Bought stuff from Amazon and haven't been charged!

A couple weeks ago I ordered 2 items from amazon in two separate orders. One was approx £30, the other approx £36 so total cost was approx £66.

Both were dispatched quickly and I have received both items (for whatever reason they were delivered in the same package).

Usually they charge you when they dispatch an item, right? And then a few days later it'll show up on your statement.

Well, I still haven't been charged. I have the £66 still available in my account. I could take it out and then there'd theoretically be no funds available to actually give Amazon but here I am with the items!

I rang Amazon just to check if there hadn't been an error, and according to a couple of different people there I was successfully charged on June 11. According to them they have their money. If this is the case why am I able to take the £66 out at a cashpoint?

I guess I want to ask if anyone else has had this happen and how long can I wait until I can know for sure that I'm keeping my money? Surely after 8 years say they can't turn around and demand £66? Now 8 years seems an exaggeration so what sort of length of time are we really talking about here? Oh, and they successfully charged me (using exactly the same card details) for a later (and cheaper) purchase..... there's definitely nothing wrong with my debit card.

Edit: tl;dr: bought stuff from amazon, they say they have their money, I still have the money in my bank account which I could use to buy other stuff RIGHT NOW if I wanted to

(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1

Dream Weaver

Maybe it's a problem with the bank? If you take the cash out, then the bank bills you, it might go over your limit.

Reply 2

hypocriticaljap

6 years.
A debt can be chased but after a gap of 6 years without chasing it can't be pursued.

Reply 3

Bose

Use your £66 to buy running shoes and run to the hills.

Reply 4

Huskaris

This is tantamount to a lottery win.

Reply 5

Zii

Original post by Dream Weaver

Maybe it's a problem with the bank? If you take the cash out, then the bank bills you, it might go over your limit.

This is what I thought, but it shouldn't actually be possible! I shouldn't be able to go to a cashpoint right now and take the money out. But I can! It's like a magic £66 has appeared out of nowhere. The mathematician/obsessive-compulsive in me is very much :woo:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 6

hypocriticaljap

why not?
The bank will happily let you have an unauthorised overdraft at zillions % interest!

Reply 7

Zii

So... when are the bank going to charge me? It's just a debit card! There were sufficient funds at the time of ordering and dispatch but no money's been taken.

I'll certainly ring my bank. I can certainly see how this situation is better than, say, the other way round, i.e. being charged but no item was delivered. But it's still annoying and all the more so because I don't understand how a card+account I've never had a problem with, with sufficient funds, has had ANY kind of problem with an internet giant the likes of Amazon! And it's not like I'm getting to keep a measly amount. £66 is a lot in the context of this sort of situation!

Reply 8

mabrookes

Original post by hypocriticaljap

6 years.
A debt can be chased but after a gap of 6 years without chasing it can't be pursued.

There is theoretically no limit to the time they can recover this kind of payment - it is not like a credit agreement etc that gets statute barred after 6 years of not acknowledging a debt.

This is a card payment, and you have authorised them to take the money already when you bought it. They can come at anytime to take that money and the bank HAS to pay it for you.

Also the 6 years thing is not perfect when it does apply, it runs from the last time you acknowledge a debt or similar. So it is 6 years from the time you last made a payment or admit the debt is yours in writing or on the phone. Whether they were chasing it or not does not matter for the most part, because they are supposed to take you to court if you don't pay. If it is taken to court in those 6 years it cannot be barred ever and the court will take over enforcement.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 9

Zii

Original post by mabrookes

There is theoretically no limit to the time they can recover this kind of payment - it is not like a credit agreement etc that gets statute barred after 6 years of not acknowledging a debt.

So how do I make sure Amazon actually get their money? It's not like I'm going to keep this student account forever, with £66.49 in there permanently!

Reply 10

hypocriticaljap

Original post by Zii

It can take up to 28 days surely

Reply 11

mabrookes

Original post by Zii

So how do I make sure Amazon actually get their money? It's not like I'm going to keep this student account forever, with £66.49 in there permanently!

Inform the bank, go in and explain it to them. Once they are aware and look into it, it is their responsibility. They will let you know what needs to be done, if anything and what the problem was, if anything.

Reply 12

JulietAlphaGolf

#Winning

Whats the problem, you got a freebie or your secret demonic admirer covered your cost.

Simples.

Reply 13

Jmzie-Coupe

Have you called them? No good asking us really

Reply 14

flipshot

Original post by mabrookes

This is a card payment, and you have authorised them to take the money already when you bought it. They can come at anytime to take that money and the bank HAS to pay it for you.

Utter rubbish, Visa and Mastercard rules state that payments must be taken within 6 months. After this time Amazon would have to chase you for the money directly.

Reply 15

jacketpotato

Leave it a month, if they haven't taken it after that time they'll probably never take it. No need to chase them, its their issue.

Reply 16

mabrookes

Original post by flipshot

Utter rubbish, Visa and Mastercard rules state that payments must be taken within 6 months. After this time Amazon would have to chase you for the money directly.

Does it say must, or should? The courts have upheld when payments have been taken after over a year and the person complained - I know about the 6 month thing, but as I said theoretically it is now unlimited because they have gotten away with much longer.

Reply 17

emmanottinghil

Original post by mabrookes

It can't be unlimited - all civil litigation matters in UK law are governed by the six year limit. You can totally ignore any demand for monies that is further back than six years.

Reply 18

??????????????????

What's your bank? I wanna sign up!

Reply 19

mabrookes

Original post by emmanottinghil

It can't be unlimited - all civil litigation matters in UK law are governed by the six year limit. You can totally ignore any demand for monies that is further back than six years.

You completely misunderstand this. And it is 6 years from the last payment or acknowledgment of the debt (in writing or in person) not just a random 6 years.

In this case it is different, when you give your card details to anyone for payment you give them full permission to take out any money owed for that transaction. It is completely different to any other situation. This is also why if you do a quick search, you will find it is very difficult to stop a scam when you give your card details out. This is because it is considered giving them permission to take money when they need to.

It is theoretically unlimited, but there would be other considerations and factors that come into it. The 6 year rule would not be one of them however.