Cash Advance Fraud - Advice needed

arcon5

Can you even get cashback with a CC? I remember a long while back now asking for some when in Wilkinson's but they was unable to... also can't ever recall a time self-service tills or checkout operatives have ever asked when using CC..

callum9999

arcon5 wrote: »

Can you even get cashback with a CC? I remember a long while back now asking for some when in Wilkinson's but they was unable to... also can't ever recall a time self-service tills or checkout operatives have ever asked when using CC..

I don't think there is anything stopping it happen, shops virtually always refuse though because it costs them money and, if they stick to the rules, it would be an enormous and pointless hassle.

When you buy currency, spend on gambling etc. however, that will be charged as a cash advance (not quite the same thing - but it looks the same on a credit report).

And I'm no expert, but are 4 "cash advances" of around £5 going to worry a mortgage provider in the slightest? I guess there is a chance it may reduce your score if read by a computer - but surely that would also look at the amounts and see that it clearly isn't being used because you're desperate for cash?

leicsmarkyr

As I am aware that some small shops would charge you a fee(something like 50p) for paying with the card I have deliberately asked the cashier if they charge any card fee, I was told that unless I had any kind of special card, there is no fee payable. I said that I have a Credit card which she said is free to use.

The retailer has now charged you anything for the use of a credit card. It suggests you have asked the retailer do you personally charge me for using a card, i.e. I spend £5 with you and you charge a £0.50 fee and therefore request £5.50 from the card issuer.

They said no and have correctly answered your question by requesting £5 from your card issuer.

Retailers do not (nor generally care) know what your card issuer will do with their transactions. One card issuer may charge a fee and another may not. Take for example ATM withdrawals, Halifax Clarity will not charge but Natwest will.

Your issue lies with the card and you need to follow the standard complaints process and not go direct to the CEO as your other posts unless your initial complaint is not taken seriously.

As for compensation from the retailer you will be lucky especially as probably a one off store who might not be there in coming months.

Mishomeister

leicsmarkyr wrote: »

The retailer has now charged you anything for the use of a credit card. It suggests you have asked the retailer do you personally charge me for using a card, i.e. I spend £5 with you and you charge a £0.50 fee and therefore request £5.50 from the card issuer.

They said no and have correctly answered your question by requesting £5 from your card issuer.

Retailers do not (nor generally care) know what your card issuer will do with their transactions. One card issuer may charge a fee and another may not. Take for example ATM withdrawals, Halifax Clarity will not charge but Natwest will.

Your issue lies with the card and you need to follow the standard complaints process and not go direct to the CEO as your other posts unless your initial complaint is not taken seriously.

As for compensation from the retailer you will be lucky especially as probably a one off store who might not be there in coming months.

I am still convinced that if the shop sets up a payment system in a totally different way than all others they have at least to put a signs by their tills saying that their transactions will be treated as a cash advance. If that was the case I would've used cash. hat however was not the case.

wealdroam

Mishomeister wrote: »

I am still convinced that if the shop sets up a payment system in a totally different way than all others they have at least to put a signs by their tills saying that their transactions will be treated as a cash advance. If that was the case I would've used cash. hat however was not the case.

You seem to have already decided this wasn't a mistake.

Have you been back in touch with the shopkeeper yet?

He may be just as surprised as you are that you purchases showed up as cash advances.

Mishomeister

wealdroam wrote: »

You seem to have already decided this wasn't a mistake.

Have you been back in touch with the shopkeeper yet?

He may be just as surprised as you are that you purchases showed up as cash advances.

One of the important factors to consider is the one I hope someone could answer.

In regards of transaction fees is the shop better off by doing cash advance or processing ordinary credit card transaction?

Dr_Cuckoo3

Things to investigate are the circumstances under which a cash transaction may be performed by the shop bearing in mind they use a company like streamline to process card payments and have to follow their rules (which can be found using an internet search engine)

It appears that shops require a separate agreement with the card processor to offer cashback and credit cards cannot be used

Bureau de Change type businesses also require a separate agreement

So the question to ask is what service / product does the shop offer which treats the transaction as cash and then check the terms and conditions of card processor (as they are likely to require a separate agreement)

Check the merchant code with your credit card company as some merchant codes prompt the credit card company to charge a cash advance fee (eg gambling)

The merchant code may have been entered incorrectly

MBNA and Capital One online statements show the merchant code , Aqua do not as far as I know - but the staff will be able to check easily

Rule out all of the above and investigate any other possibilities

Mishomeister wrote: »

Unfortunately I don't have any receipts as when you buy something from a grocery shop for say £5 you don't really think of receipt.

Visit again - get a receipt - use your Metro Bank debit card :idea:

leicsmarkyr wrote: »

As for compensation from the retailer you will be lucky especially as probably a one off store who might not be there in coming months.

They have been in the UK since 2003 and are the Largest Eastern European Food Seller in Great Britain http://www.lituanicaltd.com

Jamie_Cortez

If your a mortgage broker, im sure you will have no trouble getting yourself a mortgage.

That said, even on your credit files it will show what a couple of cash advances for £5 so at most £20? that should not really set off alarm bells to a mortgage provider your in financial hardship when you have managed to save up a deposit in the 10's of thousands..

Mishomeister

Jamie_Cortez wrote: »

If your a mortgage broker, im sure you will have no trouble getting yourself a mortgage.

That said, even on your credit files it will show what a couple of cash advances for £5 so at most £20? that should not really set off alarm bells to a mortgage provider your in financial hardship when you have managed to save up a deposit in the 10's of thousands..

I've got no doubts that I would not get declined for a sole reason of cash advances however every small issue adds some risk points and you would never find out if you were just one risk point above lender's approval limit. Therefore I am trying not to get any risk points when unnecessary.

Mishomeister

What I have now done is I have made a formal complaint to Aqua asking them to refund me charges and not to report cash advances to credit reference agencies as I feel that I became a victim of fraud(which in fact is a true way how I feel) and therefore feel that it is wrong for them to make a profit from the transactions I did not authorize to be processed as a cash advance.

I have made also complain to a store giving them a timescale of 7 calendar days to acknowledge the receipt of my complaint.

I have also given them a timescale of 30 calendar days to investigate the issue and if it is an error I expect them to refund me the charges and also provide me with the letter advising of the error which I could send to Credit Reference Agencies in order to correct the information about cash advances. If they have that system on purpose I've told them I then expect they have clear signs by the counters advising of these charges.
I have told them that should they decide to ignore my complaint and do not respond in given timescales I will be reporting them to Trading Standards.

So I hope at least one of the above will work.