From: "markp" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: isp bills by debit card.
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 19:49:45 -0000


"David Lowndes"  wrote in message
news:dg8vrv8gtd1h4scdpdulqq93e0g50vieob@4ax.com...
> >The former two result in 'continous authority'
> >transactions which can be very hard to cancel. In effect you give the ISP
> >authority to remove money from your account; if there is a dispute you
have
> >to get the ISP themselves to stop removing the money, and you might have
to
> >go to court to do it.
>
> I've recently had a problem stoping my old ISP account and have
> contacted my CC company - they've asked me to fill in a form and
> return written evidence of what I'd done to stop the transaction -
> which I have done. I've yet to hear of the outcome, but they've not
> hinted that they can't resolve the situation when I originally spoke
> to them.
>
> I'd certainly recommend using a DD instead if it's at all possible!
>
> Dave

The credit card company can stop fraudulent transactions if they have
evidence of such activity, but at the end of the day it might come down to a
contractual dispute between you and the ISP (e.g. you say you have the right
to stop the transaction after three payments, they say you had previously
agreed to a full year's worth of transactions). If there's no hint of
fraudulent activity the CC company won't be able to do anything and it'll
have to go through the courts - could be up to six months, in the meantime
the CC company will honour each and every request for payment until it's
resolved.

IMO it's best only use continuous authority payments with large, well
established companies whose reputations will be damaged if they are found
guilty of requesting money without due reason, and certainly not for
overseas companies, otherwise use DD or standing orders.

Mark.