Between Natwest and Shell Petrol Station

shayward

Last week Saturday I filled up with petrol at the local Shell garage and went in to pay with my Natwest Maestro debit card.

On first attempt the chip n pin machine wasn't working so they swiped the card on the terminal so that I could sign for it instead. Then they told me that the signed for transaction was rejected by the machine, gave me back the slip I signed and tried the chip n pin machine again, and this time it worked.

I was worried at the time that I would be double charged but they assured me that the machine had rejected the first attempt.

Of course a few days later I have 2 amounts out of my account for £44.73 exactly 2 minutes apart from the garage.

So I go back to the garage who tell me that their records have only 1 transaction, so if I have 2 amounts out of my account I need to deal with my bank.

I phone Natwest who give me 2 authorisation codes and tell me to give these to the garage, and to tell them to phone their merchant provider so that the merchant provider can sort it out.

Shell, claim, to phone the merchant provider who says to go back to my bank and dispute the transactions and that way one of them will end up getting refunded to me in the process.

Go back to Natwest who tell me that Shell just needs to give the merchant provider the 2 authorisation codes and that they can reverse 1 of the amounts.

I have been bouncing between Shell and Natwest trying to get this sorted. Shell say they only have 1 amount on their books, and Natwest who won't let me dispute the transactions.:mad:

Are their some magic words I need to use at Natwest to get them to raise the amounts as a dispute? An investigation would reveal that the merchant has no authorisation for the first amount, i have the signed slip, and it would therefore get refunded. I feel that Natwest are fobbing me off.

I once had a problem with a direct debit and went through a similar dance until I said the words "indemnity claim".

Any thoughts? Its Christmas and I really need my money back.

willo65

When you say last week do you mean 5th or 12th dec? if you mean the 12th of december then the funds will normally be adjusted automatically tomorrow if the retailer hasn't claimed the funds after authorising them. If it was the 5th then I would either go down the fraud route with the bank and say the retailer had no authority for the 1st transaction or try and convince the garage to double check their banking.

stclair

If the above dont happen.

Call Natwest during office hours and ask them to raise a POS dispute and they will contact shells merchants for you to get a refund.

Mikeyorks

If you have 2 x authorisation codes - then the merchant acquirer will have 2 x matching transactions and should be able to reverse one of them. That's the right way to do it as Nat West are actually innocent in the matter - they've been asked to authorise 2 separate transactions apparently initiated by you.

But if you've been down that route and Shell are being myopic, as they can only see the one piece of till activity - then go for the DD Guarantee as it's clear from your Statement there are duplicate transactions.

shayward

Thanks for the fast replies every-one.

The transaction was done on the 5th of December and the money has most definitely come out of my account twice as there are 2 lines on my statement.

stclair, so the words to use are "I want to raise a POS (point of sale) dispute" and then Natwest have to investigate this properly for me?

I am so tried of bouncing between the 2 of them.

stclair

shayward wrote: »

Thanks for the fast replies every-one.

The transaction was done on the 5th of December and the money has most definitely come out of my account twice as there are 2 lines on my statement.

stclair, so the words to use are "I want to raise a POS (point of sale) dispute" and then Natwest have to investigate this properly for me?

I am so tried of bouncing between the 2 of them.

Yes thats correct OP.

Tell them you want to raise a "POS Dispute" and theyll will investigate it for you.

jambosans

Mikeyorks wrote: »

But if you've been down that route and Shell are being myopic, as they can only see the one piece of till activity - then go for the DD Guarantee as it's clear from your Statement there are duplicate transactions.

Debit card payments are not covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.

As stclair explained, NatWest can raise a debit card dispute, meaning they will query the duplicate transactions with the merchant's (Shell's) bank. Unlike the Direct Debit Guarantee, the disputes process can take some time, and the OP is not entitled to a full and immediate refund. I may stand corrected (as Maestros are different cards), but a Visa Debit Chargeback can take up to 120 days.

stclair

I would recommend OP you ask for a new debit card. This will enable you to take advantage for the visa chargeback scheme should you have any other debit card issues in future.

shayward

stclair wrote: »

I would recommend OP you ask for a new debit card. This will enable you to take advantage for the visa chargeback scheme should you have any other debit card issues in future.

I am very close to cancelling my current debit card as this experience has left me very dissolusioned.

Where can I find out more about the Visa Chargeback Scheme?

Does the VISA debit card come with more protection than a Maestro?

shayward

I have just realised the jambosans post had a link to details about Visa chargeback.

I don't think that Natwest offer Visa debit cards, so I'll need to look around.

System

shayward wrote: »

I have just realised the jambosans post had a link to details about Visa chargeback.
I don't think that Natwest offer Visa debit cards, so I'll need to look around.

That is all they offer now, if you call your branch and ask, they will order you a Visa Debit card to replace your Maestro.