My Asda card is used solely for purchase of petrol at Asda garages. My monthly Direct Debit automatically pays off my Bill IN FULL.
15th Dec I fill my tank to the brim & my ASDA card is declined - huge financial embarassment!! Ist telephone call to complain, listen to an idiotic automated response [over Premium Rate Line - very naughty ASDA & probably illegal? ] Operator demands repeat of all previously given security questions & details [WHY? ], but couldn't give a toss, mumbles something about it being a well-known glitch in their new system & that he would stop the card being blocked [LIAR!! ]
18th Dec, need to fill the car up again - same problem, huge embarassment. 2nd telephone call to complain. Same idiotic system, different 'associate' answers. Really bad news this time - my accounts hundreds of Pounds in arrears, I've been hit with a late payment charge, am being charged interest etc because I haven't paid my last bill & I'M SAT LOOKING AT MY ONLINE ACCOUNT DETAILS WHICH SAYS THE BILL HAS BEEEN PAID!!! She says she can't help & will have to pass it on to their I.T. Dept, which will take about 3 weeks because of the Xmas/New Year Break. No, she won't put me thru to them, nor give me their contact tel number, nor their e-maill address. Nor will she agree to anybody calling me back or e-mailing me, & Have a nice Xmas..., Click - line dead. I irate customer now.
Try again 3rd time on 23rd Dec - same problem! 3rd call to complain but this time I'm really really angry & give the [different] associate both barrels at point-blank range demanding to speak to a complaints manager NOW!!! After a long time on hold, am put thru to Mr Nice Guy who says to get some written evidence from my Bank & ring him back between 2 & 4:00pm the next day - His tel number is 0844 848 3478 ext 69267 [the lying b*****d!! ] I called again at 3:00pm but he's gone away for Xmas. What a surprise? but not as bad as the one that the postman brought me earlier that day, a new statement from ASDA telling me that I now owe £323.51p Why? - because Santander had forgotten to ask my Bank to pay my Bill by D/D. NOT MY FAULT, AT ALL!!!
The Epilogue: Asleep in bed, unwell this morning [Sunday] & rudely awoken just before 11:00am by my phone ringing to hear a female voice telling me that I owed a large amount of money to Asda, & what did I propose to do about it? Yes, you've guessed, haven't you? IT WAS ASDA'S DEBT COLLECTION SERVICE!!
So Mr ASDA, you are caught bang to rights!! This is my notice, as required by law that you are responsible for your actions. You have instructed debt collectors to contact me at an unreasonable time. You have ignored my complaints. You persist in making me contact you on premium rate numbers etc etc. Very very Naughty Mr ASDA.
Tomorrow I'm off to see the nearest Trading Standards Officer, then maybe the Police & the Financial Ombudsman Service. Oh, & the Press. Get your finger out Mr ASDA, & get off my back!!!
0 comments