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Original poster

Fraud possible prison HELP

130 replies

Trying2611 · 15/07/2023 21:29

Ok so I don’t know what else to do just looking for some advice really haven’t been able to sleep or eat for the past 2 days

So about 2 years ago I worked for a family run company placed afew orders for them via my Amazon account didn’t think anything of it.

Fast forward to now 2 years later new job no contact with the old company since I left 2 years ago.
had an email from Amazon who advised they had a number of disputed transactions on my account, Turns out some of the purchases made by me on my account had been charged to my old employers card for some purchases for the past 2 years!!!! Not every purchase I had made but around 15 purchases total to a sum of around £250! Just lots of small purchases added up £15 here £6 there nothing I would of noticed not coming out of my bank

I really don’t know how this has happened I’m thinking I order that much shit half asleep (2 kids work full time) just generally not paying attention at the checkout and also not even knowing the card was saved on my Amazon account!! It’s just a swipe to purchase on Amazon not like you have to put any other card details in when checking out ! I genuinely did not make these purchases on purpose I know I should of checked at the checkout I will never make this mistake again but FUCK

This has only just come to light as my ex employer has questioned the charges with the bank and now an investigation is pending , I have tried to contact my old employer explaining the situation no response, I have also called 111 for advice they said I just have to wait for the bank to investigate on there side

but FUCK am I going to prison I don’t know what to do I’m out of my mind with worry that I’m going to get arrested for fraud.

I hope no one has been as truly stupid as me to make this mistake but any kind of advice would mean the world right now everytime a car drive pasts the house I think I’m going to get handcuffed away 😭

OP posts:
sweatybettii · 15/07/2023 21:31

Hi sorry I can't properly advise hopefully someone else will be along who can. But as it only totalled to £250 I doubt very much you will go to prison !! Honestly don't freak out about that, people get away with much worse

BoobsOnTheMoon · 15/07/2023 21:31

You're not going to go to prison!

You had a legitimate reason to have linked the card to your Amazon account in the first place, it's not like you took the card to use without permission.

Can you just offer to pay the money owed?

AllAnusMorisette · 15/07/2023 21:32

You wont be going to prison for £250, you may be invited to the station for an interview under caution, but would be very surprised if this ever saw a court room.

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General shopping
Original poster
Trying2611 · 15/07/2023 21:35

BoobsOnTheMoon · 15/07/2023 21:31

You're not going to go to prison!

You had a legitimate reason to have linked the card to your Amazon account in the first place, it's not like you took the card to use without permission.

Can you just offer to pay the money owed?

I’ve emailed Amazon they say they can’t take the payment from me as it’s an ongoing investigation :(

OP posts:
Sunnydays0101 · 15/07/2023 21:36

Surely, you can write to your previous employer, say you had no idea this was happening - but explain what you think happened, apologise and enclose a cheque for the £250. To back this up, go back over your Amazon account fof the years you worked for the company and list the orders you made for the company using their credit card and explain you neglected to delete the card when you left.

Though, if it is two years since you left, surely their card would have expired at some stage and you’d have needed to update the card’s expiry date.

TeaKitten · 15/07/2023 21:37

I doubt very much it will go to prison. But how come sometimes it charged to your card and other times to your former employers? You’d have to select a different saved card. I’m honestly not accusing but I’m wondering if it will be a question that may be asked, as it’s the first thing I thought.

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 15/07/2023 21:41

TeaKitten · 15/07/2023 21:37

I doubt very much it will go to prison. But how come sometimes it charged to your card and other times to your former employers? You’d have to select a different saved card. I’m honestly not accusing but I’m wondering if it will be a question that may be asked, as it’s the first thing I thought.

I have multiple cards saved on my account, pretty sure if there's not sufficient funds in the default card, it automatically uses one of the others

TeenLifeMum · 15/07/2023 21:41

I would contact the company and state it’s been brought to your attention you made an error and would like to repay the company at the earliest point and could they confirm how they would like to receive payment. Set out the amount you believe is owed and ask for them to confirm they agree with the amount.

TeenLifeMum · 15/07/2023 21:42

My boss did this and ordered a dining table - being such a large amount he noticed quickly. Paying it back was complex as it’s nhs.

neilyoungismyhero · 15/07/2023 21:43

We sometimes buy business items..printer cartridges etc. From Ebay and have used my husband's business account card. It doesn't default to my original bank account and I have done the same as you and so has he, it's so easy done, we've done it a couple of times. We try and remember to delete it now.

I wouldn't worry too much it was an honest mistake.

Original poster
Trying2611 · 15/07/2023 21:45

TeaKitten · 15/07/2023 21:37

I doubt very much it will go to prison. But how come sometimes it charged to your card and other times to your former employers? You’d have to select a different saved card. I’m honestly not accusing but I’m wondering if it will be a question that may be asked, as it’s the first thing I thought.

I really don’t understand this either!! As I have credit cards I’ve used in the past saved on there too and from what I can see nothing has been charged to any of those accounts! Amazon have blocked my account at the moment whilst they are investigating so I can’t even go on and find the invoices or see how this could of happened without me
selecting the card!

OP posts:
Jongleterre · 15/07/2023 21:48

Poor accounting by the firm if they didn't spot this until now.

Sunnydays0101 · 15/07/2023 21:49

Had the company authorised you to make purchases from Amazon using their card while you worked for them? In hindsight, why did you not just create an account for the company since presumably you used their address for delivery ?

Sunnydays0101 · 15/07/2023 21:51

Or how come the company/Amazon are only looking at purchases for the two years since you left and not back to the time you started purchasing using the company’s credit card while working there ?

Original poster
Trying2611 · 15/07/2023 21:52

Sunnydays0101 · 15/07/2023 21:49

Had the company authorised you to make purchases from Amazon using their card while you worked for them? In hindsight, why did you not just create an account for the company since presumably you used their address for delivery ?

Yes they did authorise me to use the card previously as I have Amazon prime and they wanted to use the next day delivery to the office which is the billing address, but my account now has my home address as the delivery address

OP posts:
Strathyre · 15/07/2023 21:52

I would take legal advice and ask about the possibility of writing to you former employer and offering to repay the money.

Can't give much detail but I know of a case where someone stole six figures and didn't go to prison. They did pay it all back though which may have been part of the reason.

LotsOfThingsToThinkAbout · 15/07/2023 21:52

Are you going to speak to a Solicetor? I would. I wouldn't take advice from Mumsnet as there are too many people that give advice about things they don't know anything about.

It's not a lot of money but it's theft and it happened on multiple occasions. Even though it was a mistake I'm not sure everyone will automatically believe you.

Bellasignora · 15/07/2023 21:54

TeenLifeMum · 15/07/2023 21:41

I would contact the company and state it’s been brought to your attention you made an error and would like to repay the company at the earliest point and could they confirm how they would like to receive payment. Set out the amount you believe is owed and ask for them to confirm they agree with the amount.

This is an eminently sensible course of action

LotsOfThingsToThinkAbout · 15/07/2023 21:54

Yes they did authorise me to use the card previously as I have Amazon prime and they wanted to use the next day delivery to the office which is the billing address, but my account now has my home address as the delivery address*

Don't you have to re-enter some of the card details when you change the delivery address?

Original poster
Trying2611 · 15/07/2023 21:54

Sunnydays0101 · 15/07/2023 21:51

Or how come the company/Amazon are only looking at purchases for the two years since you left and not back to the time you started purchasing using the company’s credit card while working there ?

The transactions they are questioning go back to around June 2022, from up to around April this year, I really don’t know why this has only been picked up now, I’m to blame also for not checking my purchases with my own bank account! But as I said they weren’t large purchases £35 was the largest amount of one purchase so I didn’t notice it wasn’t taken out of my account x

OP posts:
KnickerlessParsons · 15/07/2023 21:55

Our prisons are full to bursting with hardened criminals. They aren't going to jail you for £250!

LotsOfThingsToThinkAbout · 15/07/2023 21:55

Sorry my Golding didn't work

Fiddlerdragon · 15/07/2023 21:56

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 15/07/2023 21:41

I have multiple cards saved on my account, pretty sure if there's not sufficient funds in the default card, it automatically uses one of the others

Show quote history

This doesn’t happen. It always tries to take the money out of your main registered account. Even if you use the quick buy option and swipe on ‘buy now’ there’s still a pop up that tells you which card you’re paying with and the address it’s going to. If your main card gets declined then it takes you to a page that has all your listed cards on and you pick which one you want to try next. Im refusing to believe the op has done this accidentally 15 times over 2 years.

orangeleavesinautumn · 15/07/2023 21:59

you really wont go to prison.

My son did this accidently - paid back around £400 - it was sorted very quickly and he didn't get a record or anything, it was a mistake. (uber, not amazon, but same thing the account defaulted to the wrong card without anyone realising)

TeaKitten · 15/07/2023 22:00

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 15/07/2023 21:41

I have multiple cards saved on my account, pretty sure if there's not sufficient funds in the default card, it automatically uses one of the others

Show quote history

This doesn’t happen, if insufficient funds it pauses the transaction and you have to manually go back on and select a different card.