Charity work

Yesterday I received a text from a ring tone company confirming my order and the fact that they would be charging £4 per week for their services; they went on to offer me the opportunity to cancel my order by dialling a premium rate number. I had of course never heard of them.

Last week though, I got a letter from the National Trust, thanking me for my continued support and reminding me that they would be taking £36 from my bank account in the next few weeks. Perhaps five years ago they successfully removed a similar amount from my current account despite my having cancelled my direct debit at least a year before. This latest letter had been forwarded to me by my bank; "we have a mutual customer; we have lost contact with him, blah blah blah". I contacted my bank who were super friendly about it, offering to call the offending charity and sort it out, (the person I spoke to had their number readily at hand) and stating that if it proved that I hadn't issued them with a new instruction, they would reimburse me and then chase the naughty charity. When I pointed out that I relied on them not to let anybody who fancied it, remove arbitrary amounts of money from my account willy nilly, they said they'd find out who was at fault. I asked them how it could happen and they told me the organisation in question may have invented a new reference number.

It is all depressingly cynical.

"Hello Mr Bank, we are a big charity and you have been our bank for some time. But we're thinking of changing to a bank that helps us generate more cash. We used to have an arrangement with some of your personal customers. If you don't mind, we will have a go at removing money from their accounts (many of them won't notice), if you'd be busy with something else whilst we're at it, that'd be jolly amenable; this will ensure our continued beautiful sybiotic relationship. Lots of love, Bent Charity".

Perhaps I should get in touch with that supercilious bloke from Radio 4.....probably could, but the arse who came up with the scam, sold the idea to his bosses by pointing out that I don't really have the time or inclination (The bank just left me a message to say that they've credited my account with the £36 that the NT swiped from my account last year....without me noticing!)