Debit Card Authorisations

lisa701

Hiya
I was wondering if anyone had heard of this before.

Twice this year I've purchased goods online and used my co-operative debit card but then had problems at a later date.

The story goes .... I've bought goods online, used my debit card to pay the amount (lets say its £50). After going through checkout I've been re-directed to the Verify by Visa website. Once again it gives the total amount - £50 - and asks me to confirm the transaction by entering certain password data.

The company concerned (I must point out is a reputable company) has been unable to supply the full order so only charged me for what I've received - lets say £20 worth.

A few days later when I come to use my card elsewhere I find its blocked. I can see my account shows a £20 debit for the goods I received so don't understand why its blocked. On contacting the bank I find they have an outstanding authorisation for the same company for £50. I explain that I've only received £20 worth of goods which I have been charged for but the bank say they have not cancelled the original authorisation for £50 so they could then deduct that amount too.

I then have to wait 10 working days before the £50 authorisation automatically drops off my account, or get the company concerned to get their bank to contact my bank to advise they no longer require that £50 authorisation.

I've never heard of this before and its caused me so many problems recently. I make sure I have enough in my account before making any purchases but when a company does not supply the full order and takes a different amount from my account the original request still hangs around locking up my account. Does this happen with other banks?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Lisa

meer53

Standard proocedure with any authorisation system really. Make sure you have enough available credit to cover both authorisations.

lisa701

It just doesnt seem right. I've said they could take £50 maximum, so why does the system allow them to take £20 and then give them ability to take another £50 if they wanted to? My money would be more secure in a tin under the bed!

So in future if I want to buy anything I must ensure there is enough money to cover what I want, plus the same again or more just in case they cannot despatch the order in one delivery? Thats the end to me buying by mail order.

meer53

Some retailers will cancel the original authorisation, some won't. Some will leave the original amount outstanding and just take the corrrect amount, some won't.

All authorisations sytems work the same way, by earmarking the original amount from your account when you make the purchase. You're at the mercy of the retailer i'm afraid. Your bank can't do anything about the original authorisation. As far as they know, you might have bought 2 lots of goods, so the authorisation stays on your account. Sometimes it takes 10 days to disappear, sometimes less.