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IMPORTANT: SUBSCRIBERS PLEASE READ Direct Debit - Possible Subscription Issue

stu neville

stu neville

Commissioner.
Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2002
Messages
13,692
This has just - literally - been brought to attention elsewhere. This is an email from Diamond Publishing to a subscriber: I've no idea how widespread this is, or even if it's accurate, but please check your emails if you subscribe to the mag. Obviously it's hard to verify at 8.00 pm on a Thursday so will try to find out what's afoot first thing.

Meanwhile CHECK YOUR EMAILS.
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Hi Stu. Thanks for the heads' up.
Just checked my online banking app and can't see anything amiss over the last month. My next DD to Diamond Publishing isn't until July and looks like the standard amount.
Is your advice that I should cancel my DD anyway?
 
blessmycottonsocks said:
Hi Stu. Thanks for the heads' up.
Just checked my online banking app and can't see anything amiss over the last month. My next DD to Diamond Publishing isn't until July and looks like the standard amount.
Is your advice that I should cancel my DD anyway?
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No, by the sound of it this is only affecting subs that go out in January, and as they say they're (obviously) aware of the issue and taking steps.
 
Thanks, Stu. Mine went on 10th Jan and looks OK.
 
Salmonellus said:
It might also be possible that this is a scam, especially as people are not seeing a problem in their bank statements
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No, it's not - for a start, the email tells the subscriber to contact their bank directly, not anyone else, plus one of the affected subscribers confirmed that there was a huge DD due out to Diamond via their banking app. Good thinking but I've done some due diligence.
 
Any connection with the Russian cyber-attack on the international mail system?

According to a message I received last night, HM Government's embargo on outgoing deliveries was intended to limit the further exposure of bank details and financial data etc.

I don't have details on how those two things are directly linked, but the fact that they are comes from a senior member of staff.
 
Morning all. I've heard from Diamond Publishing about the situation, and it appears that an error on behalf of the bank resulted in the decimal points being removed from the forthcoming direct debit figures. It has apparently affected 108 subscribers (I don't know if that means they are all customers of the same bank), so a small number out of the total. The email from Diamond is genuine, and you should have had one if you are one of the 108, so do follow the advice given; I'd probably check my DD anyway to be on the safe said. This does seem to be a case of a genuine error on the banking side, not some sinister scam (which our previous publisher, Dennis, fell prey to some years back). I know it is a debacle and cock-up of mammoth proportions, but Diamond are in the process of trying to rectify it. Still, obviously not a great help to FT in an already tough climate! All best, DS.
 
Some people have indeed woken up to find they just bought the most expensive issues of FT ever – and are not happy!

I'll try and get some updates from Diamond and will keep you posted.
 
I called through to my Lloyds Bank customer service.
A lovely lady called Gaye (sounded northern and, er, 'mature') checked my account and confirmed that my DD last went out in August.
Judging by the amount we determined that it appears to be processed every 6 months, which would make the next payment due in mid-February.
She advised that I could cancel the DD if I was concerned about it, and then set-up a new one, but I said I expect that the issue will have been sorted before that next payment goes through, so I said leave it as is.
 
Trevp666 said:
I called through to my Lloyds Bank customer service.
A lovely lady called Gaye (sounded northern and, er, 'mature') checked my account and confirmed that my DD last went out in August.
Judging by the amount we determined that it appears to be processed every 6 months, which would make the next payment due in mid-February.
She advised that I could cancel the DD if I was concerned about it, and then set-up a new one, but I said I expect that the issue will have been sorted before that next payment goes through, so I said leave it as is.
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Yes, I think you'll be OK by then – this appears to be a fairly unique cock-up that has hopefully only affected DDs going out over this week.
 
Publishers are trying to sort refunds today for any subscribers caught by this cock-up and advise anyone affected to contact the subs people asap on 0208 752 8125 or [email protected] to discuss. It seems the error was not present when the DD instructions left Diamond, but was probably introduced as part of the (mysterious) process that passes them to subscribers' banks. Hope no one on the forum affected, and that you're all having a better Friday than I am :)
 
May not be related but my FT digital download app on the ipad keeps reading "no connection". I can see the issues I've already downloaded but it's not reaching the store. Could this be shut down? Been this way since yesterday. Never had it happen before.
 
I appear to be getting charged the correct amount, on a six-monthly basis.

And as an investment in the great old mag, I've literally just paid for one of a number of gift subscriptions I've been meaning to organise for ages: so my exposure for accidental DD (direct destitution) will steadily-increase in the event of any Fortean financial failings
 
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Sharon Hill said:
May not be related but my FT digital download app on the ipad keeps reading "no connection". I can see the issues I've already downloaded but it's not reaching the store. Could this be shut down? Been this way since yesterday. Never had it happen before.
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I'm having the same issue..its been like that for around 24 hours now for me
 
KerryDF said:
I'm having the same issue..its been like that for around 24 hours now for me
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This is still happening. Wonder when I should bug the publisher.

is anyone else still having trouble downloading new issues in the app?
 
I am one of the hundred or so who had 0s added on to their D/D this month and wondered if anyone has had their money back yet. I am always wary of giving my bank details out over the phone and therefore didn't when I spoke to a helpful person on the subscription team. I would have thought they have what they need to make a refund. I'll contact my bank to check on this.
A good thing to come from this is that I have rediscovered this forum after many years away.
 
I pay for my subscription DD out of a largely defunct bank account that I keep purely for the purposes of magazine subscriptions. So there is only ever enough money in the account to cover any forthcoming DDs (for the next six months). That way, if anyone tries to take out any more money than is actually owed, the payment will bounce and I will get a sturdy ticking off from the bank (but nobody will have my money).

It's stood me in good stead when someone tried to hijack my account once.
 
That is a really good idea, catseye, about the subscription account. Thank you!
 
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