URGENT ADVICE PLEASE..is this illegal....

A question about : URGENT ADVICE PLEASE..is this illegal....

ok i have ordered address labels in february from vista print.didnt think nomore of it.until i logged on there today to order some business cards.
when i clicked on my account it said something about a subscription costing Ј30
i clicked to delete it.
and carried on.
then i went to check my bank account online which i have to say i hardly ever do.
and found this

Card Purchase
VPREWARDS.COM
VISTAPRINT-UKGB

9.95
16/05/2006

17/04/2006 Card Purchase
VPREWARDS.COM
VISTAPRINT-UKGB 9.95

20/03/2006 Card Purchase
VISTAPRINT REWARDS U
VISTAPRINT-UKGB 9.95

15/02/2006 Card Purchase
VISTAPRINT REWARDS U
VPREWARDS.COMGB 9.95

WTF!!!
the have been taking Ј9.95 a month from my account..and for what???i dont know!!
is this illegal
i have emailed them and told them to put my money straight back or ill take legal action.but am awaiting a reply.

Best answers:

• Firstly, dont fire off rash emails to people/ companies saying you are going to take legal action as it will do nothing other than either get their backs up and make them unlikely to help you or secondly make you look like a fool when they demonstrate that you agreed to it.
  Looking at the VPREWARDS.COM website - it is a membership scheme to receive discounts off high street stores etc. I would assume that the original site you made your purchase off of states in its terms and conditions that it will sign you up for a trial period (which vprewards.com say you can cancel without penalty) and you simply didnt read the terms and conditions.
  As to legal? In english law it would be.... but their site states they are based in Bermuda and therefore governed by their law not english (which is legal)
• Hmmm - yes, this happened to me too, but I received an email telling me that my first payment would be debited, and that I could cancel
  I don't think my cancellation will be received in time to prevent the first month being debited, but there are a few things you could/shoud do ...
  1) Send an email to cancel@vprewards.co.uk stating your membership no, name, address, postcode and email address used for vp
  2) If your payment is via credit card - consider cancelling your credit card, or requesting a new one - this would effectively make it impossible for them to collect their fee
  3) If your payment is via your bank - cancel the DD/SO
  4) Contact your local council - Trading Standards Officer for any further advice available, to highlight the situation
  Personally, I bought some business cards, and I do remember being offered the option to join this scheme on a trial - but then forgot all about it ... the moral of the story - read everything carefully, be careful where you place your ticks, and remember to cancel where appropriate
  Hope this helps T
• so i take it vprewards is part of vista?
  i dont remember getting any email with offers.and i hardly ever use my bank card so dont really check on whats coming out.
• VP = Vista Print
  Rewards = well, erm, rewards
  The website is fairly limited (or not working properly - not sure which) but it is a discount scheme for high street stores etc.
• I too have fallen prey to Vistaprint and have had 3 x Ј9.95 taken from my Credit Card for VPREWARDS. I have ordered business cards but at no time have I given explicit authorisation to use my credit card for a subscription to a reward scheme or to pass my details to a third party company. Indeed, having worked for MasterCard for several years, I am fairly certain that this practice falls outside the rules. I have no correspondence from anyone about this scheme and as I archive all emails am able to check back through the last six years. There is no reference to this scheme.
  I have spent several hours today looking in to this and although they may be operating legally (to be determined) I am sure that they are aware that many people are being hoodwinked about charges to their cards. If you google VPRewards you will only find people complaining that they feel they have been scammed.
  Having been on the VPRewards site today, I noticed that there are no links to any of the merchants whose logos are shown - and as a marketer I am surprised by this. I have therefore written to John Lewis, B&Q, Dixons Store Group and some of the other companies mentioned to ascertain what their affiliation with the site is.
  Has anyone ever had a reward from this organisation? Something does not stack up.
  Anyway - BEWARE IF YOU DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY YOU MAY BE GETTING MORE THAN CHEAP STATIONERY. THINK BEFORE YOU PASS OVER YOUR DETAILS.
• I once put a quick reply to a post re vistaprint saying "be careful,some others have experienced problems"-but someone else replied that the majority hadnt had problems.There seem to be enough warnings on here to suggest there is a problem.
• I used them once and have had no problems...
  But then, I read things before I sign up to them and I check my bank balance regularly.
• amorabrighton-keep this post updated-it might help others who find themselves in the same situation-forget the "Im allright jacks" -their posts are not in the spirit of the board.
• I absolutely agree, it needs keeping an eye on - there seems to be enough people who have been caught unawares to suggest that this is not as transparent as it ought to be. I have tried to contact some of the merchants who's logos appear on the site to confirm their affiliation (John Lewis, Dixon's etc.) but as yet no feedback. I have also contacted the Credit Card asscociations about the legality of transferring credit card data to a third party.
  I WOULD WELCOME ANY INPUT FROM ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN AWARDED VPREWARDS AND REDEEMED THEM WITH MERCHANT?
  https://www.vprewards.com
  Is this a reward scheme that is actually operational?
  I have worked both in the digital media and credit card industries and have been buying online since the first days of e-commerce (I found my car, my house and even my OH on the web!) so am pretty smart when it comes to terms and conditions etc. (having commissioned lawyers to draw these up for me) - so I would be surprised if I signed up to something inadvertently but stand to be proved wrong.
• I've just fallen foul of them and had a payment taken. Couldn't find a number for them anywhere so phoned vistaprint and got through. They said they ahd cancelled my membership and would refund the amount taken.
  Sounds as though they get a few of them as they never questioned why I wanted it cancelled or didn't put up a fight to get my refund...I staill await the refund and will let you know if I get it!
• Thanks - was looking at vista print for hubby's business cards. Will steer clear now.
• Thanks for the info about cancelling - I got caught out by this after ordering business cards. The cards were fine; on time, correctly spelt etc. I vaguely remember looking at a window for a rewards scheme, but nowhere did it mention money, and if they sent a follow up email about cancelling I probably didn't bother to open it!
  Just shows, read the small print etc., but in the meantime how much money are co's like this making from our mistakes?
  there should be law changes to stop this kind of scam. Now I'm waiting to see whether they will actually cancel my 'membership' or not!
  Woodpecker
• I'm no idiot, I've been buying and shopping over the internet for years, successfully avoided all sorts of scams, but Vistaprint rewards got me. I noticed their charges on my bank account only in the last few days. I do not remember reading any warnings about subscriptions. I remember looking at the rewards scheme briefly, but if they mentioned charges, it probably would have been in some VERY small print indeed. I certainly don't remember inputting my email twice to confirm subscription! Any follow up emails they supposedly sent didn't get through to me, probably due to their resemblance to general spam.
• I ordered business cards from Vistaprint and was asked if I wanted to join said subscription.
  Simple click on "No Thanks" and it was gone..........
• Quick update. The refund from VPRewards came within 4 days of me complaining to them. So I guess that's something!
• I have fallen into this trap too - just got my visa bill and sure enough there was £9.95 payment to VPRewards on it. I bought some postcards from VistaPrint last month and obviously clicked on a link somewhere to sign up for this in the process. I have phoned and complained and finally persuaded them to refund the money although I have to say they were very reluctant to do this until I made a fuss. Will be keeping a close eye to make sure I actually get the money back. Certainly wouldn't use vistaprint again now because I think this is very underhand - shame because I was happy with the quality of the postcards and we were going to order wedding invites through them.
• I think this will damage their business as more people fall into it. The problem I ahve now is where do I get my business cards/notepads/return labels from now?? :rolleyes:
• I had entries on my credit card statement for VPrewards. I had never signed up to their membership service and had never received any emails from the company (no membership number or email to activate account - as described on their website). I tried to contact VPrewards a number of times but got no answer. In the end I contacted credit card company and they refunded me. Won't be using VistaPrint again!
• My saga continues! Another payment taken out of my account this month and a letter from my card company saying that as it is a subscription they are unable to cancel on my behalf!!!
  AMEX have provided me with an address and phone number for Adaptive Affinity/Vistaprint Rewards in Edgware - so if anyone requires it, please let me know. I will be on the phone to them on Monday (if they answer and are not in meetings as per their answer phone message!)
  I am not sure if this is Vistaprint knowingly signing people up to a scheme without getting their express consent or whether it is poor web design/communication/understanding of legalities (DSR etc) of online retailing - but clearly they need to be made aware that they need to improve how they handle customers credit card details and pass them to affiliate companies. Like many, we were pleased with the print products but will not be buying from them again.