[L3nny]

1. Short version. A company in Germany has charged my credit card for someting I didn't authorise even though I did give them my credit card number for something else. Can I claim it back.

2. Long version.

In early spetember me and a frind took a trip to Germany on our bikes. We arrived at the Nurburgring on day 2 and by mate looked down at his chain to find it hanging off.

Fortunately my mate had a European breakdown policy with the RAC and they picked his bike up to take to the local dealers and was told it would take 2 days for them to fit a new chain and sprocket. In the mean time they will give him a hire car free of charg.

A few hours later a lovely Ford Focus arrived outside the hotel and y mate went down to sort out the paperwork.

As with all car hire agreements they needed a security deposit but my mate didn't take his credit card on holiday with him so I let him use my card for this.

2 days pass, his bike is fixed and the hire car is collected from the hotel checked over and all is good so it's taken away.

When I get back to England I checked my card statement and found I had been charged around £400 from the hire car company. My mate called RAC who checked with the hire company and it appear we have been charged for 4 days rental starting the day after the car was returned.

A few calls from my mate to RAC and they um and arr and say there is nothing they can do.

Right I think, consumer credit act protection time. I write to my card company and say I have been unfairly charged, they say yes this sounds liek and open and shut case and will send me a form to fill in then refund the charges.

Almost 3 months of messing around sending letters to and fro all containing the same information I get a letter this morning saying that because the car was not hired in my name I am not covered by any protection.

So I try and call the card company (HSBC by the way) and all I can get hold of are the usual muppets in India who are very nice and helpful but refuse to put me through to the claims department and say they will get someone to call me back.

Anyway, what I am asking the all knowing org is, has anyone had a similar problem and how was it resolved if at all.

Thanks in advance for the help, hope your still awake after reading the essay.