Anyone use Amazon Prime?

[MontyVeda]

Going through bank statements with my 81 year old mother, we keep seeing payments like this but Mum isn't sure what they're for...


I presume its a pay to view movie/TV show but Mum just watches telly.
In the detail section, I presumed that 8634 was the last four digits of the card used for payment, but that's not the number from my Mum's cards (current or previous).

any ideas from our Amazon Prime users?

 

[fossyant]

Is it same date, or just every so often. If she's definitely not used it, then see if there is an amazon account of hers, or I'd be stopping the bank card as it may be compromised.

 

[Drago]

Mrs D is a prime user.

Different levels of Prime, but £5.99 a month is the starter I believe.

As well as the streams unit gives free delivery on Amazon purchases, which Mrs D spanks.

As the Fossil says, if you cant locate an account cancel the card and report it to her bank as fraud.

 

[MontyVeda]

Is it same date, or just every so often. If she's definitely not used it, then see if there is an amazon account of hers, or I'd be stopping the bank card as it may be compromised.

it appears to be every so often but I'd have to look back through all monthly statements to see if it's a monthly fee for something. £7.29 went out today for Amazon Prime, £5.99 also went out on the 31st Aug. I don't want to give too many details on a public forum but Mum's bank card was stopped and pin number changed at the end of last month but there still seems to be payments going out to Amazon Prime since the card was stopped.

 

[DCLane]

@MontyVeda - is there a standing order for it? Or a Direct Debit set up?

Alternatively SWMBO bought something from Amazon and that apparently came with a monthly subscription that gave discount on a women's clothing brand. There were debits for each month and it was nowhere on the terms & conditions. We managed to get it stopped and a refund but had to create an account with them to do so.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Are you able to log into her Amazon.co.uk account.

You then want to visit the first bit I have highlighted and cancel Prime membership, assuming it is active.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Or could be the Paramount + basic package which also comes under Prime at £5.99 month.

 

[MontyVeda]

@MontyVeda - is there a standing order for it? Or a Direct Debit set up?

Alternatively SWMBO bought something from Amazon and that apparently came with a monthly subscription that gave discount on a women's clothing brand. There were debits for each month and it was nowhere on the terms & conditions. We managed to get it stopped and a refund but had to create an account with them to do so.

No i checked the standing orders and DDs. A stealth subscription could explain it though so I'll look into that.

Mum does have an amazon account but has never used it for anything other than buying books for her kindle. She doesn't shop on amazon and doesn't use it for watching TV or movies... but I know Amazon are buggers for hiding pre-checked check boxes which is why i don't use it myself.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A stealth subscription could explain it though so I'll look into that.

In your Amazon account you setup payment methods and can do multiple. Amazon auto triggers against those when subscribed. No direct debit or standing order. But first, I would go into her account and look at Prime Membership and memberships and subscriptions. Cancel any you find that do not look right.

 

[a.twiddler]

Mrs T has sold her soul and has a Prime account. For myself, It's just such deceptive marketing that has made me wary of buying anything from Amazon. I don't see why I should support their business model. It's too easy to inadvertently sign up for something while buying an item, or end up paying excessive postage at check out on something that the wording originally led you to believe was free. Ryanair used to have a similar model where you had to positively tick boxes to avoid being charged for stuff. It's all very well saying we should be on the lookout for such things but the default should be in the customer's favour, not the other way. You don't have to be old and frail to get sucked in by their dodgy system leading up to checkout. A nice little earner, hoovering up subs until the customer realises their mistake. How much of their income arises from these unethical practices, multiplied many times?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

In the detail section, I presumed that 8634 was the last four digits of the card used for payment, but that's not the number from my Mum's cards (current or previous).

I think that's the last digits of the prime account number.
Definitely go into her account, there's something she has inadvertedy subscribed to.
If you can't get to the bottom of it, close the Ama8on account, deleting the card on their system first.
Then reopen another account for her for her Kindle, with another email and a different card.
File for a refund if your Mum didn't do anything (like tick boxes) to trigger the charges.