complaints dept  over 2 weeks ago and not had a reply, Im wondering if I will

@Paul Just dump Carphone and go with another provider. I’m with BT and although they have their fair share of issues, they can’t blame another company like the rest…

I signed for the CP Laptop deal in January this year. After found out that I will have to use only AOL software browser (not Microsoft explorer, mozilla ect.)I cancelled the agreement with them(everything within our agreement-3-4 days only after).Since now(25/06/2008) I am unable to get the money I have had paid for the laptop(£164.98 I have upgraded it plus the delivery charge)I have spoken many times to both CP and AOL and AOL are confirming the cancellation(I also received a letter from them),but CP say did not get the conformation from AOL>I requested a e-mail conformation from AOL and wanted to e-mail it to CP, but they are saying that only an internal correspondence between the two Companies(they are the same company)will result a refund in 28 calendar days.

Please advice how to proceed and provide e-mail addresses or mail where to write to