Bandit website

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Paul McKeown
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Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:56 am

I paid for a subscription to the website for the last world championship.

I assumed they were a normal type of web business, however, I just got an email saying they would renew my subscription for $25 on November 9th.

There is no visible means to remove one's subscription, either in the email or on the website, logged on or otherwise.

I have sent a mail to support, but not happy with this means of doing business, even if support do unsubscribe me.

Anyone know the people running this site?

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John Upham
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Re: Bandit website

Post by John Upham » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:59 am

Paul,

Which web site are we discussing ?
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
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JustinHorton
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Re: Bandit website

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:59 am

What's the URL?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Paul McKeown
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:08 am

worldchess.com

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JustinHorton
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Re: Bandit website

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:43 am

Oh, tracing the ownership of World Chess is quite the labyrinth if I recall
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

NickFaulks
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Re: Bandit website

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:48 am

JustinHorton wrote:
Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:43 am
Oh, tracing the ownership of World Chess is quite the labyrinth if I recall
Don't we all just believe it's Merenzon? He is certainly the CEO.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Bandit website

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:56 am

As I recall there's a World Chess Events Limited and a World Chess PLC and I can't remember if the relationship between the two was entirely clear.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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JustinHorton
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Re: Bandit website

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Nov 04, 2019 1:25 pm

Anyway, while their page about themselves does not actually tell us anything about themselves, Companies House tells us that it's Merenzon and a guy called Matvey Shokhovtsov. Whether they're really the people in control, well, who knows.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Mick Norris
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Mick Norris » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:26 pm

Matvey Shokhovtsov appears to be the legal guy involved in trying to stop us seeing the moves live unless we pay
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Paul McKeown
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:54 pm

Two emails and two voice messages left on their corporate telephone number (USA), no sign of a response.

I fear they will just attempt to renew, without bothering to remove me from their subscribers. Easy money, no customer care necessary.

I guess I will have to talk to my bank to see if there is any way I can prevent payment being taken, otherwise try the various avenues for consumer advice.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:57 pm

And, of course, only one week's advance notice of the renewal, to make it really awkward to cancel.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:05 am

Paul McKeown wrote:
Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:54 pm

I guess I will have to talk to my bank to see if there is any way I can prevent payment being taken, otherwise try the various avenues for consumer advice.
If you paid by Direct Debit and have online banking, cancel the DD. If it's through a credit card, I'd imagine you have to contact the issuers to cancel.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Tue Nov 05, 2019 3:33 pm

Plastering this story all over their twitter feed and facebook page seems to have provoked some sort of response. I shall await developments.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Bandit website

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Nov 05, 2019 4:01 pm

Presumably this has happened to other people?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Paul McKeown
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Re: Bandit website

Post by Paul McKeown » Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:09 pm

From the Twitter feed, it is obvious that lots of people have the same problem, various complaints.

Kicking off a storm on Twitter would appear to have produced a swift response. They appear now to have cancelled it.

Anyone else this happens to, my advice: s**t all over their Twitter feed. No point using the official support channels, they just ignore you.