We have just had a new boiler installed and intended to pay for it with our M&S credit card(because of the points). There is nothing on the card at the moment and £10,000 credit.I rang the card company this morning and made sure that the payment was authorised.When we tried to pay later on the card was refused. Then we had a call from, I presume India to say the card was compromised so they were sending me a new one. I had the money in the bank so was obviously able to pay for the work. However trying to find anything out has proved to be impossible,because when we ring we get a call centre in god knows where. I am so angry. I have written a very strongly worded letter to M&S financial services in Chester but nowhere can I find a British phone number to contact them in this country.Does anybody know the number of M&S in Chester.Sorry to rant on but I am so cross.
Ringing a card company to make sure a future payment goes through will not actually guarentee the payment is made. Obviously the M&S staff should have advised you of this and i am not surprised you are cross. M&S money are part of HSBC and they have a very sophisticated fraud detection system. If they believe your card has been compromised i would accept what they have said and be thankful and fraud hasn't taken place.
I accept that pretty_snowdrop but I am still angry.I am so fed up with call centres abroad that you can hardly understand and who half the time are reading a script.(I suppose its my fault for wanting the points for £2,620 but they are quick enough to advertise this incentive). I haven't finished with them yet.
Your M&S card may have been compromised so they are doing the right thing by replacing it, although sometimes they first check that you made this payment before stopping it. They never explain why they think it's been compromised- it may just be a retailer you have used - a website or petrol station- which is SUSPECTED of having misused customer details.
It's annoying though when you can't understand the person on the phone.