Would you consider this online fraud?

[carteki]

Let me start this off with saying that I'm p'ssed off with these people at the moment....

On 9 December I paid (fortunately via Paypal) to attend an event with a local wine company in January and promptly forgot about it. On the 1st I was sorting out my calendar and looked at the local wine co's site for the event details - but couldn't find it. But I definitely had the payment receipt. Further investigation turned up that they decided to delete the event and not notify me of this little fact. I know of at least one other person in the same boat, but I know from my communication with them that they have NO way of determining who paid for the original event before it was deleted.

Surely the company that I paid has some responsibility to inform people who have paid of changes? or am I basically at their mercy?

Yes - I have lodged a complaint via paypal and am considering raising one with my credit card provider as well - but I know that this has happened. what about those people who've paid, but forgotten because the event is no longer in their rsvp list?

The scary part is that on lodging the complaint with Paypal the company contacted me saying "I see you've lodged a complaint - its ruining our record please remove it..." She didn't even read why I disputed the charge.

[JR8]

I can't really get my head around what you booked, and what hasn't happened, how you know, or why it hasn't happened. Sorry, being thick.

But, when you bought the tickets, I'd have thought that constituted a contract. To what extent has the retailer not performed? Did the tickets come with contractual terms, i.e. 'the smallprint'?

[beppi]

I looked at your icons and had to laugh:
One ape doesn't understand the other!

[JR8]

I looked at your icons and had to laugh:
One ape doesn't understand the other!

[x9200]

Surely the company that I paid has some responsibility to inform people who have paid of changes? or am I basically at their mercy?

If they are not bind on this by any agreement they are not. They are obliged to deliver what they promised and nothing more. Of course on general civil law ground you can try to claim your damages / compensations if you can prove them,

Yes - I have lodged a complaint via paypal and am considering raising one with my credit

Paypal is effective and pro-consumer. No need IMHO to involve the cc provider.

card provider as well - but I know that this has happened. what about those people who've paid, but forgotten because the event is no longer in their rsvp list?

SCT?

[nutnut]

Do you know where they are based? Some things like this are best done face to face IMO, people tend to be less likely to be forceful when they realise that you are p$$ed off and standing in front of them (maybe that's just me)...

In my opinion, if you have paid for an event and they cancelled it and haven't informed you, then they owe you a refund, if they don't give you a refund, then I'd say it's hard to say whether it's fraud or not, it would be if they intentionally set up a false event with no intention to run it only to take the money, but you'd have to prove that.

[zzm9980]

Yes - I have lodged a complaint via paypal and am considering raising one with my credit card provider as well - but I know that this has happened. what about those people who've paid, but forgotten because the event is no longer in their rsvp list?

I would carefully watch the timeline. As it gets close to the end of being able to dispute the charge, dispute it. PayPal almost always sides with the consumer (even if they're blatantly wrong), but that process can go on for months. Usually longer than the CC company gives you to dispute. The worst case is PayPal will put your account into a negative balance for the amount while waiting for the dispute resolution.