A credit-card fraudster snapped up my money

A credit-card fraudster snapped up my money

Your sale was ineligible for PayPal sellers' protection, up to £3,250, because you had not complied with all the stringent requirements. You immediately lost protection when you handed over the camera instead of posting it through a trackable mailing system. PayPal says you would have got all your money back if you had complied.

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Once fraudsters have someone's credit card details, they can buy eBay items from all over the country. Victims report to their local police stations but the information is not collated centrally, which would identify large frauds more quickly.

PayPal said it would happily co-operate with the police about your problem but the police had not been in touch. I discovered that was because the police had been negotiating with eBay instead. I have tried to persuade eBay and PayPal to speak to each other to make progress. This should not be difficult as eBay owns PayPal, but they seem unable to do so. EBay says it strongly believes in working closely with the police but will not comment further. I am told the police constable involved has been off sick for some time.

A question about the memory of Goldfish

In May, I wrote to Goldfish to close my credit card account as I am terminally ill with cancer - at the time I had about eight months to live. My account is £37.47 in credit which I would like refunded. I wrote again last month but have not had a reply. AC, Aldershot

Goldfish says it has no record of receiving any letters from you but acted on the one you sent me and closed your account. It is returning the balance, rounded up to £50.

Mortgage that never was has cost me £500

I started to remortgage my flat with Bank of Scotland, but did not go ahead. The bank, however, took £500 for the first monthly payment from my account. I repeatedly phoned, and was promised the money would be returned. A call centre operative said they had tried to return the money on 21 August but there had been a problem and she would send an urgent priority mail to the post-offer team to contact me. No one did. GS, London

Bank of Scotland had already released the money to your solicitor before you decided not to remortgage. Your solicitor returned it a month later and after the first payment date fell due, which is why the bank took the premium. Bank of Scotland admits it should have phoned you to explain why there was a delay. It has now sent you a cheque for £500 with an extra £50 to apologise.

I pay insurance on a car I don't have any more

My in-laws had a crash in our car, which we had only just reinsured with them as named drivers. They are lucky to be alive and the car was a write-off. We were happy with the £3,000 payout from the AA but must still pay £111 a month insurance for another 11 months. SR, London