Firms which swipe cash from customers' bank accounts without permission are facing a crackdown. The Office of Fair Trading has introduced new rules after discovering businesses were not being clear with customers about so-called recurring payments. These are credit card agreements which allow a company to take money from a customer's account without warning. They are often used by payday lenders, gyms, magazines, credit check services and businesses which depend on annual subscriptions. Although often confused with direct debits, recurring payments are different because firms can change both the dates and amounts of money taken without notifying the customer. All that is needed to start a recurring payment is your 16 digit card number. Because these payments are often set up over the phone or through the internet there is often no paper record of the agreement.....More on this story: Warning for firms which dip into your account as OFT issues new guidelines in crackdown