Currys pestered me over £1,589 television I didn’t buy

Anna Tims
·2 min read
<span>Photograph: PA Images/Alamy</span>
Photograph: PA Images/Alamy

Annoyed Currys customers seem to feature fairly regularly on your pages and the consensus seems to be “buyer beware”. However, I’ve discovered you don’t have to be a customer to have your time wasted. I was emailed an e-receipt from the Wednesbury store (almost 200 miles from where I live) for a £1,589 television. I had not made this purchase and was anxious to discover if this was fraud or error.

The email address on the receipt was no longer in operation, and the web chat didn’t work so I had to call customer services. I was promised a response within 48 hours, but heard nothing more. Meanwhile, I was besieged by daily emails thanking me for my purchase, and offering associated deals. I called again, and was passed between operatives who again promised a response within 48 hours. One said he’d put me through to the fraud department and connected me to the police. All I received since then was an email asking for feedback on my recent purchase.
CJ, Wareham, Dorset

Your experience highlights two concerning issues: firstly Currys’s seeming indifference to a possible case of fraud or error. And secondly, its bombardment of customers who do choose to make a purchase. I’ve previously exposed follow-up phone messages from the company within hours of a sale which customers – and even some agents – assumed were from scammers. It turned out the company was using mobile phone numbers required for delivery updates to hard-sell extended warranties (Currys calls them “care plans”). It claims that its volley of after-sales communications is to make customers feel “supported”. It seems it’s less keen on being contacted by customers who need support.

Only after I asked it to explain your predicament did it acknowledge it had made an error. It claims the email of the customer who bought the TV differed from yours by one digit and was inputted wrongly. Your details have now been deleted and the correct customer contacted with the receipt and, doubtless, the onslaught of sales pitches. Currys has paid you £50 in goodwill and says it’s truly sorry for the distress caused. Significantly, no remorse for its failure to address the mistake before media involvement.

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