Unwanted credit card received

xzanti

If this is the wrong place feel free to move it...

I received in the post yesterday a Ryanair MBNA credit card which I never applied for and I'm a bit baffled.. the only thing I can think of is that about a month or so back when I went to collect my number for the Women's Mini Marathon there was a trade fair on in the rds at which a young man at a stall approached me and asked me if I would like a free return Ryanair flight to anywhere in the EU.. Not being one to pass up a good opportunity I agreed to sign a few forms.. just basic details, name, address, email, phone number.. I didn't think much of this as Ryanair are known for their 5c flights etc.. He assured me that there was "no catch" and thought nothing more of it... It's definately a proper Visa credit card.. I've looked all over the attached paperwork the main helpline number they give is the one I use to activate the thing, which I do not intend to do.. There is a similar number but again when you dial it you are immediately asked to enter your account number..

Has this happened to anyone else?? Any ideas? I'm pretty sure the bast*rds don't have my bank account details.. I don't recall giving those..

gibo_ie

the free flight was aperk for signing up to Ryanair's Credit Card. The stall even has a big picture of the credit card on it. They are always at the entrance to Pier A in Dublin Airport.
Cancel it now!! You will be hit with the €40 gvt levy though!

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

i'd say it was a dodgy salesperson working on commission - ring MBNA and tell them?

xzanti

How do I cancel it??

xzanti

Roundtower2 wrote:

i'd say it was a dodgy salesperson working on commission - ring MBNA and tell them?

I've looked all over the attached paperwork the main helpline number they give is the one I use to activate the thing, which I do not intend to do.. There is a similar number but again when you dial it you are immediately asked to enter your account number..

monkey junkie

From the internet -

http://www.mbna.ie

1800 409 511

xzanti

monkey junkie wrote:

From the internet -

http://www.mbna.ie

1800 409 511

Thanks but I've tried this number and was told to enter the account number.. I don't want to activate the card..

monkey junkie

Type in random numbers. You'll eventually get to someone.

RobertFoster

I used to always get MBNA credit card application forms in the post. Not as bad as getting a full blown credit card, but still annoying. The last time I received one I decided to ring it and ask them to stop sending me the forms. The guy I got through to was very helpful and I've not received one since. AFAIK, ringing the activation phone number gets you through to a real person eventually. Try pressing # or 00 or something.

RuggieBear

xzanti wrote:

If this is the wrong place feel free to move it...

I received in the post yesterday a Ryanair MBNA credit card which I never applied for and I'm a bit baffled.. the only thing I can think of is that about a month or so back when I went to collect my number for the Women's Mini Marathon there was a trade fair on in the rds at which a young man at a stall approached me and asked me if I would like a free return Ryanair flight to anywhere in the EU.. Not being one to pass up a good opportunity I agreed to sign a few forms.. just basic details, name, address, email, phone number.. I didn't think much of this as Ryanair are known for their 5c flights etc.. He assured me that there was "no catch" and thought nothing more of it... It's definately a proper Visa credit card.. I've looked all over the attached paperwork the main helpline number they give is the one I use to activate the thing, which I do not intend to do.. There is a similar number but again when you dial it you are immediately asked to enter your account number..

Has this happened to anyone else?? Any ideas? I'm pretty sure the bast*rds don't have my bank account details.. I don't recall giving those..

erm.. did you not read what you were signing?

xzanti

RuggieBear wrote:

erm.. did you not read what you were signing?

There was very little to read.. just had Ryanair on it, like an advertisement pamphlet, no sign of anything got to do with MBNA on it... Anyway I took Monkey Junkies advice and typed random numbers into the phone.. got through to a girl.. back on hold now.. so hopefully will be sorted soon.. Thanks

Endurance Man

Couldnt you just not use it? Cut it in half.

RuggieBear

you'd still have to pay the 40 euro tax on it tho.

Oriel

RuggieBear wrote:

you'd still have to pay the 40 euro tax on it tho.

But they don't have her bank details.
I think you have 14-days to cancel a credit agreement. Act quickly.

zaratustra

xzanti wrote:

If this is the wrong place feel free to move it...

I received in the post yesterday a Ryanair MBNA credit card which I never applied for and I'm a bit baffled.. the only thing I can think of is that about a month or so back when I went to collect my number for the Women's Mini Marathon there was a trade fair on in the rds at which a young man at a stall approached me and asked me if I would like a free return Ryanair flight to anywhere in the EU.. Not being one to pass up a good opportunity I agreed to sign a few forms.. just basic details, name, address, email, phone number.. I didn't think much of this as Ryanair are known for their 5c flights etc.. He assured me that there was "no catch" and thought nothing more of it... It's definately a proper Visa credit card.. I've looked all over the attached paperwork the main helpline number they give is the one I use to activate the thing, which I do not intend to do.. There is a similar number but again when you dial it you are immediately asked to enter your account number..

Has this happened to anyone else?? Any ideas? I'm pretty sure the bast*rds don't have my bank account details.. I don't recall giving those..

never happened to me but that's sad story. I'm using Credit card all the time. I left DETAILs of my Credit card everywhere...

cooperguy

A tip for those automated helplines. When you get through to 1 and you dont want to go through all the menus hammer on ur keypad for a couple of seconds. The computer will get confused and will think there is a problem with your phone or the connection and put you through to an operator

kdouglas

yea, or sometimes they just tell you to try again later and disconnect you....

i remember seeing a website before which had a bunch of different codes for different automated services which would get you through to an operator though...

ScumLord

I signed up for a halifax card during the week and they asked loads of questions about how much I was earning, where I worked, bank account details. I don't know how you could get one so easily.

Tweeter

RuggieBear wrote:

you'd still have to pay the 40 euro tax on it tho.

Not true, the 40 euro charge isn't applicable if no transactions were made on the card. You could simply cut it in 2 and bin it as it was never activated anyway.

RuggieBear

Tweeter wrote:

Not true, the 40 euro charge isn't applicable if no transactions were made on the card. You could simply cut it in 2 and bin it as it was never activated anyway.

groovy. didn't know that.

seamus

When you ring the number, either press hash, press zero or mash the keypad with your palm. The systems are designed to fire you over to someone if you make a mistake.

Not true, the 40 euro charge isn't applicable if no transactions were made on the card. You could simply cut it in 2 and bin it as it was never activated anyway.

I'm not so sure about that. Though if you mean in the sense that the card was never activated, then that's probably the case. Best to nip it in the bud though.

Linford

Tweeter wrote:

Not true, the 40 euro charge isn't applicable if no transactions were made on the card. You could simply cut it in 2 and bin it as it was never activated anyway.

This is not true. You would have to cancel the card before you use it. Even thought you might have to activate the card over the phone it is still subject to the €40 charge even if you don't do this. Most credit cards don't even have to be activated...

Drift

How can they charge 40 euro if they have no account details from the OP?

mickoneill30

There was a post here a couple of weeks ago where somebody was complaining they got hit with the tax even though they've no card. Somebody posted up that it's the account that attracts the tax, he had links. I can't find the post now but it's here somewhere. So cancel it.

mickoneill30

Drift wrote:

How can they charge 40 euro if they have no account details from the OP?

Good point. Either there was a form on the form for account details or the card is just a marketing ploy by MBNA i.e. send the card out then when confused user rings to activate it get all the details. Good idea though.

BANZAI_RUNNER

Contact the financial regulator, AFAIK it is illegal for ryanair or any other financial institution to send unsolicited offers to people, ie, you have been pre-approved for 10,000 euro loan, i'm sure they can tell you what to do , and they will probably take action against ryanair /mbna

Ya-Boy-Ya

This is very weird. They dont hand out Credit cards as easy as that do they ???
I recently got a call from a credit card company telling me my card was on the way. when I told them I never applied they ran through my application and it wasnt me at all.They had me down as a builder in construction which is far from the truth. Someone had gone through my rubbish and obtained bank statements etc. and managed to apply for a card in my name!!!!
Be careful I shred everything now...... a statement doesnt stay in my house one day before I shred it. Its the only way.

Maybe someone had planned to intercept the card and rob you blind ????

Its a big bad world out there.

Kintarō Hattori

I remember when I used to live at home with the folks many years ago I used to receive credit card applications from MBNA all of the time, even though I had never enquired with them about one.
I still occasionally receive them at home and I've received one or two in various different apartments I've been in since. They are really really annoying. Heh when I did get a credit card- it wasn't with them!

seamus

Ya-Boy-Ya wrote:

This is very weird. They dont hand out Credit cards as easy as that do they ???

Bloody sure they do.

I would suspect that the card numbers are sent out and matched against a name and address. Then the person rings up, provides information such as address, bank account details, salary details, etc, and the card number is attached to a credit card account and activated.

In this way, they would be getting around the whole "Unsolicited, pre-approved" credit thing, because technically they're vetting people before giving them the credit.

Wouldn't surprise me that Ryanair would use low, low tactics like this.

nesf

Moved from AH.

BuffyBot

seamus wrote:

Wouldn't surprise me that Ryanair would use low, low tactics like this.

In fairness, Ryanair don't issue these cards, MBNA do.

OP - sounds like a) you were mis-sold a card and b) you really, really need to pay more attention to what you're signing!

Contact MBNA asap. You'll probably have to cancel the card in writing, but get it done asap.

Blush_01

I keep getting those bloody credit card applications too. More worryingly, my sister does to, has for a few years, and just turned 18 in December. You can't have a credit card in your own name under the age of 18, can you?

BuffyBot

Recieving those applications isn't all that worrying. It just means your on a mailing list somewhere.

I'm pretty sure the small print on them tells you how to get off the list. I managed to get all my family off it, eventually about 2 years back.

Sangre

Don't worry, you can't be stung for GSD as you never agreed to the card. It was unsolicited and frankly considered a big no-no by the Financial Regulator (especially with new customer protection code this July).

The terms & conditions on a credit card are by no means short, there is no way you'd missed this. Without agreeing to them how can you say you've agreed to the card? If they question this ask for a copy of the agreement that you've signed stating you're accept the card and all its T&Cs. Obviously they won't be able to. Just give MBNA an earful (politely) about unsolicited credit and that you want to have the card cancelled immediately (and get them to cover GSD if they have to but they won't) and to remove you from any mailing lists.

jahalpin

I signed up for one of the Ryanair gold cards while I was walking through Dublin Airport on the way to a Ryanair flight. The form is quite detailed and is very obviously an application form for a credit card. Why else would they need to know where you work and how much you earn.

The stand has pictures of both the gold and standard credit cards and MBNA is all over the form and stand.

Why should the financial regulator get involved when it was the original poster and not MBNA that was at fault ie the OP shouldn't be signing things if they aren't intelligent enough to understand what they are signing up for

Bottle_of_Smoke

Drift wrote:

How can they charge 40 euro if they have no account details from the OP?

They'll debit it to the card - then if you don't make the minimum payments they'll revoke the card & put your credit rating in the "Debt recovery" pile.