Email from LAA ltd

[C Rule]

I have just received an email from LAA ltd sent by "[email protected]" saying my annual direct debit payment had been changed.
The email does not reference my membership number and the increased subscription mentioned does not equate to any figure stated on the LAA website.
Am I being paranoid or is there a reasonable expalnation for this?

[dmcnicholl]

Colin,

The most reasonable explanation is that this is a scam so my recommendation would be to ignore the 'notification' and do not follow any links therein.

With the recent scam activity within the LAA and possible data breaches you might also consider canceling your existing direct debit and, if you still want to pay by that method, set up a new one with the payee and fee details the LAA ought to be able to provide and with which you are comfortable.

Donald

[C Rule]

I emailed the LAA this morning prior to 0900 requesting clarification
As of 1430 no acknowledgement or answer.
I am not impressed

[C Rule]

update as of 1500
Confirmed as NOT a Scam but no explanation as to why it originated from a non LAA email address

[Donald Walker]

If you search for 'gocardless' in your mailbox, you will almost certainly find previous emails from them relating to your LAA Direct Debit agreement.

[tnowak]

Gocardless is the 3rd party provider that the LAA uses for Direct Debit payment processing.
I did receive a separate email from the " LAA Ltd" a few days ago, addressed to me personally, advising of the increase in annual membership fee.
Good to be cautious though..
Tony N

[dmcnicholl]

update as of 1500
Confirmed as NOT a Scam but no explanation as to why it originated from a non LAA email address

It seems highly questionable to me that the original notification email originated from non LAA address.
Without advance warning that Gocardless is now their 3rd party provider that would be a bright red flag to anyone with any awareness of scammers. You'd think after their recent experience they would understand that.

[C Rule]

In fairness to the LAA I did find an email dates Aug 2020 which states :-
Dear LAA Member

CHANGES TO YOUR DIRECT DEBIT

 

You will be receiving a letter soon regarding changes to our direct debit system and there is also an announcement in the August issue of Light Aviation.  It has just come to light that for us to progress, we need to cancel all current direct debits mandates set up with the LAA before being able to set up new ones under GoCardless. The only way of doing this is to send our normal monthly direct debit file to our bank with a Code 19 which, in effect, advises our bank that this will be the last payment being made on your current direct debit mandate and then it will be automatically cancelled.  Unfortunately, we have to put a value through and this will go through at £0.01 pence on or around the 10th of August.  If any one would like a refund, please do contact us.  Otherwise, we will donate this amount towards our Armstrong/Isaacs bursary. 

Aplogies for any inconvenience this may cause and if you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected].

Regards

LAA
I had forgotten about that However I do think the latest communication should have come from an LAA scource