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AIBU?

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Original poster

Holiday home bill on Prime :(

273 replies

BroodleToodle · 09/05/2022 17:56

More of a wwyd?

I went to a holiday home in the uk around a month ago and while we were there we logged into our own Netflix and Prime onto the tv as this was available. I logged out of Netflix but didn’t the prime it seems as today I’ve had a credit card bill for 340.00. My CC is attached to my prime account.

It lists a lot of prime video, and on logging in I can see that a lot of films have been bought, some to permanently keep in HD (15.99) a piece. All are charges from 1 week, so I’m guessing when a family were staying there?

the thing is what to do next? DFriend says that I should phone the credit card company and deny the charges? But it’s from my account!

DM thinks that I should call the bloody police as it’s theft

and I’m just at a loss, I’m aware that I left it logged in so I’m not sure if I’d even be able to put blame. I’ve messaged the holiday home owner and I’ve logged myself out of all devices

but wwyd?

also name change because I’m mortified

OP posts:
KermitlovesKeyLimePie · 09/05/2022 20:19

So did you get emails when they were purchased OP?

Lockheart · 09/05/2022 20:21

Trying to prove this is theft and prosecuting someone is more than a bit of a reach at this stage.

  • there is no proof (yet) that the purchases were made at the holiday cottage. The account could have been hacked or it could even be someone in OPs household.
  • even if it were the holiday cottage, there is no proof (yet) that the new guests were deliberately stealing. It could have either been a misunderstanding about the services provided at the cottage, or it could have been a child getting excited about all these great films (not many people logically could fit in £340 worth of films in one week and threads about children spending inordinate amounts of money accidentally online are not rare).

So perhaps back up and think for a moment before telling OP to send shitty threatening letters to the cottage owners.

OP, your first port of call is to change your password and cancel any cards linked to your account.

Then you need to speak to Amazon to see if they will refund the charges.

You should also change your preferences so you get an email every time a purchase is made. In theory you could have nipped this in the bud instantly if you had that because you'd have seen the activity.

You need to get the cottage owners to log you out from their TV.

If Amazon won't refund you then you can try and establish if it was the cottage guests who bought the films but honestly I think you're onto a losing situation there.

Heckythump1 · 09/05/2022 20:21

BroodleToodle · 09/05/2022 20:14

Sorry it’s been a bit manic, so I’ve contacted Amazon and that’ll be my first port of call.

yes, it amounted to 340.00 but it was mostly kids stuff. Kids films and also a boxset where every episode was bought. I don’t know if it was a very naughty child just clicking and buying away to just be basically a little shit, or if they watched any of it

only A few of the films have actually been watched, and a few have only had the opening credits by the look of the loading bar.

Might not even have been a naughty child... just a child who didn't realise what they were doing! My 6 year old accidently rented £15 worth of Steve and Maggie on our Amazon Prime (have since sorted out the parental controls) she isn't a 'naughty little shit' she just didn't realise what she was doing - when you're 6 it isn't always obvious.

Did you not get emails at the time? So you could have rectified the situation sooner.

Elphame · 09/05/2022 20:24

We remind guests in the checkout instructions to make sure they have logged out of any accounts they've logged into on the smart TV.

You would be surprised how many still don't.

Womencanlift · 09/05/2022 20:24

Sounds like a kid has had a play about with your Prime. Maybe they know from home how to use it and came across it in the holiday let and thought it was the same as home.

Yes their parents should have supervised but they maybe also assumed it was covered in the rental cost.

Either way you are liable as you didn’t log out. I doubt you will get anywhere with Amazon, the rental agent or a small claims court. You unlikely won’t get anywhere with the police as it will fall under the same thinking as if you had your purse stolen and your pin was written in a piece of paper and money was stolen.

chubbachub · 09/05/2022 20:24

With it being kids stuff I bet it was a child who did this unknowingly. I bet it was Blaze and the monster machines. Thats what my son keeps asking for! Just set up parental control straight away and contact Amazon. Cant you just say it was your own child by accident? I know when my son wracked up some app store charges (only about £10 worth) they refunded me as goodwill. Might be easier than explaining the whole holiday home/who is responsible situation.Hope you can get the money back.

Hutchy16 · 09/05/2022 20:27

My money is on Amazon just refunding it…it’s digital content, so it’s not like goods need to be returned

coffeecupsandfairylights · 09/05/2022 20:30

BroodleToodle · 09/05/2022 20:14

Sorry it’s been a bit manic, so I’ve contacted Amazon and that’ll be my first port of call.

yes, it amounted to 340.00 but it was mostly kids stuff. Kids films and also a boxset where every episode was bought. I don’t know if it was a very naughty child just clicking and buying away to just be basically a little shit, or if they watched any of it

only A few of the films have actually been watched, and a few have only had the opening credits by the look of the loading bar.

So it sounds like a kid who was left unsupervised and didn't realise what they were doing - not theft, then.

Did you not get any alerts to your Amazon account or e-mails when all these purchases were made, though?

BlessingInDisguise · 09/05/2022 20:32

Contact your bank and report the charges as fraudulent. Amazon won't (be able to) do anything about it.

Elphame · 09/05/2022 20:33

AnneElliott · 09/05/2022 19:16

I don't agree that the holiday rental would be in breach of GDPR for handing over details in a case like this. There are clear exemptions for purposes such as preventing and responding to criminal offences. And this does seem like theft as they'd seen the purchase price and knew they weren't logged in.

The only way I could do this without breaking GDPR would be to provide the details to the police at the police's request.

There is no way I would give them to the OP.

Dibbydoos · 09/05/2022 20:33

AnotherDelphinium · 09/05/2022 17:59

I’d contact the holiday home owner and explain what’s happened, offer them the proof, and ask if they’d like to be named on the small claims court claim or if they’d like to nominate someone else.

The CF knew exactly what they were doing, and that someone was paying for it. Then I’d issue a small claims court for the whole amount.

Def call amazon whooght help, but if not do this!

The user knew it wasn't their account, but used it anyway, cheeky f-ers!

Womencanlift · 09/05/2022 20:35

BlessingInDisguise · 09/05/2022 20:32

Contact your bank and report the charges as fraudulent. Amazon won't (be able to) do anything about it.

I know when I worked in a fraud department years ago we wouldn’t have refunded this as an unauthorised transaction as the OP hasn’t taken sufficient precautions to keep her financial details secure.

It may have changed now as this was years ago but as I mentioned above it goes the same way as having your PIN number written down and money stolen as a result. That wouldn’t be refunded

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 09/05/2022 20:35

BroodleToodle · 09/05/2022 20:14

Sorry it’s been a bit manic, so I’ve contacted Amazon and that’ll be my first port of call.

yes, it amounted to 340.00 but it was mostly kids stuff. Kids films and also a boxset where every episode was bought. I don’t know if it was a very naughty child just clicking and buying away to just be basically a little shit, or if they watched any of it

only A few of the films have actually been watched, and a few have only had the opening credits by the look of the loading bar.

After reading this I’m more inclined to think it’s an accident. If the family don’t have Prime at home, it more than believable that they would assume it operates the same way as Netflix and Disney+, where if it’s there, it’s available to watch.
They've let their child go to town on it, assuming it’s a subscription streaming service, included in the price.

I know that doesn’t help you, but I don’t think it was malicious.

LilacPoppy · 09/05/2022 20:41

The £15.99 movies aren’t purchases they are same as cinema release rentals for 48 hours.

Blondeshavemorefun · 09/05/2022 20:43

whynotwhatknot · 09/05/2022 18:44

I dont get how you didnt realise-didnt you watch prime when you got home and thought its not logging in?
i dont think its classed as theft they could say they thought it was included in their holiday rental
afaik you cant use prime in two different locations though

You can

we have prime

i can watch something at my dads on phone and dh can be at home watching prime

it is theft, they purchased knowing they wouldn’t be paying /using someone’s else’s zcvount

or at least fraud

StaunchMomma · 09/05/2022 20:43

BroodleToodle · 09/05/2022 20:14

Sorry it’s been a bit manic, so I’ve contacted Amazon and that’ll be my first port of call.

yes, it amounted to 340.00 but it was mostly kids stuff. Kids films and also a boxset where every episode was bought. I don’t know if it was a very naughty child just clicking and buying away to just be basically a little shit, or if they watched any of it

only A few of the films have actually been watched, and a few have only had the opening credits by the look of the loading bar.

It sounds like you have instant purchase on (no entering of a code when buying) and a child has gone mad.

Was it an air bnb? If so I'd speak to the host because they'll know who was in the property in that period. They can also give the holiday maker a negative review that would put other hosts off accommodating the family in the future.

This is a really harsh lesson to learn, bless you.

starfishmummy · 09/05/2022 20:44

Testina · 09/05/2022 18:24

A bored teen dragged on holiday with parents night get through a few! But it does seem more like the actions of someone clicking a selection that they might want through the week.

OP, were they selected a few at a time or all in one go? It’ll be in your prime order history.

My teenage DS with learning disabilities managed to get into a paid for part (sport I think) of some tv service a holiday home owner had. I think he was just randomly pressing buttons on the remote. The owner must have been alerted as he contacted us pretty quickly. Obviously we immediately offered to pay but he said he would try to get the charges removed. I assume he did as we heard no more. Hopefully he tightened things up so that people couldn't do it again either deliberately or accidentally

Ridingoutthewaves · 09/05/2022 20:59

Amazon refund everything, worth asking.

KermitlovesKeyLimePie · 09/05/2022 21:02

@starfishmummy Your post reminds me of when DS now 17 with SEN threw the smart TV's remote control into the swimming pool during a meltdown!

He was 14 at the time and very cross that he could not access Thomas the Tank Engine 😂

The holiday home owner didn't make us pay for that either. We were mortified but he was very understanding!

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 09/05/2022 21:05

Well done for contacting Amazon. I would also contact the credit card co / bank. You don't actually know the charges come from the house; your account may have been hacked elsewhere so I'd definitely report the charges as fraudulent. They usually have a fraud team who can investigate matters.

Ginajo · 09/05/2022 21:10

You must have had an email receipt every time a purchase was made. Why didn't you realise after the first one?

Blueberrywitch · 09/05/2022 21:15

It’s still theft even if you didn’t log out!!! That’s the same as saying you didn’t lock your car/front door therefore the person wasn’t “stealing”. Absolutely you would have a claim.

surreygirl1987 · 09/05/2022 21:15

Oh jeez. You've worried me now. We used our Prime account in an airbnb over Easter! Hope you get it sorted.

Regularsizedrudy · 09/05/2022 21:16

BlessingInDisguise · 09/05/2022 20:32

Contact your bank and report the charges as fraudulent. Amazon won't (be able to) do anything about it.

Amazon are usually pretty good with digital returns. I think it would be much easier to go that route.

Tigofigo · 09/05/2022 21:17

Ohsugarhoneyicetea · 09/05/2022 19:12

You don't know it was the holiday home, all you actually know is that your Amazon account was used fraudulently. I would contact them and state its been used fraudulently, that you have now changed your password and what is the process to recover your money. It happens and these organisations deal with it everyday. I'm sure Bezos will recover from the loss.

Good point