Unauthorised Card Debit

[Potos]

I need help from anybody familiar with banking practices

A couple of days ago my son attempted to buy an annual season ticket at a railway station.

The ticket clerk told him that due to a problem with his card machine he would have to input the details manually.

He then rang to try for an authorisation code but said that he was unable to do so.

My son left the station and later that day went to another station to purchase his ticket. This time the transaction was refused because he had insufficient funds in his account.

He spoke to his bank who confirmed that the first clerk had been given an authorisation code twice and had attempted to debit my son's account 9 times.

He has reported this to the police who ,not surprisingly, are not interested

He has spoken to the station manger who has "promised an investigation"

The railway company say that it could take up to 10 days to return the money to his account

His bank claim that they are unable to refund the money until they receive authorisation from the railway's bank.

As this is an unauthorised deduction, my son did not sign anything or use his pin number, is his bank correct or are they obliged to do more.

Thanks

[IdaInFife]

Not sure on this one but someone will know!

 

 

I had a simial situation but with a mail order firm. They said they could only process 1 item at a time so were going to make 4 transaction 1 for each item but they took the four individual and then another for the toal all together. I got the authorizations numbers and went into my bank who credited the account there and then.

 

Idax

[cherylc1107]

he should contact his bank and start a dispute however this is a lengthly proceedure hopefully worth the wait

[Potos]

Thanks for the advice.

After numerous phjone calls totherailway company somebody has finally taken the initiatice and sent a fax to my son's bank authorising a refund.

 

Now to kick some arse

[Chesterexpress]

Now to kick some arse

 

Why? It appears it was a simple operator error, as human beings some of us do make mistakes. Get over it and move on, life is far to short to get all uptight over something so damned trivial.

[cherylc1107]

why does he have to get over it its his money which as been took without his permission he has every right to complain about and demand a refund it wouldnt matter if its £2 or £2000 it is still his right to claim a refund

[Chesterexpress]

why does he have to get over it its his money which as been took without his permission he has every right to complain about and demand a refund it wouldnt matter if its £2 or £2000 it is still his right to claim a refund

 

If you took the time to read the thread, they are doing the refund. Therefore whilst it was probably annoying at the time, someone made a mistake. However is it really worth getting all worked up about it now that it has been resolved.

[demon_x_slash]

He spoke to his bank who confirmed that the first clerk had been given an authorisation code twice and had attempted to debit my son's account 9 times.

 

He has reported this to the police who, not surprisingly, are not interested

 

He has spoken to the station manger who has 'promised an investigation'

 

I think it's this issue that the OP is most concerned with. Why on earth did the clerk try nine times? Was the cardholder present at each attempt? I would expect the station manager to not only investigate this but to review training procedure; let's face it, if a card won't 'go through' twice (maybe at the most optimistic, thrice) then it won't 'go through', full stop. I would want full assurance from this manager that the clerk wasn't trying to access the account for their own purposes.

[Chesterexpress]

Demon, I think it was probably someone who kept swiping the card and not allowing the system to process it, hence the 9 times the bank said they tried to do so. It sounds like it is a training issue rather than a potential fraud issue, and yes it needs sorting out. However I don't think it is necessary for the OP "now time to kick some arse" attitude.

[cherylc1107]

i would say that if anything that this is a training issue and the station manager should know this maybe a letter being nice stating the facts

[Yyates]

Why? It appears it was a simple operator error, as human beings some of us do make mistakes. Get over it and move on, life is far to short to get all uptight over something so damned trivial.

 

From the OP

 

He spoke to his bank who confirmed that the first clerk had been given an authorisation code twice and had attempted to debit my son's account 9 times.

And that is a simple operator mistake,,,,,,,,,,,,hhmmnn:o

[Templehead]

i agree

 

i work at a shop and use the card terminal frequently, its the simplest thing in the world to use and attempting to debit the card 9 times with 2 authorisation codes is really shifty.

[JimmyTheOne]

You son should contact his card issuer again. Insist these are disputed transactions and ask his card issuer to confirm that these transactions weren't authorised by PIN or by signature (the can't). Let your card issuer sort it out with the railway company, but ask them (card issuer) to furnish you with a crime number.

 

It could take a while, but his money should be returned.

 

I'd also tell your MP about the Police's lack of action (although it's not their fault).

 

Good luck