09 Mar 2015

A question about : Callcredit "Free" Offer

I recently attempted to check my credit file using one of the three credit reporting systems: Callcredit.

Callcredit's site says, and I quote:

Your credit score FREE for the first 3 months

When you click this - it automatically comes up with a detail input field, where you can input your details and apparently receive your credit report.

You input your card details - I assumed, like equifax, this is so that they can charge you after the three month free subscription, which you can cancel during, at any time.

However that was not the case - I was automatically charged Ј12.

I was furious and immediately demanded a refund. There are no customer service telephone numbers and I was forced to contact them by email.

They contacted me today - 5 days later, to tell me that it's Ј12 every month, which allows you to check your report any time during that three months.

They refunded me, only because my details had not been automatically detected and they had to send out a pin to my last known address for access to my account.

I'm absolutely appauled at this response, which suggests had they provided me the details immediately, I would have had no recourse.

You have been warned!

Stay clear of CallCredit - instead, Experian (the most widely used credit reference agency) offers a free trial in which you can cancel any time.

Best answers:

  • I've been scouring through Martins Credit Report article to work on my own credit report. I'd already got my free Experian, got it, printed it, cancelled, no problems. I was unaware of the other 2 agencies until recently reading the article.
    I've been preparing to get hold of both, until very recently and in accordance with Martin's article it seemed like only Experian and Equifax could be obtained "free" by going via the free trial online route rather than paying the £2 free and obtaining by post. However I did a bit of digging and it would seem it's not the case.
    I'm posting this in reply here rather than a new thread because I initially went to the CallCredit site and immediately saw the "30 days free", very eye catching, however, as I have now become after being a member here for awhile, wary, it occurred to me that this was very vague, so I left CallCredit and did abit more researching and the first thing I dug up was this thread. What bothered me was that it said "30 days free credit score and not report. The score being an extra, implying you'd still be paying for the report.
    Google lead me to an article explaining how to get CallCredit for free. You basically want the Ealert package. I looked over the CallCredit site and couldn't find it. After reading through another article I found a direct link
    https://www.mycallcredit.com/product...sion=627206056
    Yes, MyCallCredit is CallCredit, one in the same.
    This specific package specifically states
    Product Selected:
    E-Alerts 30 day Trial
    Product Price: £44.99
    No Options Selected
    Total amount to be charged now: £0.00
    Amount to be charged after the free
    trial: £44.99*

    *unless offer code entered
    In other words, it works like Experian and Equifax free trials. You can cancel by sending an e-mail to care@mycallcredit.com.
    Hope this helps, if others can verify it, I'm sure it'd be handy addition to the "Your Credit Rating" article.
    Edit: Just incase you want to double check yourselves, here's a link to their T&C's https://www.mycallcredit.com/popup.asp?page=terms which further verifies your right to cancel with no charge with this package.
    Edit2: Oh damn, just a final note. As you have to enter your card details for age verification, as I've just tried, they do NOT except VISA Debit.
    This service can only be purchased using a MasterCard or VISA Credit Card or a Switch/Maestro Card.
    Edit3: I cancelled my callcredit trial after 18 days, it was completed the following day. This was nearly a month ago and it's all gone smoothly. Checked my statements to ensure.
  • Thanks for the informative post, I was just on the Call Credit website looking to get my report and had the same problem! Is it me or do they seem less professional than Equifax and Experian? Anyway... I've just finished signing up to MyCallCredit e-alert's service Hopefully I'll get my password soon
  • Similar thing happened to me. I cancelled as soon as I realised I had been charged in full for the "free 3 months trial" and instead of allowing me to use the online facilities until my subscription was up, they stopped my access immediately (equifax and experian wait until your subscription date comes to an end) so I emailed them requesting a full refund as I couldn't access my file. They stated the Ј12 was for administration and was non refundable.
    Flamin con artists!!!
  • [quote=antispam246;12288883].
    Edit2: Oh damn, just a final note. As you have to enter your card details for age verification, as I've just tried, they do NOT except VISA Debit.
    This service can only be purchased using a MasterCard or VISA Credit Card or a Switch/Maestro Card.
    Strange..they must have changed things since I signed up to them in May.
    I paid with my Visa Debit and everything went through :confused: . I wish they hadn't mind you as I wouldn't have been Ј12 down over it all.
  • Sadly this free trial no longer seems to exist
  • I signed up to the free 30 day trial on advice of Martin's website. I checked my credit report then cancelled it with 2 days so as not to be obligated to pay for a year. I was given a cancellation reference number (I dialled their 0800 number to cancel) but was told I would still be able to check my details until the end of the free trial.
    I did exactly this, but the next time I logged on a message read "thank you for your order". I was charged circa Ј6.00 for a credit report I did not want or ask for, and now I have to go and aruge with my bank about the fact this money has been debited from my account without my permission. The fact Experian already had my debit card details is making it very difficult and they have yet to get back to me about it.
    I would advise that people stay away.
  • I'm just wondering whether a DPA request would effectively get you a copy of your credit report ?!?
    I might try it cos I'll be damned if I'm signing up for anything with Callcredit.
  • They did the same to me!
    When I asked for a refund they came up with a lame excuse that I was on the electoral roll as (Surname) (Name) (Middle Name) and as I had registered as (Name) (Middle Name) (Surname) I wasnt entitled to a refund!
    Of course this was total poppycock!
    When I sent evidence that this was nonsense they sent a reply stating that the Ј12.00 fee collected was to cover the cost of opening the account! Online it states that the Ј12.00 is for unlimited access to your credit file for 3 months!
    Bunch of cowboys!
  • I have an even worse experience of Mycallcredit. The first I heard of them was a letter asking for proof of my identity to finalise opening my account. This came as a real shock as I'd never contacted this company or requested an account. A few days later, I found that they had deducted two lots of Ј12 from my credit card. I had certainly NEVER given this company my credit card details. Where did they get them from?
    No reply as yet to my e-mail and I am pursuing the debits through my credit card company. Let this be a warning! BEWARE OF THIS OUTFIT!!!!!
    Joy
  • Hi
    I am new to this thread and I just want to point out the following with regards to Callcreditcheck.
    It does clearly state that you get -
    Unlimited access to your
    credit report
    today

    and within this report you get to- see your credit score FREE for the first 3 months.
    The credit report and score are 2 seperate things.
  • The Callcredit web site is misleading. It offers a free credit SCORE but you pay for the credit report. You don't realise that you are signing up for the credit report, which doesn't have a free trial period. I thought it was the same as Experian and Equifax (much nicer companies to deal with). It's not easy to find out how to unsubscribe either. I would steer clear of this outfit.
  • callcredit check - how devious!
    experian and equifax i have found reasonable to deal with and was able to check my records with no payment in advance of a mortgage application, then cancel with no money paid. with callcredit i have paid Ј12 for the privilege, believing, like others here, that the free period covered a look at the report. if i wasn't over the moon with a mortgage approval i'd be spitting blood!
    i would like to add, that there was slightly different information on each report, so to be absolutely sure what information is available to any company checking your file (and to make sure there is no incorrect information), i believe checking all three is the only way to be certain - meaning grit your teeth and stump up Ј12 to callcredit. anyone know any different?
    the whole thing is a stitch up, these three agencies get rich by charging lenders to supply them with OUR information, with frequent errors and distress, and then WE have to pay to see our own information?
  • Hi DSharp
    Yes there is an alternative - you can pay Ј2 to get a statutory postal report, each agency must provide this option. So for callcredit thats the cheapest way to look at your report. Once you have done a free trial on the other 2, then next time you need to check go for the statutory report.
    https://www.callcredit.co.uk/files/creditfile_app.pdf
  • Cheers mate I was just about to click finish the order, when i found this, and of course didnt bother finshing. thanks again
    Quote:
  • Thanks same as above was literally about to pay then continued to scroll and went back to order the stautory one am going for a dro and my debt agency has only asked me to sign the forms to request Experian so am getting info from the other 2 that way i can tackle any errors.
  • Hi,
    About six weeks ago callcreditcheck.com sent me a letter saying that my Callcredit Check report was ready, but I don't recall ever requesting a credit check from them or anyone else - when these spam emails arrive I usually delete them straight away.
    They also sent a pin which I've never used either.
    Now I find that Ј12 has been deducted from my credit card account.
    This is plainly a scam as most people would go to the site and then pay the bill, or not even notice the withdrawal.
    I've reported this to Visa but a couple of questions.
    1. How did they get my card details? (Obviously it's their business so not too difficult, but surely not legal).
    2. How many others have they done this to? (Most people are probably not even aware of what's happened).
  • If you have never been on their site and requested a credit check? Even a 'free report'? Their small print states it's a free report for one month, then they charge you.
    If you have not, I strongly advise that you contact your bank and report it as fraud, and also let callcredit know. Although their tactics are underhand - they are still one of the big three reference agencies and should be able to help you.
  • I'm almost certain that I've never requested or clicked a link that might've requested a check.
    Just trawled through my browser history to double check but nada.
    Wondered if some 3rd party could do this - like when you sign up for stuff and they say that you agree to a credit check - but don't remember doing that either.
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