Credit card lies?

Paul2e

Hi all,

First time poster, but often read the site for advice and tips. However I couldn't find anything like what I have been though this week.

On Monday I attempted to pay off the balance and close the account on my credit card. When attempting to pay I was told that my debit card has been "declined" and that I should contact the bank. This was a bit of a shock for me as I know there is more than enough money in the account, and the card has no issues. The person on the phone suggested he would retry on wednesday.

Being slightly worried about my money I logged onto my online banking to check my account. All my money was there as expected, however my "avaliable balance" had gone down by exactly the amount I had just paid off. At the time I wasn't sure why but I just thought it was a mistake at the CC and they have actually got it to go though.

Today I checked my online banking again and my avaliable balance equal to my account balance. The payment hadn't actually gone through.

I rang up my credit card company again to see what happened and they said they was unsuccessful 3 times and that the payment hadn't gone though. I attempted to make another payment, and again it was declined. I was suggested I contact the bank to find out what the issue is.

I looked at my online banking and my avaliable balance had gone down again by the amount paid off.

At this time I was angry with my bank so I rang them up to find out what was going on. But it was mis-directed anger as on each of the occasions my bank had agreed the payment, and it was the CC who was canceling the payments. The bank provided me with details of the authorisation codes for all the transactions and for no reason should I have been told anything other than my payment has been "Accepted" by the CC.

I rang the CC company and had an arguement with them. Again they insisted it had been declined and I should speak to my bank.

Not knowing where to turn I rang the Financial Ombudsmen, who told me I didn't have grounds to complain as things stood as I would have to make a complaint against my bank even though they have proof it was the CC company. I was told to contact the CC again and ask for detailed written proof of the reasons why the transactions are being declined and they have to provide me with this or I can then complain to them.

I contacted the CC again and asked for the proof only to be told they don't need to provide me with anything, and verbal confirmation is all I can add. In total they was being very unhelpful. I mentioned I contacted the FO and said I would be recontacting them at which point they suggested attempting another payment.
For some unknown reason, even though I had them right where I wanted, I agreed to attempt another payment.. Guess what?!?!? It was "Accepted" with no issues and my account will be closed.

Hopefully this is the end of it. My bank account now shows an avaliable balance equal to 2 payments, the 1 accepted and 1 rejected, so I will hopefully get that back with no issues.

However i can't believe it seems like my CC was lieing to me. I don't really want them to get away with it but I don't know what to do about it or what proof I could get.

Anyone got any thoughts or advice. Or even know of anything similar?

Thanks

Paul

Typhoon2000

Sounds like there was a computer glitch, I would just let it be and move on. Not worth pulling your hair over.

ayeaye

Paul2e wrote: »

I don't really want them to get away with it but I don't know what to do about it

You've done the one thing you can do - taken your business elsewhere.

Moggles_2

May I ask which credit card provider is involved?

cos_2

Some years ago I worked on introducing card payments to our company and did a lot of the IT work. I remember some months after going 'live' with the new payments system we had a customer complaining that her payments were being wrongly declined. All the codes at our end showed the card was being rejected.

The lady's bank insisted all was well with her account and it must be our fault.

Cutting a long story short, it turned out her bank was at fault. They had a security system in place that would trigger a request, at random, to ask her to phone her bank to confirm her identity. Since our system was automated, there was nothing available to prompt her to call, so the payment was never completed. I believe the amount was 'booked' at the beginning of the transaction, and then released the next day, just like your situation.

It's possibly nothing like what's happened to you but your story reminded me of the situation we had.

jonesMUFCforever

IMO this is because your bank has frozen the card due to a security concern.
A call to your bank's card services department would resolve this and I'm pretty sure the transaction would then go through.

jd87

Just a computer glitch. Get over it and stop making such a fuss.

bert&ernie

Are both the credit card and debt card registered at the same address?

Could have been an AVS issue.

jonesMUFCforever

jd87 wrote: »

Just a computer glitch. Get over it and stop making such a fuss.

Not in my opinion.
Cards are often frozen as part of security checks on what it considers high risk transactions.