PLEASE READ IN FULL!!!

[not really necessary usual fleecing tactics by the loan finder companies and debit card draining - dx]

I know this message is very, very long but I felt I needed to detail in full my recent experience with this 'company'

in order to help those who have suffered (or are suffering) at the hands of Loans Direct.

Like myself, you probably turned to the ever enticing lure of the pay day loan in order to give your family treats

you felt they deserved at Christmas time.

I have a poor credit rating so I was redirected to this site.

It wasn't until I had stupidly entered my details and clicked the button that I realised what had happened.

Stupidly my own fault for not reading the small print, but if you are reading this then you are obviously aware of how grossly misleading this website and the company are.

I emailed them immediately (December 10th) to cancel my 'membership' as the online facility did not work.

.. then I google searched them.

The sheer horror I felt for realising how silly I had been and what a mess lie ahead of me.

I emailed them again after picking up some hints from other discussion boards with the attempt to sound a bit 'heavier':

December 10th:

Hello again,

Due to my concerns after visiting your website I contacted the Financial Ombudsmen straight away (thank goodness they were open till 8pm!) who informed me that as I had attempted to contact you immediately and coupled with the misleading nature of your application process (funnily enough, they are all too aware of your dealings) I should expect no funds to be withdrawn from my account.

I was helpfully informed by them that if you have not actioned the cancellation outlined in my first email

and do indeed go ahead and collect the £69.75 from my account then I am to contact them immediately

and they will investigate the matter further on my behalf.

I shall also inform you that I expressed to them my concern that I have already attempted to cancel via your

'transparent and simple cancellation process' without success; this too, they informed me, is a very common complaint and should be actioned by yourselves immediately by removing all of my details from your database.

I have also been told to monitor my statements in case you or any of your affiliated companies attempt to take further funds from my account.

I will not attempt to call you as it would seem all attempts at this are fruitless.

Please feel free to contact me via email or on xxx if you wish to discuss this matter further.

I have been directed to forward a copy of this email to the Financial Ombudsmen should I not receive a reply.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation,

Kind Regards

I hadn't, in fact, spoken to anyone and I'd hoped this would work.

From 4:00am my phone was constantly buzzing with messages offering me loans.

The next day at work I was bombarded with telephone calls from countless numbers,

some offering loans and some just hanging up. I felt exhausted.

I tried to call them over and over, but as you are all too aware this is pointless as you can never speak to anyone.

I kept a close eye on my bank account and thought I'd had a lucky escape when only 10p was taken out by Loans Direct on December 12th... that was until the evening of December 19th I'd noticed that a company called Credit Cleaners had taken £9.99 from my account.

I felt at my wits end.

Everything I had read on other discussion boards, about how they clear people's bank accounts

and there is little you can do about it felt like it was just beginning for me.

I couldn't tell my partner, I felt so ashamed of myself and my stupidity.

We were arguing lots and I was snapping at him...

he could tell something was up but I couldn't bring myself to tell him how silly I had been.

I emailed them again that night:

December 19th: You have now not responded to my request to remove my details from your data base.

I have now been charged 10p from yourselves for 'signing up' and have received countless unwanted calls and texts from loan companies.

I have now been charged £10 from my bank account by an unknown credit card company and have an email from a company called Trakkit who are also now going to charge me for their 'services'.

I have sought advice and your activities are misleading and seriously questionable.

I will attempt to call you again or give you the chance to call me on xxx to discuss this matter further.

You have until Monday 4pm to do so. If not I will recontact the Financial Ombudsman to pick up this case as promised

and you will then have to deal with them. And I will seek further legal advice as you should not be allowed to continue

with your near on-fraudulent business activities.

Regards

Again, no reply... even with my threats of action.

You must remember they hear this stuff all the time. That night I could not sleep a wink.

I was sweating and the sheer anxiety and panic I was experiencing made me feel as though I was going to pass out or have a stroke.

The physical and emotional strain was unbearable... and my partner was suffering too.

The next morning was his birthday and I was forced to tell him what was wrong.

I felt terrible, like I had ruined his birthday and the previous two weeks with my recklessness.

But he was so understanding. I can't urge you enough to face up to the reality of what has happened.

He told me to call the Financial Ombudsman to set the ball rolling, and not just use it as a threat...

and I did, and they were so helpful and understanding. And I sent Loans Direct another email:

December 20th: To keep you informed I have now passed this issue to the Financial Ombudsmen who will now be making contact with you.

Again, I have attempted to call you numerous times to discuss this matter but I am unable to go further than an automated service.

I am urging you to take my details off of your data base as other companies are now removing funds from my account

and they have also been reported. I understand that I have signed up for a service but I'm sure you are aware that it is grossly misleading and I have attempted to contact you through your given means without any luck in order to cancel 'membership' in the period outlined in your terms and conditions; now my details have been passed to third parties during this period I have attempted to make contact leading to them taking money from my account which I have not authorised.

I will also be making contact with Action Fraud to report the activity on my account.

Regards,

However, the Financial Ombudsman could only deal with the money that had been taken...

so this now left me with the tricky situation about any further attempts to withdraw money from my account.

I had read on so many other discussion boards that the banks were refusing to help people as they had given out their card details themselves, and this I could totally understand; this was my fault after all and I hadn't read the small print.

But I still felt that the means by which these companies obtain this money is through misleading advertising and deception,

but I really felt after reading other posts I would be offered no help. I called my bank as I felt face-to-face interaction would be too embarrassing as I felt rather foolish for getting into this mess in the first place... and the people on the phone weren't too helpful.

But it wasn't until my partner near on booted me out of our front door to go to the bank and face up to my responsibility that I made the trip to the bank... and I'm so glad I did. I'm so shy and the thought of going to the bank and recounting to them what I had done and the position I was in filled me with utter dread.

.. but they were amazing!

I bank with Natwest and the gentleman I spoke to told me he had literally just finished with someone who had the exact same thing happen to him, except EIGHT other companies affiliated with Loans Direct had totally cleared his account in a matter of days!

I felt so lucky... he told me Loans Direct had attempted to take £70 from my account SEVEN TIMES A DAY for the past 10 days!!! But luckily it had been refused by the bank.

He cancelled my card there and then and put me in touch with the Natwest Fraud Team who were so helpful and I was given a refund... even the 10p Loans Direct had successfully taken!

Remember when you put your details into the Loans Direct website? Did you put in the long set of numbers along the front of your card?

That's because these transactions work like shop or telephone transactions, they are not like direct debits,

and that is how they are able to take whatever they want from your account whenever they like and these details are easy to pass on.

Even if your bank isn't very helpful in your plight the worst case scenario is that you explain to your bank that you would like to cancel that card as you feel its security has been compromised and you would like a new one so those details you initially gave will now be void.

If the companies then contact your bank telling them that you owe them money then report them to your banks Fraud Team as questionable and unauthorised transactions as that card is no longer in use and you have not authorised for those companies to take money from your account ... then carry on down the Financial Ombudsman route.

Tell the bank you are currently dealing with these companies through the F.O as even though you did pass them your details you did attempt to cancel membership to them during a cooling off period which they made neigh on impossible to do and in that time passed on your details on to other companies... that should work.

Then they will no longer be able to touch anything in your account and the F.O will help you in receiving a refund.

I also read many comments from people on discussion boards about how this is your own fault

and you are wasting the time of people such as Citizens Advice or the Financial Ombudsman, etc...

and how you are taking up their time in helping those really in need...

but don't be bullied into feeling bad.

If enough people complain and these helplines and services do feel their time is being taken up with this issue

then they will highlight to the relevant people and bodies that this is a serious issue.

Yes, I felt stupid for what I had done, but if I hadn't faced up to it and accepted the mess I was in

and acted quickly and dealt with the embarrassment then I wouldn't have got this sorted. I admit I have been lucky...

but if you attempt to tackle them on your own or leave it too long you are going to find this already difficult situation even more so.

There are people there to help you and you have options, don't feel ashamed or keep quiet about it.

I finally heard back from Loans Direct: and very quickly too after my last message to them! :

Thank you for your email, please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you.

Having looked at your account history, I can see that you did not fully complete the application process for membership to Loans Direct - this is why you haven't been able to cancel an account.

Although you completed the £0.10 validation check, you did not continue with the application.

As such, your bank account will not be charged any subsequent fees by us, although the validation fee may still be collected.

If an amount has been debited from your account, you will need to contact the company name that is showing on your bank account statement.

I trust this clarifies matters, however if you do have any further queries, please do not hesitate to respond and I will be happy to answer them for you.

Kind Regards

Loans Direct

Customer Service

ABSOLUTE CR*P!!!

As you know, they had in fact attempted several times a day for almost two weeks to take £70 from my account, but I was lucky.

But trust me... they will try every trick in the book to get (and keep) your money, so don't give up and don't do it on your own.

I wasn't rude or threatening in my messages... they don't care what situation you are in, they just want to get to that money and will try all means available to them.

I did, however, have £8.99 taken from my account by a company called Trakkit after I had cancelled my card...

I'd assumed that an email from them detailing the end of my free subscription was spam as I'd attempted to login to my

'account' without success so I forgot about it.

However, they did have a pending transaction on my account so do ask your bank to check any transactions pending

that you may question once your card has been cancelled.

After google searching them too it would appear they charge £8.99 a month plus £1 every day the account is open,

charging almost £40 on any given month!!!

I also wrote to them:

December 29th: I have not subscribed to your services and attempts to log in to my 'account' have failed,

which is not surprising as I have not signed up for it. Your company has been passed my details by either Loans Direct or Goldfish Finance who also have acquired my details fraudulently.

I shall urge you to remove my details from your database and cease removal of funds from my bank account as the Financial Ombudsmen is now dealing with these two companies and both have been reported to Action Fraud,

and unless you would like me to pursue this route with you I shall expect no further financial dealings with your company.

I do not require your services and I have not signed up for such.

I am in contact with my bank's Fraud Team and I have reported you to them and requested a charge back,

which I have successfully received from the other two aforementioned companies.

I thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please feel free to contact me on the email address supplied if you would like to discuss this matter further.

Kind Regards

They too rather swiftly replied:

December 30th: Thanks for your E-mail.

Trakkit is often offered to people who have been looking for finance and may have been declined.

As a result, you may have opted to sign up for a subscription to Trakkit when you applied for a loan with another company.

We can however, confirm that your account has been cancelled and a refund has been processed. Please allow up to 7 working days for the payment to appear in your account.

Many Thanks

Customer Services

Trakkit

Again, I am sorry for how long this message is, but I really felt I should go into as much detail as possible in order to help those who were trapped like myself... there was so much different information online I was so confused...

I almost kept it to myself and thought I could deal with it, but the truth is you have to face up to them head on

and with the help available. Don't let them win and don't attempt it on your own.

I've not lost a penny and they have not gained one!

DON'T do this on your own. There is help.

DON'T feel embarrassed or ashamed. You made a mistake and I felt so foolish... but they prey on this fact hoping you will try on your own and they will make it almost impossible for you to win. This took me three weeks to sort... I've read about people waiting more than 6 months and still without success.

DO share your experience.

Go to your bank.

Contact the Financial Ombudsman.

Report them to Action Fraud.

Share your experience on message boards and review sites.

For crying out loud! Even take it to the local news...

national news...

Watchdog programming! Petitions!

Do whatever you can to stop these people.

Some people I came across on various sites were making out this was totally my fault,

I only have myself to blame and there is nothing I can do about it so I should stop wasting valuable time.

I am accepting partial responsibility, but I'm not stupid, and I'm not assuming you are too...

I'm just terrible with managing my finances!

I felt in need of money and stupidly fell for a cleverly deceitful and well orchestrated 'service' which should be illegal.

The more you shout the more difficult you will make it for these thieves...

as that is exactly what they are.

Hi and welcome to CAG. Well done on getting this far.

You may be interested in the FCAs challenges for this year. Loan Brokers! As you may be aware, payday loan caps came into force yesterday so the FCA have decided to go one further and try and tackle the loan brokers and their hidden fees. Hopefully this will weed out the cowboys and give the power back to the consumer.

Thank you Silverfox1961! My apologies for the EXTREMELY long-winded message! It's just in my search for help myself I found lots of information to be rather vague or contradictory... or lots of people detailing the aggression they were using in their attempt to get their money back, and with no avail! I just wrote the sort of message I personally would have found helpful... but I understand that it won't be to everyones taste! If only one person finds it helpful then I will be happy!

And YES! Hopefully the FCA will do some good in this matter... I felt very foolish in may haste to give up my details to something I should have paid far more attention to, but it was also somewhat comforting to know I wasn't alone.

Best wishes for the New Year ahead!

I do feel for you as it goes, you ultimately were looking for a loan & ended up in a sharks tank, full of them, each one wanting their piece of your money pie!!

So I'm happy to read you did get it sorted, your OH was really supportive (as well as helping you, by all but putting your butt out the door to get it to the Bank) & you got your money refunded!

Sharks £0.00! Nice one!!

I would now put this unfortunate tale down to experience & a lesson learnt well....

Well done indeed!!

Hi, I'm looking for advice on how to proceed with this situation. I had a debit from my account of £15.99 from Trakkit, I had no idea what this transaction was so Googled the company and got their contact details. On calling them they advised me that I had applied for a free trial with them whilst applying for a Payday Loan. I had applied for a Payday Loan but advised them that I was very careful not to tick for my info to be passed to 3rd parties and certainly did not apply for their service. I also advised that I hadn't received any email or correspondence about an account being opened and hadn't received any log in details, so therefore hadn't had the opportunity to cancel during trial period. They confirmed that I had never logged into the account but said that they had emailed me the log in details. I asked for a refund of the £15.99 debited. They point blank refused saying I had applied for the free trial and hadn't cancelled before the trial period had ended. I spent some time on the phone with quite a rude and abrupt staff member who sounded like he was reading from a script and said that the company didn't issue refunds. I have contacted my bank regarding this and received a letter back from them today saying they had contacted the Trakkit who provided my bank with my details and advised that the debit was genuine.

I am not sure what to do next. I feel that what this company doing is wrong, I am certain that I did not authorise this free trial but cannot prove it and I checked my emails including junk and have never received an email from them with account/log in details. Some advice on this matter would be very much appreciated.

Scrummey, I would suggest you start your own thread in order to obtain advice for your situation.