Natwest refusing to refund credit card fraud.

jimmyb78

I'm currently disputing a bizarre case of 'fraud' on my Natwest credit card.

At the beginning of June a 600 pound charge for Avis rental car appeared there. Baffled I called up Avis and was told it was charged back in September 2016 by a Michael Brook, who isn't me by the way... He rented a car from Heathrow on 17th- December until 8th Jan.

Thinking it's a simple fraud I called Natwest who said they would investigate. Theyve told me that my address and card details were used. So far they're insisting it's a legitimate payment.

The weirdness is that I had my own car hire from Heathrow on the same day but for a different car, at a much cheaper rate and for a different duration. Our surnames are also very similar 'Brook' and 'Brown'.

With the fact that the charge took 9 months to appear and the similarities between our names it seems so blatantly obvious that this must be a computer error. Avis keep passing the buck back to my bank and the bank won't refund me, despite all these weird circumstances and the overriding fact that the flipping purchase was made in someone else's name. I find it amazing that they'll sometimes stop me buying a Starbucks coffee because of suspected 'fraud' but a 600 pound purchase by someone who isn't me is apparently ok...

Am I stuck with having to go to the ombudsman? Any advise would be appreciated.

mt99

I think bar a miracle change of heart by either Avis or the bank you are in for a complaints procedure which I would do both in parallel

I would ask the credit card company for a letter saying they reject your complaint and then you should take it immediately to the Financial Ombudsman

In parallel you should complain in writing to Avis and ask them if they could please double check what they have done as you think they have mixed the names up. I would keep it reasonably polite but also very firm

If they refuse then of course you have the option are going to the County Court and you should of course notify them of this but give them a chance first.

mt99

P.S others might correct me if I'm wrong but I doubt if you should refer to it as 'fraud' as it probably wasn't - it was probably simply a mistake by Avis. You might get better luck if you refer to it as such when you complain

mt99

One final piece of advice which I'm sure you don't need but thought I would mention it anyway - no matter how miffed you feel continue to pay at least the minimum monthly balance on your card otherwise will find your credit rating sinking like a stone and you won't even be able to get so much as a mobile phone contract for several years!

notbritishgas

OP, you say you hired a car on the same day. I presume you used the same credit card? Did that transaction appear on your statement at the time.

jimmyb78

Hi,

No my charge isn't on the same bill. I paid online for my purchase at the end of October.

agrinnall

jimmyb78 wrote: »

Hi,

No my charge isn't on the same bill. I paid online for my purchase at the end of October.

I assume you mean that you paid Avis direct from your bank account for the hire. On the day of the hire did you give them your credit card? That woud be normal as it's not easy to hire a car without providing a credit card for any additional charges after completion of the hire. If you did then it certainly could be possible that there was a mix up in the office, perhaps human error rather than a computer problem, for instance if they were unable to process card payments immediately and took details to be entered later. I suspect the FOS is where this will end up.

xylophone

You say that you did hire a car. Was it from AVIS?

Did you make the booking in September 2016 for Dec 2016/Jan 2017?

You paid a car hire bill by FP from your bank account- presumably your bank statement shows this.

Have you ever given details of your credit card to AVIS?

Your CC details have been applied to a booking by a certain M. Brooks?

ICan'tStandIt

mt99 wrote: »

P.S others might correct me if I'm wrong but I doubt if you should refer to it as 'fraud' as it probably wasn't - it was probably simply a mistake by Avis. You might get better luck if you refer to it as such when you complain

This makes sense to me as well.

Refer to it as 'not authorised' or 'unrecognised' but not fraud as it is more than likely a mistake rather than a deliberate attempt by someone to rip you off.

Apart from anything else, it is a different chargeback code and if Natwest want to get the money back for themselves, they have to use the correct reason.

I'd ask Natwest to formally dispute the charge as unrecognised / not authorised as part of a formal complaint and also get Avis to see if they cannot somehow resolve this matter.

I'd also refrain from putting real names in such posts.

jimmyb78

xylophone wrote: »

You say that you did hire a car. Was it from AVIS?

Did you make the booking in September 2016 for Dec 2016/Jan 2017?

You paid a car hire bill by FP from your bank account- presumably your bank statement shows this.

Have you ever given details of your credit card to AVIS?

Your CC details have been applied to a booking by a certain M. Brooks?

I made the booking through a company called easirent, who sent me to Budget. They're the same group as Avis. Honestly, I can't remember if I gave them my credit card number but it would make sense that i did.

I made that booking at the end of October. I have the confirmation from easirent.

Yes, my details have been applied to a booking by this other party.

jimmyb78

ICan'tStandIt wrote: »

This makes sense to me as well.

Refer to it as 'not authorised' or 'unrecognised' but not fraud as it is more than likely a mistake rather than a deliberate attempt by someone to rip you off.

Apart from anything else, it is a different chargeback code and if Natwest want to get the money back for themselves, they have to use the correct reason.

I'd ask Natwest to formally dispute the charge as unrecognised / not authorised as part of a formal complaint and also get Avis to see if they cannot somehow resolve this matter.

I'd also refrain from putting real names in such posts.

Originally, Natwest refunded me. Then I found a couple of days ago that they'd put the charge back, saying it was a legit purchase! I'd already sent it back to Natwest to look into again before I posted here. Im not sure under what category to be honest but am supposed to be hearing back in a couple of days.

Avis said the other party had booked through a company called Cartrawler. I called them but they can't give me details because of data protection. It's a right mess. Everyone is passing the buck but at the end of the day it's Avis rental car appearing on my statement.