High street retail giant Sports Direct is allegedly threatening customers with court action if they pursue credit card chargebacks after their deliveries are stolen by so-called 'porch pirates'. Shoppers who were refunded by their banks when parcels vanished or were delivered to the wrong address have reportedly been accused of fraud and served with notices of intended legal proceedings.
Aggressive Tactics Against Shoppers
Under UK consumer law, customers are entitled to a full refund or replacement from the retailer if a parcel goes missing. However, it is claimed that shoppers who reported lost items to Frasers Group – the parent company of Sports Direct owned by Mike Ashley – were refused refunds. Instead, their cases were reportedly passed to debt collectors and a crime intelligence agency.
Personal details were allegedly handed to the National Business Crime Solution (NBCS), which describes itself as an independent not-for-profit tackling business crime. The agency then demanded hundreds of pounds more than the original item's value to avoid a County Court trial. More than 100 major UK firms, including Frasers Group, which also owns House of Fraser and GAME, use its services.
Customers Facing Inflated Demands
One customer, Adele Peacock, who works in NHS children's mental health services, ordered £112.99 of clothing in November last year. The courier allegedly threw the parcel over her garden fence, where it vanished, despite instructions to leave it with retired neighbours. After Sports Direct ignored her refund requests, her bank, Santander, arranged a chargeback in March.
Ms Peacock claims she was then sent letters from NBCS ordering her to pay £437 by bank transfer or face defending a fraud allegation in court. An email stated she had acted 'contrary to the Policies & Processes of Frasers Group'. She received 'four or five' such letters, which she described as 'really inflammatory'.
In another case, Fiz Aslam from Birmingham ordered a £1,900 bike in September 2022. The courier left it exposed on his porch, took a photo as 'proof of delivery', and marked it as delivered. After months of futile communication, his bank, Lloyds, approved a refund in February 2023. He was then pursued by NBCS for £2,076.99, later reduced to £2,026.99 for prompt payment. Mr Aslam paid but stated he did not admit guilt, adding he felt treated 'unfairly'.
Intimidation and Fear of CCJs
Nichola Green, 43, from Hampshire, faced similar intimidation. She ordered £273 of trainers in February but found them missing despite a delivery notification. The courier's photo showed the parcel at the wrong doorstep. After Sports Direct refused a refund pending an investigation, she contacted her bank, Monzo, which refunded her. She was then sent a 'notice of intended criminal and civil proceedings' from NBCS demanding £597.94.
The letter warned that failure to pay would result in County Court proceedings, costs, interest, and a potential CCJ (County Court Judgment) on her credit file. Ms Green, hoping to get a mortgage next year, said: 'Receiving these letters is very frightening... the stress and worry would really affect me.'
Consumer Backlash and Official Response
Consumer expert Martyn James said retailers are increasingly using debt collectors to pursue refunds for items lost through no fault of the consumer. He advised affected customers to contact Trading Standards and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Kate Dearden, the Minister for Consumer Protection, condemned the practice, stating: 'Intimidating customers seeking refunds is exactly the kind of rogue practice we want to see the back of.' She highlighted toughened penalties for companies breaching consumer law and urged affected individuals to contact Citizens Advice.
A CMA spokesman reinforced that under consumer law, the retailer is responsible if goods are not delivered, and customers have the right to a refund. Businesses denying these rights face penalties of up to 10% of their global turnover. The Daily Mail approached Frasers Group for comment.
