Disputed ATM Transaction

stripeyfox

Hi everyone. Was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences to this. Was in town a few weeks ago and needed some cash so went to nearest ATM which was Woolwich and requested 30.00. ATM displayed message such as "unable to complete transaction" and returned card. I assumed that since it was unable to complete that is was out of cash or something so walked down to HSBC (my bank) and drew 30.00 out there. The next day I purchased MS Money and loaded it all up and downloaded my statements from HSBC only to notice that both transactions had been debited! I reported this to HSBC immediately and they said they'd need to contact Woolwich etc etc and it would take ten days. I asked what would happen if the ATM had dispensed the cash after I had walked away and was reassured that this wouldn't be a problem and not to worry. It's now over 3 weeks and despite me badgering the branch and writing a letter, I have heared nothing. Incidentaly, whilst the branch were checking on the computer the HSBC staff member (and me) saw a letter to another customer on my file about another ATM transaction. Whilst I initially thought this an admin error, the bank clerk went to great lengths to reassure me about security breaches and other people being able to view my account.
Sorry to waffle on a bit, but what is the usual outcome of these disputes?
I know its only 30 quid but I don't much like the fact that it's mine and they've got it!

fran_from_willesden

Do you know what - that happened to me today.

I back with Natweat but went to a HSBC ATm and tried to get £10 out. I got the same message saying the transaction could not be completed. I went to the next ATM adn asked for £10 again and got it this time. I've been trying to get through to NAtwest all day to see if the money was taken out the first time but I'm finding it hard to get rhough to someone without hanging on phone for ages.

ARGH! :mad:

stripeyfox

I doubt that I would have spotted the error if I'd waited a few weeks for a statement to come through. To be honest even when I saw it online after just a day or tow it took a while for the penny to drop. It was on a saturday and I often draw money out at different times over the weekend. Make sure you find out if they've debited it or not. Makes me wonder if this has happened before when an ATM hasn't paid out.

fran_from_willesden

On the contrary - about three months ago a cashpoint near where I live was giving out double what you asked for. My mum asked for £50 and got given £100 but it only showed up on her statement as £50! I went to it - asked for £50 and got a hundred. Shame it doesn't happen every time!

amandathepanda

It gives you double when the machine has been loaded incorrectly.If the £20 notes are put into the £10 note section, when you ask for £50 it gives you five notes so you will get £100 in error.
As for the disruted ATM transaction it can unfortunately take weeks to get your money back.

buses7675

Hi All,

Surely if a machine was loaded incorrectly though, the banks would eventually realise the discrepacy and then contact the customer about this, and eventually, debit the incorrectly dispensed money?

Never happened to me (hardly ever use ATMs to be honest), but surely as they know your bank account details, they'd eventually get it back from you!

Cheers

Steve

Benuk73

stripeyfox wrote:

Hi everyone. Was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences to this. Was in town a few weeks ago and needed some cash so went to nearest ATM which was Woolwich and requested 30.00. ATM displayed message such as "unable to complete transaction" and returned card. I assumed that since it was unable to complete that is was out of cash or something so walked down to HSBC (my bank) and drew 30.00 out there. The next day I purchased MS Money and loaded it all up and downloaded my statements from HSBC only to notice that both transactions had been debited! I reported this to HSBC immediately and they said they'd need to contact Woolwich etc etc and it would take ten days. I asked what would happen if the ATM had dispensed the cash after I had walked away and was reassured that this wouldn't be a problem and not to worry. It's now over 3 weeks and despite me badgering the branch and writing a letter, I have heared nothing. Incidentaly, whilst the branch were checking on the computer the HSBC staff member (and me) saw a letter to another customer on my file about another ATM transaction. Whilst I initially thought this an admin error, the bank clerk went to great lengths to reassure me about security breaches and other people being able to view my account.
Sorry to waffle on a bit, but what is the usual outcome of these disputes?
I know its only 30 quid but I don't much like the fact that it's mine and they've got it!

Hi there, I was in my local abbey the other day, and the guy shut the Automatic doors and wouldnt let anyone in or out. I said to myself, well whats going on here then? Anyway, he opened up the internal ATM and out he drew a few £10 notes and £20 notes all screwed up in the runners inside the ATM. So maybe the machine was atempting to issue you the £30 and it got stuck on their rollers? Just a thought.

fran_from_willesden

buses7675 wrote:

Hi All,

Surely if a machine was loaded incorrectly though, the banks would eventually realise the discrepacy and then contact the customer about this, and eventually, debit the incorrectly dispensed money?

Never happened to me (hardly ever use ATMs to be honest), but surely as they know your bank account details, they'd eventually get it back from you!

Cheers

Steve

I thought the bank would contact people who'd been given double form that cadshpoint but they haven't - this is going back to the beginning of February. My argument would be ' Machine incorrectly loaded - not my fault, not my problem!'
I don't think I'm gonna try and get my tenner back from the HSBC ATM. If I did get it back, if it's gonna take so long - I won't end up missing it. Just a few less drinks on a night out!

virgin_moneysaver

fran_from_willesden wrote:

I thought the bank would contact people who'd been given double form that cadshpoint but they haven't - this is going back to the beginning of February. My argument would be ' Machine incorrectly loaded - not my fault, not my problem!'
I don't think I'm gonna try and get my tenner back from the HSBC ATM. If I did get it back, if it's gonna take so long - I won't end up missing it. Just a few less drinks on a night out!

have you checked your account since to see if the £10 has been repaid automatically or, in fact, disappeared from your mini statement altogether - sometimes if you've caught the ATM as it's updating itself it may show the entry as being debited but when the entries are processed overnight it can correct itself - if you have been debited but didn't have the money - check with the branch because their ATM would not have balanced - don't let Martin read that you'll let the tenner go - otherwise he'll send the money-saving police around!!

CrazyChemist_2

yes I agree - you shouldn't let this tenner go!

If you'd overdrawn and been charged fees as a penalty, the bank wouldn't have "let the fees go"!

It's yours, claim it!!!!

(I hope Martin does send the money-saving police round just to teach you a lesson for saying that mwahahahahahahahahahaha)

apcorbett

buses7675 wrote:

Hi All,

Surely if a machine was loaded incorrectly though, the banks would eventually realise the discrepacy and then contact the customer about this, and eventually, debit the incorrectly dispensed money?

Never happened to me (hardly ever use ATMs to be honest), but surely as they know your bank account details, they'd eventually get it back from you!

Cheers

Steve

I would suggest coming clean to the bank - lets face it, they know that you've got double the money, and when you might need their help in the future, I'm sure that you being honest on this occasion would have a bearing on their decision.

Also, think about the people that actually got less! If you asked for £200, you'd have only got 9x£10 notes and a £20, £110!!