Online scams: How to spot and stop dodgy recurring card payments

Residents are being urged to stay vigilant after a rise in unauthorised online subscriptions has left some victims hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

One 75-year-old man told consumer watchdog Which? he lost over £300 after spotting repeated payments to a website called scentnice.com — a company he had never heard of, let alone ordered from.

The scam saw £40 taken each month for goods that never arrived.

“I don’t know how I signed up for this or how they got my card details,” he said. “Why would a 75-year-old man subscribe to a perfume website?”

Although he cancelled the payments with his bank, NatWest initially refused to issue a refund. The matter was later resolved after Which? intervened and raised concerns about the tactics often used by subscription scams.

Chiara Cavaglieri, senior researcher at Which?, said: “Unauthorised subscriptions are one of the most common complaints we receive. In most cases, they’re linked to misleading online ads. Victims think they’re dealing with a legitimate company but end up paying for something they never wanted or received.”

The scam involved an initial charge of £3, followed by monthly deductions of £40. The company, based in Cyprus, refused to refund the money. NatWest later reviewed the case and issued a full refund.

In a statement, NatWest said: “We advise all our customers to be extra vigilant when making online purchases. Carefully check the terms and conditions, especially if a subscription is involved.”

What to do if it happens to you:

• If you notice suspicious regular payments on your card, contact your bank immediately to cancel future charges.

• Gather evidence — including screenshots, emails, or other complaints online — to support your claim that the payment was unauthorised.

• If your bank refuses a refund, escalate the issue to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

• For credit card payments, try to claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

• Report suspected scam websites to the National Cyber Security Centre, and contact Action Fraud..

Which? said it has reported scentnice.com to the National Cyber Security Centre and Trading Standards after the company failed to respond to its enquiries.