Unrecognised transaction

nhoneymonster

I've just been checking my statement online and there is a transaction I don't recognise, it could be that it is a genuine transaction and the name showing on the statment is different to what I expected, but I can't think what the amount could be for and when I search for the company name online I can't find anything.

I buy a lot online with my card so it's possible someone could have got the details somehow.

I've phoned to query the transaction and first they said there was no transaction (and checked if if meant to say May?!), then when they found it they couldn't give me any further information and said they only knew the same as me.

They said they will investigate and it will take 28 days, I said what about the fact that if it isn't a genuine transaction someone else could be using my details and at that point they asked if I wanted my card cancelling. They also said in the meantime I would have the pay the amount.

Now I've finished ranting, what I'd like to ask is if it is normal to have to pay a for a transaction you have queried. As I said, I don't know it is definitely not a genuine transaction but I don't want to pay it then have the hassle of trying to get it back.

I'm not too impressed by the way my call was handled, I would have thought they'd want to cancel the card as a precaution without me having to ask and when I have queried other transactions previously with my bank they have been able to tell me more about who it was paid to which has cleared things up. I've got no faith in actually getting the money back if I pay and it turns out I didn't make the transaction.

YorkshireBoy

nhoneymonster wrote: »

...I'd like to ask is if it is normal to have to pay a for a transaction you have queried.

I would say yes, otherwise everyone having a 'lean month' could try this one on couldn't they?

chattychappy

I think the point about paying in the meantime is this:

IF it's genuine and you withheld payment, then you'd be into interest, perhaps other charges.

IF it's not genuine and you withheld payment, then sure - no problem - any interest/charges should be credited back.

IF it's not genuine and you paid, then you'd get money back. It's not an admission that the amount is due simply by paying it.

IF it's genuine and you paid - then no problem.

I had a fraudulent payment - £6800. They suggested I paid in the meantime. I knew it was fraud and wasn't prepared to finance this amount whilst they investigated. Interest and charges were applied. Eventually I got the whole lot back.

I just think the banks don't want to prejudice their position by suspending interest whilst they investigate - cos it would just encourage people to "buy time" by querying stuff when they know is legitimate. Having said that many years ago Barclaycard had no problems suspending stuff when I queried things. Perhaps times have changed!

nhoneymonster

"I would say yes, otherwise everyone having a 'lean month' could try this one on couldn't they?"

I suppose, and if they seemed competent maybe I wouldn't mind so much but it is a real effort to get anyone to understand what you want when you phone and I just think if I pay I'm going to struggle to get it back if it turns out it isn't my transaction.

jonesMUFCforever

Who is the transaction for?
Someone on here might be able to help if you tell us.

nhoneymonster

chattychappy wrote: »

I think the point about paying in the meantime is this:

IF it's genuine and you withheld payment, then you'd be into interest, perhaps other charges.

IF it's not genuine and you withheld payment, then sure - no problem - any interest/charges should be credited back.

IF it's not genuine and you paid, then you'd get money back. It's not an admission that the amount is due simply by paying it.

IF it's genuine and you paid - then no problem.

I had a fraudulent payment - £6800. They suggested I paid in the meantime. I knew it was fraud and wasn't prepared to finance this amount whilst they investigated. Interest and charges were applied. Eventually I got the whole lot back.

I just think the banks don't want to prejudice their position by suspending interest whilst they investigate - cos it would just encourage people to "buy time" by querying stuff when they know is legitimate. Having said that many years ago Barclaycard had no problems suspending stuff when I queried things. Perhaps times have changed!

Luckily mine is nothing like that amount, the objection I have to paying it is I don't trust them to pay it back! Their customer service doesn't seem great, a couple of times I have phoned I have struggled to get the other person to understand what I am asking so I think it may be a hassle to try and get it back. I'm also concerned that it takes 28 days to investigate, yet they didn't even suggest suspending or cancelling my card as a precaution until I asked.

nhoneymonster

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Who is the transaction for?
Someone on here might be able to help if you tell us.

Ceder Enterprises in Nottingham. I've done an internet search and can't find anything, the amount doesn't seem familiar and I really can't think what it could be for.

YorkshireBoy

When all this is sorted out there's a lesson to be learned here. Keep accurate records!

In the pre-online shopping days I used to keep paper receipts in a file (still do in fact), and only threw them away once I'd reconciled them with the monthly statement. These days, I suppose the online shoppers could keep a file on their PC?

Seeing the worry you have reminds me that prevention is always better than the cure.

nhoneymonster

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

When all this is sorted out there's a lesson to be learned here. Keep accurate records!

In the pre-online shopping days I used to keep paper receipts in a file (still do in fact), and only threw them away once I'd reconciled them with the monthly statement. These days, I suppose the online shoppers could keep a file on their PC?

Seeing the worry you have reminds me that prevention is always better than the cure.

I keep all my emails regarding online orders and there is nothing for that amount, I definitely don't know the company but don't want to say for sure that I didn't make the transaction in case I have overlooked something, sometimes the name shown on the statement isn't what you expect but the more I think about it the more I'm sure I didn't make the payment. I have made some purchases on my card recently, both online and on the high street but I can't think of anything for that amount, it's a round number which is unusual.

nhoneymonster

Oops! Been thinking and remembered where the purchase was! The girl even wrote down what the company name would show as on the statement on a piece of paper for me! Doesn't help that the name was spelt incorrectly on the statement which is why I couldn't find them on the internet.

Feel a bit stupid now but stand by my rant about the customer service. I just phoned to ask them to cancel the investigation, they said fine and asked if there was anything else they could help with but they hadn't even taken my account details!

chattychappy

Ha ha ha!

But there really is no excuse these days for not having transactions properly itemised on statements by trading name if not even by product.