Almost not worth mentioning… but I will anyway. Every so often, like maybe four times a year, I notice on my bank statement that “Microsoft Bing” have taken a tiny amount of money from my account. I’m talking less than 10p and usually closer to 4p. Hardly a massive amount but the point is, I’ve never given them permission to do this.

I think I ran a free advert with them back when Bing first started, before realising it was a massive waste of time. Just idly wondering how many tens of thousands of other suckers are paying out tiny amounts – must add up to a fair old chunk!

Going to phone the bank today and stop any future payments – cheeky beggars.

Think of his starving kids :(…. you heartless bas….. 😉

I’m guessing the free advert you signed up to was free for x amount of time then unless you cancel the agreement then they charge you for the service?

mattyfez – I’m far too cautious and tight to sign up for anything ongoing like that so I doubt it. The amounts they’re taking suggest to me that they’re checking to see if the account’s still active. Definitely don’t have an ad with them now. Lol at RT.

I’d guess it’s some sort of account verification. Very much like pp take/credit a tiny amount from your account when you first add it and you’re supposed to confirm it back to them

Does it get credited back at some point though?

interestingly i have the same thing with ASDA?

Rockhopper – PayPal definitely credit the small amount back to you. Nothing back from Bing over the many years they’ve been doing this. Bank not answering the phone so far…

Quick update – eventually got through to the bank…

Me: Can I stop Microsoft taking money out of my account?
Bank: Mr Removed, these are deposits not withdrawals.
Me: DOH!

So they’ve actually been giving me money for the last however many years. No idea why. Worst rant ever?

Got a blog or webage or something with adverts on it? You getting some tiny ad revenue?

🙂

Those capitalist shysters are *giving* me money on a regular basis – how can I make them stop!

So they’ve actually been giving me money for the last however many years.

Did you forward a chain email to 50 people just before the payments started?

interestingly i have the same thing with ASDA?

How much for?
I filled up at the weekend in asda and they’ve also taken another charge of £1.
Have told my credit card people and they say that as it’s pending they can’t do anything about it.
If the charge is still there in a week I have to raise a dispute.

it won’t be there. Petrol stations pre-auth an amount to check the card is valid before allowing you to fill up (for self service), then charge the full amount on a later charge. The first authorisation is never finalised (as in, actually taken), it just times out

I get it from Tesco when we do our shopping – but the amounts are always only shown as ‘pending’ and never actually get debited. Are you sure your account is actually having the money taken from it?

JD, look up ^^^ They’re actually depositing money as it turns out. And yes, it’s definitely adding to my miniscule balance.

Interestingly (or not), before reading I thought this could be related to the Microsoft Live scam they have going. If you sign up your child’s email address to Xbox Live, they send the monthly invoice to that email, so that the parent doesn’t notice that they’re paying it every month. Also, to the stop the subscription that you may no longer want, you have to log into the CHILD’s account, as you can’t do it through the adult account. It’s very clever.
Anyway, it’s unrelated and the emoney was coming out of my ex’s account, so ho hum.

lol banter

^^ Huh? My child is now on STW?? 😯