DWF letter from Asda

[Psychonaut888]

A couple of weeks ago I was accused of fraud in Asda, taken to a room and the police were called.

 

They said it was fraud that I had been buying stuff that was cheaper elsewhere to get their asda price guarantee vouchers, then returning the items after using the vouchers (Nothing in t&cs about returning goods).

 

When the police arrived asda staff/security tried to make out the vouchers were fake, that I'd made them myself. Not true, they were legit ones and police said not fraud, no crime committed and I was let go. (they took all the apg's I had on me and my asda gift cards, and banned from all asda stores)

 

A week or so later and I got a letter from DWF saying they are working on asda's behalf asking for a sum of £125 for "security costs". (the goods stolen/damaged and cash stolen amounts were £0)

 

I've read other threads on here about DWF, but nothing recent. I have so far ignored the letter (6 days since I received it), but thought about emailing them to ask for a breakdown of the security costs. Is this a worthwhile thing to pursue?

 

I'm in Scotland too, if that makes any legal difference. Thanks in advance. For clarification it was Asda who took the vouchers and gift cards, NOT the police. And it was asda that banned me.

Edited August 19, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[Psychonaut888]

Apologies for the big chunk of text. When I typed it up there were paragraphs, but on submitting the formatting went.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG. I've sorted the paragraphs for you.

 

People should be along with advice later. For now I would advise not rushing to write and I really don't know if it's a good idea to get into letter tennis about security costs.

 

Let's see what the guys say.

 

My best, HB

[unclebulgaria67]

I would ignore them. They have no legal basis to ask you for money. I can see why they might be annoyed by someone taking advantage of a flawed process and they have a right to refuse you as a future customer. But that should be the end of the matter. There is no basis for you to pay towards their security.

 

Did ASDA take away vouchers and gift cards that you had gained through legitimate means ?

[Psychonaut888]

They took all the apgs and gift cards that I had with me

(this was before the police arrived and they said that the police would search me anyway when they got there,

so I thought I'd look more compliant if I offered them when asked

- police didn't search me,

but the whole experience blindsided me and I was not thinking straight).

 

 

These were gained through legal means,

but previous transactions were purchased with previous apgs and gift cards

(gc gained mainly as refunds for items bought with apgs)

(so most, but not all were gained through the "loophole" in their flawed system).

 

 

I'm mildly annoyed about this, but more at myself for not questioning this at the time.

[unclebulgaria67]

Think the advice is to ignore DWF/ASDA, but to read any letters they send to you. I can't see how they can take this further.

 

Accept that you took advantage of their flawed system, had a good run before being found out and move on accepting the loss of the gift cards etc. If you did not pay for the gift cards, then i can't see that you can ask for the monetary value of these back.

[dx100uk]

as with RLP [go read]

you can safely ignore DWF

[Psychonaut888]

Thank you. I had no intention of asking for them back, was just a bit annoyed with myself for meekly handing them over, but that's past now, not like I can spend them lol.

 

I've read the letter and will read any future ones. This one doesn't even seem to define what the money I supposedly owe is. It's called a "balance due","outstanding balance" and a "sum", it's never called a bill or fine or anything similar, is that relevant?

[dx100uk]

ofcourse

they cant fine you anything

only the police/courts can

 

 

go read the RLP threads

lots here

 

 

dx

[Psychonaut888]

Thanks guys.

[silverfox1961]

And a welcome from me too.

 

If Asda have a system in place that is a detriment to them, tough mammary glands!

 

I am at a bit of a loss here. I had not heard that DWF were acting for Asda before today (may have missed it).

 

The difference between RLP and DWF is that the latter are solicitors and as such, they tend to be a bit more legal in their letters than RLP but, as mentioned, this means nothing. DWF can take no action against you unless instructed by Asda management and the initial claim must be in Asda's name. This is too much like hard work for them which is why they pass on these cases to a third party in the hope that the letters will scare you into contributing to their tea and biscuit fund. DWF operate a revenue sharing system. As far as I am aware, this is a no win no fee agreement with Asda so DWF take all the costs but if they get a payment, they will share this with Asda. I believe the going rate is around a 60/40 split in DWF's favour.

 

You will get a few of these letters however, I would like to see these just in case their Modus Operandi have changed since last I saw a letter. If you are able to, can you upload a suitably redacted copy in pdf format for my perusal.

 

You may even start getting letters from debt collectors but they are just as scary as I am. NOT.

 

Ignore, then ignore some more and if you get worried, ask for reassurance then ignore again.

[ericsbrother]

never get into a slippery slope argument so dont ask anyone about the security costs.

 

 

I would be writing to Asda head office and asking them why you were accused of forging their vouchers

and when this was shown to be untrue and

 

 

the police accepted that there was no criminal activity

you had your property confiscated without compensation by the store.

 

 

Ask them under what authority they claim to be able to take your property under such circumstances and why,

 

 

when it was decided that no criminality or any matter that has led to a loss to Adsa,

are you being asked to pay money to a third party as compensation for a non-existent claim?

 

You may not get your vouchers back but they should be able to admit they were wrong to act in they way they did.

[porrohman65]

A couple of weeks ago I was accused of fraud in Asda, taken to a room and the police were called.

 

They said it was fraud that I had been buying stuff that was cheaper elsewhere to get their asda price guarantee vouchers, then returning the items after using the vouchers (Nothing in t&cs about returning goods).

 

When the police arrived asda staff/security tried to make out the vouchers were fake, that I'd made them myself. Not true, they were legit ones

 

Think I can clear up this if the coupons were fake;

it used to be you could make fake coupons but not any more,

due to the coupons being verified on the system

 

You now must scan or enter to digits from the apg coupon,

and then enter the receipt number,

 

so for instance if you use a coupon in a asda store,

and keep it,

and go to another store,

it will come up as being invalid

 

As for returning goods after using the apg coupon,

the receipt is suppose to be marked as used,

and no refunds should be issued, without a supervisor agreement,

 

so what you're doing I would kind of consider it as being fraudulent

 

As for them taking your asda gift cards,

how much credit did you have on them,

 

and I would assume, it was your own money you placed on to the card..

.but guess that you have returned items after using the apg,

 

the store has put this credit onto a gift card..

..it might be help full if you explain the gift card,

and the circumstances with the card

[brassnecked]

Ignore them.

 

 

i am expecting a DWF letter that will be rebutted and they will be threatened with action.

 

 

i Went to deliver a parcel into an ASDA,

back door locked,

 

 

Went to customer services to get them to open padlocked back gate,

whilst talking to a supervisor, an old codger on a mobility scooter banged into me,

 

 

he stopped and said you should have watched where you are going you bleep even though he ran into me.

 

 

Security came over and said that they would be contacting the courier company for my details

as DWF might want to bill me for the time investigating the incident,

they would also be after the codger on the scobility mooter.

 

 

Will wait with bated breath to ignore them,

then ignore some more,

then take them to court for Harassment.

[silverfox1961]

I think some security guards need an update in their education. IF DWF did get involved, I would be billing them for the time wasted in responding. As for the dummy at Asda, they are already paid to investigate.

As for the 'old codger', I have one of those in my local co-op. I call him 'wide eyed' after the Andy Fairweather Low song. This old codger is legless but that is no excuse for rudeness. He expects everyone to get out of his way even when people don't hear him coming up from behind them. He has been banned from the store before (for short periods) yet he still thinks he has the right to bash into children and then blame them.

[brassnecked]

I think the whole concept of Civil Recovery needs looking at, as it isn't only shoplifters who are being targeted now, innocents with a misplaced receipt found after a search in that back room are probably also getting letters.

[unclebulgaria67]

I think the whole concept of Civil Recovery needs looking at, as it isn't only shoplifters who are being targeted now, innocents with a misplaced receipt found after a search in that back room are probably also getting letters.

 

Some Supermarkets are struggling to make profits selling groceries and are finding other profit streams. Personally i think that them treating customers badly will do them no good.

 

I find that Supermarkets have changed over the last 10 years. They were once striving to please customers, due to competition. But now i think the customers are purely viewed as 'how many ways we can try to make a profit'. The loyalty/reward cards are no longer that attractive. They have got their numbers now to use for marketing to sell products and sell information on to companies. The private parking is to try to gain money from the land, because they don't charge for parking which would put people off.

[brassnecked]

Some Supermarkets are struggling to make profits selling groceries and are finding other profit streams. Personally i think that them treating customers badly will do them no good.

 

I find that Supermarkets have changed over the last 10 years. They were once striving to please customers, due to competition. But now i think the customers are purely viewed as 'how many ways we can try to make a profit'. The loyalty/reward cards are no longer that attractive. They have got their numbers now to use for marketing to sell products and sell information on to companies. The private parking is to try to gain money from the land, because they don't charge for parking which would put people off.

Civil Recovery is an oxymoron, as it also is targeting innocents.

[Psychonaut888]

Sorry I've been a bit lax,

had a family bereavement and been a bit preoccupied.

 

 

I was about to upload my letters but my scanner's not working.

I have photos of the letters that I have edited personal info from and converted to pdf but I see these are not allowed. Oh well.

 

when I came home from work yesterday I had a message waiting for me from dwf saying to contact them.

I'm not intending to speak to them,

but others in the house are expecting phone calls so it's possible that a call will be picked up in the future.

(No one else knows about this and I have no intention of telling them).

 

I thought I might send a letter denying responsibility for the bill.

I was falsely accused of a crime,

police said no crime committed,

not my problem kind of thing.

houghts?

 

I read that people sent a similar letter to rlp after the 2nd letter and that was it.

 

 

The police asked for where I worked at the time and I'm not sure whether asda staff took note.

I don't want a call at work.

Edited August 26, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

You should be able to upload pdf's even though you don't have many posts. Click on the word upload in my post and you'll see a hyperlink with the details.

 

HB

[Psychonaut888]

Thanks, it's not the pdf thing it's that I have no working scanner so my pdf features photos with coloured paper covering the personal bits. It says not to do that, but there's nothing pertinent missing and you can't see my details so I'm ok with it if you are?

[honeybee13]

If you can't see personal info, that should be OK. In any case, if site team see personal details showing, we remove the attachment.

 

HB

[Psychonaut888]

Here's my letters. Files DWF1 and DWf2 are the first one and 3 is the one I got a week later.

DWF Letters.pdf

Edited August 26, 2016 by dx100uk
files merged to one pdf reduced and rotate - dx

[Psychonaut888]

Sorry for the quality of pic on the first one. I'm at work and the letters at home so can't change. You can read what it says though.

[honeybee13]

That looks fine, thank you for posting them up.

 

HB