How to get your money back when you’ve been conned

            My friend recently booked a package holiday online only to find that the company was a complete sham and that the holiday he’d book was in fact a complete con. He wasn’t staying anywhere near the location he’d been promised, his flights were at completely untenable times and he’d been hit with countless hidden charges. Suffice to say he wasn’t in much of a holiday mood by the end of it all and he just wanted to cancel and get his money back.

Unfortunately the company were not particularly helpful on this front either (surprise, surprise) and despite battling and arguing with them completely reasonably he didn’t manage to get a whiff of a refund mentioned. Fortunately my friend isn’t a fool and he knew all the right channels to go through to eventually get his money back.

Such companies and con artists are despicable but they are only able to operate at all because so few people realise the various options available to them when it comes to getting their money back. Here we will look at some of the things you can do to make sure that none of these horrendous outfits makes off with your cash.

Complain

The first port of call, even when you think a company is pulling a fast one, is to ask for a refund with the company directly so that your request is recorded. You’d be surprised how easily you can often get your money back if you make the right noises – many companies simply rely on their victims being too timid to complain or just not being bothered so if you make it obvious you won’t just ‘go away’ they’ll often concede that they’re in the wrong.

That said, certain things can show you mean business and help the process for one. Make sure that you always ask for names for instance to make sure the people you speak with no that they will be held accountable for their actions or their inaction. Likewise, ensure that you are speaking to the highest level of management possible, and to try at least one formal complaint in writing/via e-mail so that you can keep a copy for your records. Mention during complaints that you aren’t afraid to take your dispute higher and that you will involve their superiors, the press and the law if necessary.

Try Other Organizations

If the company you’re dealing with still will not play ball then this leaves you with one option which is to complain to any other companies whose reputation may be at stake. For instance if you booked the service through a third party such as Amazon or Groupon then you may find that they will help you get your money back, or that they will even refund you directly (and probably remove the offending con artists from their site).

Financial Institutes

Another place to turn is your bank and if you inform them you have been a victim of fraud they may be able to help. If you booked on credit card in particular, then you will be covered against such situations and they should chase down the money for you meaning you don’t need to worry about anything. If you have any direct debits with the company you have a quarrel with, then you may still be able to cancel them.

The Law

Finally if you still don’t get your money back then you may wish to involve the law. While not everyone can be bothered or even afford to go through this process, if you have lost a considerable amount of money then it may well be worth your while (and you may find that the first letter is enough to scare the company into playing ball). Don’t let these outfits get away with it.

Author Byline:

John Lowrie is an expert financial journalist who works for a very well known financial website by the name of Payday Angels. To know more about this keen blogger, you can follow him on Twitter.