Dispute with hsbc

parent_of_too_many

Not sure if this is the right board, but i'm looking for a bit of advice?

It basically involves a Visa Debit Chargeback.

Right...... About 4 weeks ago, while on holiday in Turkey, I paid for some goods using my Visa debit card. I entered my pin number as you do, but for some reason the transaction didn't go through and was declined, or at least that is what the assistant in the shop told me, as obviously the language on the chip and pin machine was Turkish. So all I could do was take his word for it (as, maybe conveniently for a "scam", the receipt roll also ran out so I didn't get a "transaction cancelled" receipt. Although even if I had, it would have been in Turkish so I wouldn't have known that's what it said for sure anyway!).

My bank card had actually been declined whilst using a HSBC bank machine earlier that day for some unknown reason, so I wasn't totally shocked when the transaction failed, and had no reason to suspect foul play?!

He asked me if I wanted to try it again, so he re-entered the amount etc and I entered my pin again, and this time it went through.

A few days later I checked my online banking to see if it had come out twice, and low and behold, it had!

So I contacted the bank. They asked me for the circumstances etc so I explained as above, and they gave me the money back pending an investigation, which, I thought, fair enough, surely anyone in their right mind could see that two transactions, a minute apart, in the same shop, for the same amount was obviously some sort of error, so "assumed" everything would be ok?!

But clearly I was mistaken!!

I get a letter today, a month later, telling me that after their investigation, they feel it was an authorised transaction, because I entered my pin number!!

So a whole month of investigation, and the conclusion they came to was something I'd already bloody told them!!!!!!

Now they say the only way I can avoid getting this money taken back off me again is to provide them with proof the transaction was declined, which I obviously can't do from 2500 miles away?

Can anyone give me any advice as to what I can do now, or if I just have to take this one on the chin and learn for next time?!

Thanks

Valli

But the transaction wasn't declined, really, was it?
However if the SAME transaction went through twice maybe they could do a reversal and claim it back?

Maybe SOMEONE at MSE towers could put together an idiot's guide of phrases in Turkish, and a few other languages so intrepid moneysavers would know what to LOOK for on chip and pin terminals worldwide.

bris

You may have been scammed in Turkey, if you think about it, they know the time you will find out you have beed had is when you're 2500 miles away back home. Convieniant for the till roll to run out at the same time. Looks like you will have to take this one on the chin.

gnaril

Your bank can charge back the payment under Duplicated transaction or paid by other means.

If they don't in them circumstances they are idiots and escalate via complaints and ultimately FOS who would find in your favor if the bank didn't attempt a charge back with a high possibility of success.

browneyedbazzi

hsbc seem to have a habit of fobbing off every claim at the first attempt - ask them how to appeal the decision or make a complaint about it so that the matter will be escalated.

Even if you 'approved' the transaction by entering your pin, you were tricked into doing so by the scammer making it a fraudulent transaction and the bank can remedy this by doing a chargeback...i think it's terrible of them not to offer the solution in the first place, but I suppose that's to be expected from hsbc - half a step up from santander in the customer service rankings if you ask me!!

parent_of_too_many

Thanks people. Been on the phone to them all morning........... what a bunch of imbeciles!! Apart from the last bloke I spoke (who also happened to be the only English person I spoke to) they all tried to fob me off with the "without a transaction declined receipt, your knackered"! Luckily, the "only Englishman in the building" was the bloke at the complaints desk, so I could at least have a legible 2-way conversation where it matters most I suppose!! He semed to at least fully understand where I was coming from and the outcome from my complaint will be known in 5 days!!

Please note, i've not actually got anything against foreigners (for the benefit of any who may read this), I just find it extremely unhelpful when in situations like this you get one on the phone who clearly struggles to grasp all but the basic English language!!

FullTimeBadMan

I think the better question is why you allowed them to put the transaction through twice rather than paying with cash... take it on the chin and move on.