Avoid this loophole - Tue 27th March 2018
It is important to note that when paying for an item or service online that you do so with the individual or firm directly and not pay via  a third party, as you could fall foul of a little known, and less understood, loophole in the  Consumer Credit Act which holds card issuers jointly liable if a trader breaches the contract.
There must be a direct relationship between the customer/client, the card issuer and the offending merchant, otherwise the protection of section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act is lost.
Some online companies use specialist payment processing companies like Paypal and Transferwise, and so customers are not necessarily aware of the problem and the implications this means.
Action Fraud disclosed that nearly 100 people a week in 2017 were scammed by companies that clone legitimate holiday websites, whereby paying with a card via a third party will invalidate your protection.
If this happen to you and your card issuer refuses to compensate you, then do contact the financial ombudsman to handle your complaint.
To avoid this use your credit card or debit card and pay the holiday firm directly. Further info on security can be found on our About Us page.
Posted by Bruce Gibson
