Money taken from account...now in an awkward situation.

[Pollytom]

I've AIBU for traffic.

A couple of months ago, I purchased some fitness classes at my local gym. An invoice was sent to my email and I paid for the classes with my instructor. After the sessions, another invoice was sent over (the instructor had incorrectly billed me) but I paid the invoice anyway and notified her of the error, which she just said she would take off next time. There was absolutely no indication at any point that I had signed up to any type of subscription. It was simply an invoice with the amount for the sessions and then the option to pay for the classes using my bank card. There was no contract, and I didn't sign anything that reflected I had entered into any type of agreement.

Anyway, after two block of sessions with her, I notified her that I wouldn't be continuing as I felt confident to do my own thing. No invoice arrived - but a large chuck of money left my account. I've reached out to her to query this, and her response is that she needs 14 days notice and I must continue with this block of sessions. She didn't tell me I needed to give her notice, and she didn't tell me at any point that it was a subscription I was entering into. I don't have a clue how this has happened tbh. Why send me invoices, and then suddenly no invoice but an automatic withdrawal.

I feel awkward now as I needed that money for DD's birthday and now it's gone and will have to continue with classes that aren't even needed.

Can you do a claim with your bank? That it was unauthorized funds transfer
Can they reverse it?

They use the card number and expiry like when you buy things online

The only way this can have happened OP is that you supplied your bank card details including date and security code. Or you set up your payments on DD.

If you did neither of these things, the money from the account as not gone to her.

You report it as an unauthorised transaction and the get the money back for you.

Start standing up for yourself otherwise you'll go through the rest of your life getting mugged off by people.

I know it's hard but you really have to.

I'm going to send her an email now (polite but formal) and just ask her what's happened because I'm genuinely battled. Perhaps I have somehow signed up to a subscription with her. I can only ever recall paying two invoices using my bank card. That's it.

But HOW did you use your bank card? Did you give her your card number, expiry date and security code, the bank account number and sort code so she could set up a direct debit or some sort of payment link?

If you didnt set up a direct debit or standing order then its dodgy as fuck as she must have saved your bank details, I'd be furious

OP can you just answer the question?! It's infuriating.

How did you make the previous payments? Via card, direct debit?

Same as @TruffleShuffles, I don't understand how she took money out of your account automatically. If you previously had to make the payments then presumably you didn't set up a direct debit, so how did the money leave your account? Even standing orders can be cancelled by the person who owns the account (DD's is not so easy).

Just using my bank - debit card. Just put in my details. That's how I've paid the last two previous invoices.

So if you put in your bank details - she doesn't have them? She can't process a payment then?

I'm guessing OP used her card number, expiry date and security number from the back to pay the previous invoices.

I'm therefore guessing the CF has used the details from the previous invoices to take another payment from OPs account which OP has not authorised

Def contact your bank. The money has been taken fraudulently and if she won't agree to a refund immediately then speak to your bank.

If that's the case then she stole your money OP.

Did you give her your card details or set up a payment using your own online banking?

You're not explaining exactly how you made the payment

So you sent her your bank card details?

Does she not have a secure system for payments? She should not know you account security details.

The only thing I've done is pay two invoices using my debit card, so for example using the long card number, expiry date etc. That's it. I have both emails to show that I've paid for those.

The payment is actually 'pending' however. I don't know it that makes a difference? I've already contacted my bank and they've been great. It's Visa who has held onto the payment and my bank has asked them to release the money back to me.

The instructor didn't send me a new invoice for the new block. She may have been waiting to, but the money was just taken automatically before then.

Did you send her your card details for her to use?

No. All invoices are powered via Stripe. You just click a link and pay. That's it. It's just like a normal invoice or transaction you'd make when you were using Amazon, or Netflix for example.

I don’t see how she can have taken a payment via Stripe.

Have you checked that it’s actually her this money has gone to?

Unauthorised payment I mean.

I just can't see how it is possible.

I don't understand it myself. It's truly baffling. I have spoken to Stripe and they said I can't cancel anything from my end, it must be from the merchant.

I've sent her a polite, but formal email asking how it's happened and if she has any idea of what's gone on etc.

I definitely to my knowledge didn't give my account no or sort code. Just my bank details - i.e. - long card number, expiry date etc when I paid the online invoice. I also didn't get any email to confirm a subscription had been set up, only that I had paid for the block of sessions.