Visa con in Tenerife. *Help required*

[pa_broon74]

Folks.

Ok, first of, I did a search and nothing useful came up so I'm posting now.

My dad came back from tenerife 4 or 5 weeks ago, he was in a shit state, turns out he suffered acute liver failure. Anyway, he's now back home and recuperating slowly.

While away he bought me a digital camera and photo frame and to say he's been diddled is to understate the case considerably. I know photo frames can be had for around £40 but the camera is harder to price, its a Yashica (I know, but my dad doesn't) Hi Def digital camcorder with SD card slot and other bits and bobs. At best; I'd say £200.

Anyway, he paid by visa and has been done to the tune of 1811 euros. There are two visa printed receipts and a written receipt with the shop stamp on, (details available on request.)

He paid by Visa and has obviously been horribly over charged. Looks like 833E for the camera and 978E for the photo frame and 3 spare 1gig SD mem cards.

Crucially, on the reciept there is stamp saying "All confirmed; prices and products" My dad has signed this.

He's not technologically enabled in any way. He's the kind of guy who still marvels at mini radios, the internet is completely alien to him. He knows he bought a camera but thinks the photoframe is some sort of net book...

Anyway, I'll be trawling the internet looking for info but if any of you bright people have anything useful* to add, I'd be grateful.

To summarise:

Dad
Tenerife
Conned
Visa
1811 Euros

Thanks in advance.



* Messages telling me how stupid he was don't come under this heading. He's 65, a luddite and recently nearly died. Ta.
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Didn't catch anything.

[Mr.Everready]

I assume he contacted Visa already ?
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[pa_broon74]

[Mr.Everready]

I'd agree that they've scammed him on the frame, €88 sounds right for it with the cards.
What price come up when you search for the HD camcorder ?
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[pa_broon74]

I haven't been able to find a price, I'm at work just now and I think the model no. they've written on the receipt refers to the frame, not the camera.

I'll check the camera when I get home. Being honest, I can't see it being 833 euros. The guy probably saw an easy mark and thought "i'll just go for it."

The camera isn't on the Yashica Website, one similar to it is but it doesn't do HD or have the motion sensor thingy on it. I looked around and sure enough, this kind of con goes on in Tenerife around CC Veronicas.

Apparently they sell you a camera then stick a lesser model in a bag for you. He did get a rather charmig red mini rucsac thing for it, but the camera does seem to match the on-CD manual that came with it.

I think he's just been horribly over charged. I don't have to go on over there and open a can of whoop-ass on 'em...


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Didn't catch anything.

[Mrs Kickstart]

Hi

If you has signed a reciept with the price he was charged on it I dont think there is a lot you can do.
I doubt visa will help as it was a valid transaction and going to trading standards/police over there is likley to be long winded.

Regarding visa he could give you permission to deal with it on his behalf.

However no doubt he was trying to buy you a nice present so may be you need to just keep quiet about it and not make him feel bad for being done when there is nothing you can do about it.

My parent when to spain a few years back with strict instruction not to buy a timeshare, they came back with a timeshare.....

Regards

Charlotte
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Help fight the safety camera partnerships -- www.pepipoo.com

[njd27]

If it happened to break VISA is liable for the refund...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1857937

[growler]

we unfortunatly had a simular prob in Lanzarote but were able to go back to the store and deal with it which meant kicking the door shut on his mates and doing my best impression of a pycho!
Lots of things I could say about what your dad should have or could have done but I wasn't there!
I hope you get it sorted and your dad recovers ok
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DILLIGAF

[colin1]

I dont think its illegal if he agreed to the price.

Its a salesman's job to get as much money for something as possible. If a customer wants to pay more than the market rate, that's his choice.

Immoral possibly.

Illegal, I doubt it.

A fool and their money are soon parted.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[iooi]

[pa_broon74]

I feel bad for him...

He had a shit holiday, came back with a bug which was the straw that broke the camels back in terms of his liver... He's been diddled pretty badly (to the tune of 1811 euro's.) He's also just found out since he turned 65 and his government pension's kicked in, he's now having to pay tax on his paltry £5k pa private pension.

I have no idea how pensions work, I need to check it out.

I think we might be able to do something regarding the Visa stuff under Sect 75 of the consumer credit act.

Cheers
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Didn't catch anything.

[iooi]

[pa_broon74]

[iooi]

[pa_broon74]

I would agree if it was a little over the odds. But 1000 euro's for a digital photo frame is clearly a misrepresentation of its true value.

That part of the transaction was run through the machine with the card not apparently present. (No pin required.)

For information, the point of Section 75 is that it extends UK standards in terms of purchasing (when goods are paid for with a credit card) to any where else in the world.

So, the sale of goods act for example and all your statutory rights are still valid even if you bought the item in a souk in Egypt.

And finally, as far as I can figure. If you buy something and its misold, (ie, the spec isn't as described,) this is covered by breach of contract under the sale of goods act. However, if its an over charge, then its covered by the consumer protection act 1987 part three... (I tried to read it, but its in legalese on wikipedia.) Basically, if the say its 50p then charge a pound, its an offence (or fraud.) Section 75 kicks in at that point...

As far as I can figure anyway...


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Didn't catch anything.

[s44678]

How much is a budget flight to tenerife? £150? If all else fails you could go and take it back. Take the hit on the 150 but at least you can get the rest back. Ba5tards.

[The Disapproving Brit]

[iooi]

[pa_broon74]

[iooi]

[Stoo]

I would be "testing" the goods vigourously until I found a fault with them. A lot of the stuff sold in the Canaries isn't top quality so should be easy to find a fault of sorts. I reckon a fault claim is more certain than the fraud one though you could mention the dodgyness then say "to add insult etc" it's faulty; your call.

Sorry your old man isn't well. Same boat here. Though he might not be able to have a protracted conversation with VISA it should be OK for him to go through security and pass the call onto you to speak to them.

Good luck

:not related:

Me and a few mates were in Gran Canaria years ago and me and my mate ended in a strip joint. Had a few complementary drinks then he dissappeared with two stippers for a lapdance; I was skint so I left. Roll on next day and none of his cards worked; roll on a month and 3 of his cards had been hit for £500 each. He got out one but Egg faxed him a copy of his card, signature, passport and student card that he signed in the strip joint!

[damz]

[iooi]

[pa_broon74]

Hi.

We've been in touch with Halifax and predictably they're being obtuse. Because my dad apparently authorised each transaction with his PIN, they're saying according to their T&C's, they aren't liable.

Thats not strictly true though as their T%C's don't supercede uk law. If for example there has been a fraud, section 75 still cover it.

I've just been trying to get my head round how its happened.

Now, when I ask him he gets all wooly and confused, he remembers signing the receipt and is invariably sure there was no total on it. He's adamant that he only spent 'about 800 euro's.'

So:

One printed receipt for 978E time stamped 14:37 with the text 'No refund' and 'Operacion con PIN firma no necesaria.' Basically, pin no authorisation 'nonnecessary.'

Another different printed receipt for 833E time stamped 15:14

A written receipt with 833 then 88 which has had the first '8' over written with '97' giving '978' then a total at the bottom for 1811 euro's.

There are some other bits and bobs written on it, (namely the two visa transactions.) Which my slightly scattered brained dad swears weren't there when he signed it.

What confuses me is the times on those printed receipts, I can't work it out. He'd never spend that amount of money anyway, I can understand him taking 30 odd minutes to decide on spending 88 (or 978) euro's but to stay for another 30 odd minutes to spend another 833E?

I reckon the shop are operating a ghost till under the counter, all I can think off about the times is that one of the machines is set incorrectly.

I tried to ask my dad if perhaps they took his card and said they'd made a mistake with the transaction and needed him to put his pin in to cancel it (he'd probably fall for that,) but he can't remember.

I also tried to ascertain how long they had his card for or if he had to give them it twice. He said (with reason) even he'd remember if they had it for 40 odd minutes and that, no, he doesn't remember doing two transaction.

I don't have a credit card, but could they have run it through the machine that first time as a 'card not present' transaction? Halifax are saying his pin went in for both transactions though..

Sorry if I seemed snippy before with your post iooi, its just he's still very ill and not really set up to take this hit financially or physiologically. I take your point about not getting hopes up, (this was underlined after speaking to Halifax. )

Its too much money to let go though, I haven't even checked if the stupid photo frame thing works... I'm seeing a solicitor on Wednesday I know who's very sharp, hopefully he'll be able to help out.

Cheers folks.


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Didn't catch anything.

[map]

If you want info on the Yashica their UK distributor is Alpha Digital Services. They might be able to provide price info and/or Spanish distributor Dugopa.

However, IMO I wouldn't be surprised if grey import via Hong Kong or some such.

Hope you get it sorted
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
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