[capetonianm]

World Duty Free have kindly offered to refund the cost of an item incorrectly purchased by my son, before I even return it to them.

They have sent me a link to process the refund to a CC but I find it odd that they are asking for the CC expiry and CVV, which are not required to process a credit,at least never were were when I worked in airline revenue accounting, and I have had third parties pay into my CC account without the need for this.

It is an HTTPS site and the refund is genuine, but I’m not happy to supply those details which are not required to process a refund eve if they say they are.

Any views on this, please?

[tomwjsimpson]

The web address looks suspicious to me!

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capetonianm

[MartynSinclair]

Could you not phone World Duty Free on Tuesday ?

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capetonianm

[GivingupBA]

capetonianm wrote:

World Duty Free have kindly offered to refund the cost of an item incorrectly purchased by my son, before I even return it to them. They have sent me a link to process the refund to a CC but I find it odd that they are asking for the CC expiry and CVV…..

It looks and feels HIGHLY DODGY to me and there is no way on earth I would either fill in the form, or click on “Proceed”.

I’m no expert but personally in this case I would only either: [1] deal/ communicate with the credit card company itself about this, or [2] physically walk into the same World Duty Free with the item in your hand, give it to them, and have them process the refund on the spot.

Sorry to sound suspicious but that is my take on it. Good luck and I hope it works out well.

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

I have phoned them and asked the question as to why they need the details but am told ‘that’s how we do it’. I’ve asked for someone to call me back with a clearer answer.

I am not criticising WDF, they have been most helpful and polite.

The website address is genuine, it’s just the methodology I am concerned about. I trust WDF and their processor, but the principle of asking for CVV and EXP is wrong. Supposing some time in the future my card is misused and the issuer asks me if I’ve given those details to a third party?

I appreciate that you do so when making an online purchase, but they are not needed for a refund.

Perhaps I am just being paranoid.

I won’t be in the UK again for a few weeks possibly otherwise I would simply hand it in at one of their stores.

[Tramor01]

I’ve worked with and met the people at Realex in a past life when I worked with a digital agency – They are a well established Magento website development partner providing payment gateways to company websites
They are originally an Irish company but have been in the UK for a few years now – based in Hammersmith
These are their contact details 1 Lyric Square, Hammersmith, London W6 9HR · 020 3026 9659 – It might be worth contacting them too for clarification

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

Thanks Tramor, and others for your replies.

Before seeing your response I had found Realex/Global Payments contact details and noted down so I can call them next week. By coincidence, I know exactly where their Dublin office is as I’ve had dealings with another company in Windmill Lane, just round the corner.

[Swissdiver]

CVV? I don’t see the point either.

Now, if you have a Revolut premium card, you can use the a Disposable virtual card. After one use, it disappears. That said, a refund will still reach you even if a card has been disposed.

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

I have just called both the UK CC issuers that I use and both say the same : “Do not give CCV numbers.”

I do have a Revolut card but it’s not premium, but for that and other reasons it might be worth upgrading, I’ve been thinking of doing so anyway.

Again, thanks!

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Swissdiver

[GivingupBA]

capetonianm wrote:

I have just called both the UK CC issuers that I use and both say the same : “Do not give CCV numbers.” ……. Again, thanks!

Right – asking for the CVV number – that was one of the red flags for me, before my first reply. Thanks for the update, and again good luck with it as you continue.

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capetonianm

[AJDC]

I work with credit cards daily: There is absolutely no need to supply the CVV2 data to process a refund. A sale yes, but not a refund.

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simeoncox

[SimonS1]

It sounds genuine to me. Refunds are processed in different ways, I returned something in a retailer recently and had to put my pin in the reader.

Depending on how much you want the refund I would just supply the details and get on with it. The parties to the transaction seem genuine and sometimes relying on a point of principle is more trouble than it’s worth.

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

I spoke to Realex/Global Payments in DUB earlier today, very helpful, and they have said that they don’t generate that link but they do not need CVV or DoE to process a refund.

It’s not worth the input of any more time, sometimes relying on a point of principle is more trouble than it’s worth ad I’ve written to WDF as below.

Dear xxx

Thank you for this and for creating the refund link.

I spoke to one of your colleagues last week expressing a concern about the fact that this requests input of the CVV number and date of expiry. I appreciate that this is the way that you, via your payment processor Realex Payments, deal with this.

Your colleague said she’d ask you to call me back but I appreciate that with a public holiday and weekend you may be taking a well-deserved break.

At one stage I worked in airline revenue accounting where we dealt with payments/refunds daily, and it is not standard industry practice to require these details for a refund and whereas I have every confidence in both parties involved in this case, the principle is wrong. I have spoken to the card departments of the banks that I use in the UK, and to Realex Payments in Dublin and they all confirm the same.

To save you further work, I’ll return the item to one of your outlets next time in the UK and trust that they will be able to process a refund. Can you please confirm this can be done, as there was a problem last week when my wife took the item to LHR T5.

Please follow up on the above and let me know, and call me if it’s easier.

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GivingupBA

[capetonianm]

WDF didn’t respond to my email, and it’s not worth my while to follow it up.

I’m just getting the item refunded on my next outbound trip.

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GivingupBA

[capetonianm]

For anyone who may have followed this, here’s the outcome.

WDF confirmed that I could hand the item in at any of their shops for a refund, I asked then for this in writing which they did. My next departure was from BFS International (Aldergrove) where they don’t have a store, although strangely they have one at BHD (George Best – the mainly domestic airport).

My next departure was from JER, always a problem as it’s not EU, not UK, etc and when I went the young lass said :
“We don’t stock this here so I can’t change or refund it.”
I then produced the email and she went off to check with Mission Control and came back with authority to refund. Cash.

The moral of the story, at least to all men, is NEVER offer to buy any item of women’s make up, perfume, etc. I get to those displays and it’s like looking at a wall of identical bricks and trying to find a specific one. Being colour blind doesn’t help.

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GivingupBA

[Author]

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