Are other people contacting you about their John Lewis Partnership credit card?
The reason I ask is that I have just received a letter from HSBC claiming I’ve been transferred to it, but nothing from John Lewis. HSBC used to offer the John Lewis card but last year customers were all switched over to another firm, NewDay.
Concerned that this might be a scam – the HSBC alert letter wants me to set up a direct debit – I rang the customer care line at John Lewis Finance and spoke to a very confused person who had had several similar calls.
It’s my main credit card, so I need to understand what’s going on. He was unable to clarify.
This is fishy or incompetence. Can you shed any light on it?
VJ, by email
My immediate reaction to this was, like your own, to assume this was a scam, and that fraudsters were trying to elicit people’s bank details. However, on this occasion, it turns out that it is not.
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A John Lewis Finance spokesperson says: “We want to reassure customers that the correspondence they have received from HSBC UK is legitimate.
“It has been sent as a legal requirement in regard to their historic partnership card accounts. We’re sorry for any confusion caused.”
It added that the letter only applies to customers who still have an outstanding balance, and if you don’t, you can ignore it.
Given that you pay off your balance in full each month, it’s unclear why you were sent the letter, but you were right to question it.
The switch to NewDay was a painful process for many cardholders and this episode does little to instil confidence or loyalty.
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