Nuked my account and device for using a legitimate promo code, then accused of fraud.
After using a promo code given to me by a friend that gave me an amount of free minutes, without warning, Beryl Bikes blocked my account from using their service, accusing me of fraud. After contacting their customer service team, they doubled down on the notion that my activity was fraudulent and that by using this code it was a breach of their terms of service, and on closer inspection, it became apparent that they had not only blocked my account, but also my device from being able to use their service.
Whilst I understand that the code may not have been intended for me, this was a legitimate code, so blocking my access as well as making accusations of fraud is absolutely ludicrous and offensive. This was Beryl Bikes error, but they have placed the blame on the end user. I would have understood, to an extent, if they realised their error and removed the code and minutes, but the removal of service to this extent is absolutely insane, especially for a service run in partnership with the local council.
Reply from Beryl
Good Morning John,
Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate it as it helps us improve and we apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Your account was restricted due to the use of a voucher code that provided £120 worth of free minutes. This code was issued as part of a limited promotion and was not intended for general use. We’re aware that it was widely shared online, and we understand that many users may not have known it was ineligible for broader distribution. As outlined in our Terms and Conditions, promotions and voucher codes may be limited in their redemption and are subject to their own eligibility criteria. The use of this code by users who were not directly provided with it constitutes a breach of those conditions.
While it’s important for us to maintain the integrity of our promotional campaigns, we also want to approach this fairly. I’ll be working with our dedicated tech team to explore whether it is possible to remove the voucher from your account and reinstate your access to our services.
Please be assured that your case is being reviewed carefully. We will follow up with an update as soon as we have more information.
Thank you again for your understanding, and for giving us the opportunity to look into this further.
Best regards,
Scott Campbell
Customer Service & Operations Manager
Beryl