uk passport services

[dallynj]

hi, today i fell foul of this "service" provider. i'm still within the 72 hour period for payment but I am choosing not to due to what I have found since the lady at the passport office informed what I had walked into. can anybody give me any advice on what to do next as i'm sure I am about to be inundated with calls and emails threatening me with all kinds of legal action.

thanks in advance.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: uk passport services

Welcome aboard

You will find plenty of threads about that infamous 'service provider' here: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...Website-Issues

[EXC]

Re: uk passport services

hi, today i fell foul of this "service" provider. i'm still within the 72 hour period for payment but I am choosing not to due to what I have found since the lady at the passport office informed what I had walked into. can anybody give me any advice on what to do next as i'm sure I am about to be inundated with calls and emails threatening me with all kinds of legal action.

thanks in advance.

Hi

Can you tell us the circumstances of your encounter with them and when it happened?

[dallynj]

Re: uk passport services

On 14/07 i was in the process of booking an appointment to renew my daughters passport. I was directed to this site via google. I've never heard of this service so assumed the fee was for the passports. When i tried to pay it, my card was declined and then my card provider called me to warn me of of suspicious activity. I thought i'd leave payment until i was at the passport office. It was then i was informed by the lady dealing with my application that i had had a lucky escape by not paying as i had almost fell foul of this scam. I have still not made payment but worried now about any further action by passport services. Thanks

[Amethyst]

Re: uk passport services

Okay you should write to BPS and make it clear you have cancelled and do not require their services. Have you had any texts or email yet from BPS since using their site ? either with an appointment or asking for money ?

[dallynj]

Re: uk passport services

I'll write today. I've had all of the usual emails confirming appointment times, asking for payment and offering a direction service (£10) already on the invoice!

[Amethyst]

Re: uk passport services

Okay all the automated stuff.

Ensure you mention this bit in your letter

On 14/07 i was in the process of booking an appointment to renew my daughters passport. I was directed to this site via google. I've never heard of this service so assumed the fee was for the passports. When i tried to pay it, my card was declined and then my card provider called me to warn me of of suspicious activity. I thought i'd leave payment until i was at the passport office.


complaints@britishpassportservices.co.uk is the email.

Also if the HMPO jhave already said no appointment was made, you should ask them to confirm that to you by email or letter - their policy on doing this varies a bit depending who you speak to, but all you need is a one liner from an official HMPO email stating that no appointment was made for you by BPS on the date and time BPS are claiming.

This is an example of a letter that someone else sent them - she was already getting the court threats. Might be useful for a basis, you propbably won't want all the harrassment bits just yet though..., save them for in a few weeks if they carry on. - Bold bits might help though.

Dear Mr Howard

Ref: UK Services & Support Ltd v XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thank you for your letter before action dated 9th June 2015 requesting payment of £133.10 for a number of services (it remains unclear exactly what those are) you allege to have supplied.

On the 29th May 2015 I visited your website in error, believing it to be the official HM Passport Office Website due to misleading phrases and imagery on the website. I completed a part of an online form on your website, intending to book an appointment at the Durham Passport Office at the weekend for myself to renew my passport.

The form failed part way through completion and I left your site deciding to telephone the Passport Office directly instead. I did not enter into any contract or agreement with you nor request any services be provided by you. I did not make any payment, nor attempt to make any payment to your company. No appointment was made by yourselves for me at the Durham Passport Office. I certainly did not require any other services from your company. I had no desire nor intention to use any third party to book an appointment at my local passport office to renew my passport.

Since having the misfortune of coming across your website on the 29th May 2015 I have been subjected to continual harassment by your company. Please be aware that I am keeping a full record of any contact from your company and I will be bringing your misleading and aggressive practices to the attention of the court.

I am sure you will be familiar with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The regulations prohibit unfair commercial practices against consumers. This encompasses misrepresentations that induce a party to enter into a contract, or to take a transactional decision they would not have taken otherwise. You will also be aware of The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014 which provide remedies for individual consumers who are the victims of misleading actions and aggressive practices and who have entered into a contract or made a payment to a trader as a result. In addition you have breached the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 in that you have not supplied a copy of the alleged contract in a durable medium and therefore I would not be bound by such. You also failed to inform me of my cancellation rights.

I have reported the incident and subsequent harassment to my local Police force, to Action Fraud and to Trading Standards.

I place you on notice that your company is causing me alarm and distress due to the frequency of the telephone calls and text messages which I am receiving in relation to this matter. Whenever the telephone rings, I am left feeling anxious and ill at the prospect of speaking again with your company as I have already repeatedly explained that I simply do not owe your company any money. Please be clear that these calls and messages are far beyond a simple irritation or an unwanted interference, they fall clearly within the definition of Harassment. I draw your attention to the Court of Appeal ruling in Roberts v Bank of Scotland PLC (Rev1) [2013] EWCA Civ 882 and in particular paragraph 37 & 38 of the Judgment. The court made it clear that the existence of a debt does not allow a creditor to persist in harassing the debtor, therefore my notice stands even if you persist in your belief that I am in any way indebted to you.

Please write to confirm that this matter has now been concluded and that I shall not be hearing any further from you.

I am sure it will come as no surprise that I will not be making any payment to you and should you proceed to formal court action your claim will be strongly defended.

Sincerely

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[ostell]

Re: uk passport services

If it is of any help the official web site of the passport office for renewal of passports is:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

Friend used this and got her new passport within a week of posting in the form and photos.