ATM Dispute

Drausus

Hey all.
On Monday 15th I used a alliance and Leicester ATM to try and withdraw £300, I entered 300 on the machine, I could hear it counting the money as normal, this took about 10-15 secs, it then gave me my card back and on the screen i noticed it said "Transaction cancelled" and no money got dispensed, i thought it seemed little odd so i put my card back into the machine, checked my balance and i was -300. I instantly phoned my bank HSBC to report this, and at first he said that it looked like it went to take 300 out, it then refunded it, and then took it out again. I have no idea how that could happen as i only tried the 1 time, so i was told that it would be put forward to the dispute department and i would have to wait upto 17 days.

I was at the ATM while on the phone to HSBC waiting to see if the next person to use the ATM got a extra 300 as i did hear it counting the cash and it seemed to say "transaction canceled" right at the point where the cash door opens so i was thinking it may of got stuck, but 20 mins and nobody showed so i left.

The following Friday i check my balance and it looked like the 300 had been refunded into my back, i was as you can expect a very happy chappy, but the day after i get a letter from HSBC saying they have "refunded 300 pending completion of the investigation, however we must advise that if the ATM owner provides documents indicating that the transaction was successful, we will debit the above amount".
I really cant understand why they have done this if the investigation is still underway, i mean if i was to take that 300 out, and then they go to take it back and leave me overdrawn i can guarantee i would then get charged TONS of interest, so i basically have to let that sit there and taunt me and i need this money badly to pay my rent as i am now 1 week behind while i wait for this.

I may over worry about things but i do seem to have very bad luck and for some reason i can see this not going my way
so question time. Is it possible for the cash to get stuck at the door so when the next person uses it they got my 300?
Also being that ATM did display a error message at the end saying "transaction cancelled" surly that must be logged on that ATM right? so they could check the time stamp or that error against the time the money came out of my account? Being that the HSBC rep i spoke to said it looked like the ATM requested but then refunded and then requested the cash again, im sure that error being logged would help.

So now i just have to wait upto another 2 weeks before i can touch the 300 and i am just really worried that for some reason this dispute is not going to go my way:(

If anyone could give me some advice or ease my worries il be most thankfull :-)

hippey

A bank will often give the benefit of the doubt and give you the money back first, then debit you later if it turns out you didn't quite tell the truth.

The ATM owner will have been asked to look at the machine to check if the money did get purged, the chances are that £300 will be in the dump bin of the machine and it will get reversed, so you might se a couple more entries on your bank account with this happening.

opinions4u

1) I don't think it's fair to knock your bank for reimbursing the money pending the outcome of enquiries ... I think that's preferable to not seeing the money for another couple of weeks.

2) There will be an audit trail with the ATM showing exactly what happened. I am 99.9% certain your next letter from HSBC will confirm that you never got your cash.

3) I know it's irritating and concerning, but patience is a virtue.

4) ATMs make fewer mistakes than people, but they are still capable of failing from time to time.

Welcome to the board.

(This is actually a reason to use your own bank's ATM rather than a LINK one wherever possible. Then they can resolve disputes in house).

Drausus

Thank you for the replys, I do understand that the bank may just be trying to help out by putting the 300 into my account before the investigation is complete, but it still makes no sence being that they could just go ahead and take it back leaving me then in dept, maybe if they had told me before hand but no, I found out the next day.
But as you said they do log everything the cash machine does and I got that transaction cancelled error right at the end of the transaction so once they see that all should be fine:-) I hope.

Drausus

Today I phoned to try and get a update, I was told that it is still pending the investigation and could take upto the 12th April. Is there no way I can get them to speed this? I did ask to speak to the person doing the investigation but was told no, they basicly just say if you are telling the truth you don't need to contact us anymore just take out the 300 we already refunded, I want to take tha out to repay what I had to barrow but I would prefer to be safe and not sorry:-(