have had a major dispute with scan computers throwing accusations around. for all those interested read below and steer clear of scan.co.uk Scan computers Accusations of credit card fraud, criminal activities and slandering an honest businessman and his company! Approximately a month ago I entered into a trade with scan computers for an order worth £600 on my credit card. Things got jumbled up at their end and they billed another person’s card. However when they received the chargeback from American express rather than check their details they decided that I must be trying to obtain goods by deception and fraud. They then proceeded to make numerous calls over a 2 day period resulting in them advising they were taking me to court. When I checked my messages I called them back the next day. Upon speaking to their managing director Nisha Raja I was submitted to a barrage of insults, accusations and threats without once being asked for my side of the story. It was only by chance that I had saved the details that I could produce a reference number showing that I had sent in my details. The full story below details what was a stressful and time consuming experience for me that I hope I can help others avoid. In short stay away from these people they don’t care once they have made the sale! In June 2004 I decided to treat myself to a new home PC for gaming and internet. I selected Scan computers as they offered the casing that I was looking for and placed the order online using my visa credit card. The system prompted me to fax the details and a reference number to scan to which I emailed in. The goods promptly arrived a few days later with a receipt to my name and they all worked. I was happy with the trade and my goods and even recommended Scan to my employers. A few weeks later I received an email from scan asking me to call them about an outstanding issue with my American express card. As I have never owned an AMEX card and I work Monday-Friday 8am-7pm I disregarded it as a mistake and did not have the time to make a call to advise them. I thought this would be the end of it as they would see I used a visa. Approximately 2-3 weeks later I received numerous phone calls over 2 days into my call answering service with alldaypa. As I don’t usually receive a high volume of calls I check it every 2-3 days for messages. To my horror I had messages ranging from “can you please call regarding our outstanding issue” to “we are beginning legal proceedings against you”. It was then 7pm on a Friday nigh and despite trying scan’s lines were shut. I decided to send a rather heated email to the scan query line for attention of Nisha raja and MR J Washington. I questioned what I had done wrong and what exactly they had called the police for and why they were taking me to court. Although heated this email did not contain foul language nor was it personally offensive to either of the employees and I later apologised to Mr Washington for the tone of the email. I had no reply by mid day on Saturday which was my day off so I had to call scan and ask for Nisha. I got straight through to her and without saying anything to her I was immediately accused of stealing from Scan computers. When I asked what I had stolen she replied listing my £600 order. I advised I had paid for this with my credit card. Nisha promptly cut me off and asked why I had disputed the charge and who was Kevin O’Brien. I had no idea who Kevin O’Brien was and I had no disputed the charge. This however was not good enough and I was told that I was a "chancer" and that I had obtained goods by deception. I stopped Nisha there and advised her she was being recorded. I asked her directly “are you accusing me of credit card fraud? ” she answered “yes and you have deceived us and tried to give us the run-around”. I went on to advise Nisha that I had done nothing of the sort and that I found it very offensive that she thought I would struggle to raise a business and then commit criminal offences after all my hard work. Nisha advised that she did not care and that she wanted paying for the goods immediately. I advised that if I was going to be spoken to like that then she could take me to court as advised and I would seek legal aid. Nisha's reply was “don’t give me that crap you are a one man band”. Despite being a small business there is legal aid available through the federation of small businesses and I advised her of this. I also advised I was going to check with my credit card company. When I checked with my credit card company it turns out I had not been charged for the goods. However while waiting on hold I rooted through my saved emails and found my order reference number. While I couldn’t bring it up on their site I called back and gave this to Nisha. Nisha immediately stopped being sarcastic and short and advised her system was not working and she would go and investigate. I did not hear back for a while but eventually received an email from Mr Washington at Scan with a grudging apology. This email stated that the fault was also in essence my fault as I should have replied in the first instance. It did not seem to matter to them that I had done nothing wrong or committed no offence. The fault lay in the fact that an employee by the name of Jon had mistyped a number in their server which holds credit card details. Their systems didn’t warn them that the names and registered address didn’t match showing a total lack of compliance with the data protection act. Later that day I received a genuine and sincere apology from Jon at scan for his mistake which I accepted and thanked him for. I sent an email back to Nisha advising that as all was cleared I felt that in compensation I should be left with the goods as there was no fault on my part and I was likely to put more business their way if I did not have a repeat occurrence of this. However Nisha was quick to reply that I was in the wrong for not replying straight away to their initial query and that she wanted me to pay for the goods immediately. The problem with paying for something when you have not budgeted for it is obvious. However more to the point if a company was going to treat me like this there was no way they were having the profit from this sale. I advised Nisha in a pleasant manner that they could either leave the goods with me as she had not seen fit to even offer any sort of apology for her accusations or they could come and pick them up. Nisha avoided the email and demanded payment again. I sent back a copy of my original email to which she avoided and requested that I call her the next day and pay for the goods. Again I advised why I would not do this and sent my email back. Scan computers are now arranging to pick up their goods and are going to attempt to claim a 25% restocking fee. I am of course flat refusing to pay this and it will no doubt cause me more stress in the future. I feel however that if nobody bothers to complain managing directors will be able to throw accusations unchecked and without fear. I hope that I can persuade others not to use Scan so that they do not have to go through the same ordeal as I did Copies of emails and phone logs are available on request
------------------------
Ultra low cost computers and business solutions
2nd user laptops from £300

www.nemesis-computers.com