Fraud possible prison HELP

[Trying2611]

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 😭

I did this as well. I worked for a small family business and often ordered them things on my own Amazon account - had the business address and directors card set up. Fortunately I did the accounts and it was only when I chased some missing invoices for payments that had gone out of the bank I realised they were my purchases. I don't know how it happened as I had my own card as the default one. I was so embarrassed but the director thought it funny and I just paid the money in.

Our Amazon account has DHs work CC on there, you have to double check it hasn’t switched to that.
Id contact them by email/letter and tell them it’s an error and point out maybe they should have made you aware earlier. It’s very very easily done on amazon.

A word to the wise: for an honest mistake, I wouldn't create internet threads with title: 'FRAUD possible prison'.

And to the helpful police officer posting earlier: just a reminder that nobody needs to prove their innocence; the crown needs to prove the defendant's guilt.

Count Adhemar

Lots of other posters give great advice, and hopefully both your previous employer and amazon will understand this is just a bit of a mess, that can be sorted. I agree though about trying to resolve it with an email or letter to your previous employer, but also observe Amazon's rules, as they may refund your employer, then you pay them. You might have been a tiny bit careless, but I have every sympathy - other than the very initial situation where your employer asked to share your prime (which you should not do), the buy it now, one click stuff on Amazon isn't that obvious. Of course, this isn't always how it looks to Amazon or the third party so some difficult conversations may be had. Although it is not quite the same, I had a really weird situation with work years ago where I went part time but due to an error on their part they never adjusted my pay. I never opened my payslips, and my OH does ALL of our financial stuff, because I had bonuses coming in, and expenses paid in, my wages were never the same month to month ever. We also had 20 other payments coming in for rent on properties at the time, so a fairly lively bank account, and busy lives. He never questioned it, I was completely oblivious, but about 2 years in, work found the issue, and it was raised. We did a lot of checking and found I had been overpaid to the tune of about £15,000. We were horrified (firstly because we had to find the money to pay it back., and we were happy to do so) but what was worse was the implication that "I must have known". then came to the fore, and I was hauled over the coals a bit at work, formal interviews etc. I had to submit 12 months of bank accounts to them to show that it would have been almost impossible to detect "their error", and show them the pile of unopened payslips. Eventually they concluded that it was reasonable that I did not realise. We did a fair bit of googling at the time, and we concluded that, although I did not set out to defraud my employer, I was actually on quite a sticky wicket, as I should have opened my payslips, done some calculations, and realised. Sorry for the long story, and I know it isn't the same situation, BUT I do know exactly how you feel. In my head it went from "oh dear, a mistake has been made, which I must rectify" to "OMG I am going to prison for fraud and will lose my job". Keep calm, keep trying to rectify, and wait for due processes to finish, which they will at some point, and all will be fine. Try not to worry. xx

Thanks for the reassurance @sjpkgp1 i know my title was abit misleading and I’m in panic mode but it’s not a nice feeling at att! Glad you sorted yours! Wow that’s a lot to pay back but I’m like you I don’t pay too much attention to my financials but lesson learnt I’m going to make sure I do from now on x

There is no way you are going to prison OP (and I would be angry as a taxpayer if you did considering some of the sorts that manage to avoid it), it sounds like a genuine mistake, and quite frankly even if it was purposeful fraud the figures are so low it probably wouldn't go further than a caution with the proviso that you pay the money back (assuming you have no previous convictions for fraud or identity theft).

I would personally do what a PP suggested, proactively contact your old employer saying you have been contacted about the mistake, say you didn't realise the company card had been saved as your default payment method (which is easy to do with one click) give them a figure of what you think you've spent and offer to pay them back if they agree with that figure and apologise for the mistake and not checking.

Did you leave on good terms, I'm assuming if it was a small family business they know your character?

You’re not going to prison for this! It’s a mistake and in criminal justice terms, not a high value one.
If you offer to put it straight, at the earliest opportunity, it’s highly unlikely they will pursue it further. It would cost more than the £250 to push it through the courts.
Just offer to pay it back. I think that will be the end of it. It’s not in anyone’s interest to have you locked up for this.

This happens all the time. It’s an issue with the way Amazon freely allow business and personal cards to be stored together.

Looks like the business was defrauding Amazon by using your Prime membership.

You’re not going to prison btw.

As an avid amazon user I am feeling confused - if you have a default card set up it does not revert to a different card without you actively choosing for it to because that's why its the default card. If you had of had all your transactions go to this card I would understand...but sorry I don't understand how you just had £250 of small adhoc transactions go to this card because you would have had to override the default card.

I have tonight clicked buy now and its bought. I don't actually know which card/account is linked to buy now but because it was less than £10 I didn't check as doesn't matter.
If it was a more substantial purchase, I know which account I want it to come from so I put in the details via adding it to my basket then paying.

It's very easy to do and very possible that this is exactly what OP has done.

Stuff like this definitely happens.

We've lived in our house for over 5 years. A few years in we received a subscription contact lens box for the man we bought the house off. He's obviously received all of them before and since but somehow the old address sneaked in for this one box.

A couple of months ago, 2 massive parcels turned up for the woman who rented the house before he bought it! So probably nearly 10 years ago, and she's managed to never send anything here in that time and then suddenly it's got selected in a drop down list somewhere.

A friend house and pet sat for us in the summer and arranged to have their Asda shop delivered to our house to self cater while staying. Early in the new year, Asda bloke turns up and starts offloading shopping until I manage to tell him it can't be for us as I've not even got an account with them! He shows me the invoice and my friend is 200 miles away waiting for this shop Again, the drop down box mistake.

When you add a new payment method, or switch to an alternative one on your account, as you're likely to have done, I think it gives you the option to default to this card/method in future, if I remember right. All that with a tick in a box. So it's an easy mistake to make, if this is what happened in your case.

Try not to worry. Not easy, I know. But you made a genuine mistake; something most of us have done at some time.

This can happen as it happened to me with my nephew's account but the only thing I don't understand is how you were able to purchase some things on your card aswell. I was constantly buying from my nephew's card before the mistake was realised as I've no clue what the last four digits of my account are and he had used my address also so I didn't need to change address.

Might you have sometimes used the app and sometimes a computer or whatever? That would explain different settings

The jumping about from card to card has happened to me too. Luckily not a business card but it used an old credit card account a few times randomly. I think it’s really easy to miss if the transaction value is relatively low. And my Amazon notifications are sent to an old email account so I only check them if there’s a problem.

Another person here who finds Amazon uses different cards all the time. I always assumed it might be linked to buying method (eg website vs app) but I can totally see how this could happen.

Prisons are overcrowded as it is. You won't go to prison for £250.

I wouldn't worry. A family friend has just walked free of court after stealing and fraudulently using somebody's bank card for their own gain totalling over 20k 🙄

Absolutely this, OP.

And never have an interview with the police without seeking legal representation.

Prison 😂😂
Good prank thread OP 👍

@TeenLifeMum has given some really good advice

@sjpkgp1 weirdly I had almost an identical issue at work, it was due to their mess up that it actually happened and it was a scary time but resolved it’s self in the end.

anyway OP this isn’t a police matter atm, Amazon are investigating as it’s been reported to them and that’s all-if you send any letters or emails get proof of delivery and if you go in take someone with you ideally.
I’d write down the circumstances that you were asked to use YOUR Prime account by the company (motivation and authorisation to use the card initially) and state that it’s been bought to your attention that some personal purchases MAY have been paid for on their card and if they can give you a total of those purchases you will refund immediately.

Also, don’t pay any solicitor for advice, it’s not needed atm and is a waste of your money.

My Amazon account seems to randomly switch between cards as well. We have DH’s personal card, my card, DH’s business card and both my daughters cards on there. My card is the default card but it the buy it now option seems to switch between them with no rhyme or reason. I always go through the check out on there now.

I’ve just checked the back up card thing on there - I’ve never been in and enabled it, but it’s showing as enabled.

The same happens on my work account - it randomly switches between the work debit and credit cards. The debit card is the default card.

It’s concerning that they haven’t noticed before though. At work, I may not notice at the time, but I pick it up when reconciling the bank/credit card accounts at the end of each month. At home, if something has accidentally gone through DH’s business bank, it gets picked up by his bookkeeper when she’s looking for invoices each week.