MoneySaver's 'unbelievable' £675 refund from Complete Savings – how to check if you can claim too
MoneySaver Ray secured a £675 refund from Complete Savings after reading our warning about the 'cashback with a catch' site's misleading 'click to claim' ads. And Ray's not the only one, as we've been swamped with similar successes.
Misleading Complete Savings ads, which often pop up on well-known retailers' websites when you buy something online, were banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in October 2024, following a MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) complaint.
The regulator told Complete Savings that its ads must make it clear that you need to sign up to a paid-for subscription and detail the steps to get any cashback, which can include making additional purchases. Since the ban, we've still seen some examples of the old ads online, though the ASA says it's continuing to engage with Complete Savings to make sure it follows the rules.
In the meantime, here's how to check if you've unknowingly signed up and how to try to get your money back.
'I got a £675 refund – your article gave me confidence that I wasn't alone'
Ray, 70, is a retired nurse living in Sussex. In 2021, he did an online food shop – which he had never done before – on Iceland.com, to minimise contact with others during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When an advert for Complete Savings popped up, Ray entered his credit card details believing he would be paid cashback on his order. He didn't realise he was signing up to a monthly subscription.
Over three years later when Ray saw our warning, he checked his credit card statement and saw he'd been charged £15 every month since placing his supermarket shop, adding up to a total of £675.
Ray told us: "I felt stark horror. But your article informed me and gave me the confidence to know that I was not alone, and that MSE and the ASA were aware of Complete Savings."
Following the guidance in our previous story, Ray immediately rang Complete Savings to cancel his membership and try to get his money back. Ray was initially only refunded three months' worth of payments, but he rang up again to request a full refund, referencing our article and the ASA ruling, and Complete Savings refunded him the rest.
"I just thought, wow, this is unbelievable," said Ray. "I am so glad I persisted with my argument of consent inferred by inaction and the ASA's ruling regarding Complete Savings' misleading offer, thanks to your article."
We've had lots of other Complete Savings refund successes
While some MoneySavers tell us they successfully use Complete Savings to earn cashback on online purchases, we've been contacted by many who've been signed up without realising. Below are some more successes we've had from MSE users who've been refunded after following our guidance:
Suzanne via email said: I noticed that my credit card had a monthly payment to Complete Savings, which I had mistaken for my monthly bridge membership. I consider myself to be pretty financially savvy but this one caught me out – I was mortified. I contacted Complete Savings and was initially offered a refund for three months, but then I received all £657 in payments credited back to my account. Thanks MSE!
MSE Forum user racey commented: A few days ago an unexpected charge of £18 hit my current account. It was from Complete Savings. I had been misled by an ad that appeared after buying something online. I contacted Complete Savings and cancelled my subscription. It refunded me without any trouble.
Forum user dbmse added: My partner found out this week that she'd inadvertently signed up to Complete Savings and had been paying £15 a month, totalling over £200. We emailed Complete Savings this week complaining and, within a couple of days, we were refunded the full amount, quibble-free.
If you've managed to get your money back from Complete Savings, do let us know in the Cancellation Successes MSE Forum discussion.
Check NOW that you're not unknowingly paying out
Complete Savings is owned by a company called Webloyalty International Limited, that charges members £18 a month (previously £15 a month) to use. You can't sign up to the service directly – the only way to join is after making a purchase with one of its partner retailers. As a result, you may have signed up unknowingly.
Here's how to check and try to get your money back:
-
Check for unnecessary payments. To find a recurring payment, you'll need to check your bank and credit card statements manually. Payments made to Complete Savings should appear on your statement as one of the following:
- WLY*COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
- COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
- CASH.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
- GO2.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
- WWW.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
For other types of payment, most online bank accounts have a section that displays all your standing orders and Direct Debits. -
If you find any unwanted payments, cancel them straight away. To cancel a recurring payment, you'll need to contact the company directly. With Complete Savings, you can cancel your membership anytime fee-free by emailing Complete Savings or by calling 0800 389 6960 (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Saturday).
We've seen reports from some users who, while cancelling their memberships, asked Complete Savings to delete their personal data. Be aware that this could make it harder to get a refund, so it may be best to make this request after you've received any money back. For full info on your data protection rights, see the Information Commissioner's Office website. -
Don't recognise a payment or feel you were misled into signing up? Complain – you may get your money back. You can make a complaint to Complete Savings by calling the number above or by emailing its customer services team.
If you feel you were misled by the ads, we'd suggest explaining this and mentioning the ASA ruling, as we've seen lots of people get refunds this way. If you've never actually used Complete Savings after signing up, you should explain this too.
If you're offered a partial refund at first, don't assume that this is the best outcome you'll get. It's worth going back to Complete Savings again to ask for a full refund – Ray and others were able to get all of their money back by doing this.
You can also check out our guide on checking and cancelling recurring payments, as well as on how to conduct a Direct Debit audit.
What Complete Savings said
A spokesperson for Complete Savings told us: "Member satisfaction is a priority for us, and we aim to resolve any concerns fairly. We judge each case on an individual basis. As a gesture of goodwill, we may offer a refund of membership fees if the programme has not been used following sign-up."
Iceland declined to comment.
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17 June 2025
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