ATM Withdrawal Dispute

coolerking

1) On Saturday 16th February, 2018 I used my Nationwide Debit card to withdraw £300 from a Santander ATM. The attempted withdrawal failed, and the screen displayed a transaction error message, and no printout was received. I then went to a nearby Lloyds ATM and used the same Nationwide debit card – and attempted to withdraw £200 – which was successful.
2) However, on the !8th February, 2018 I checked my account and noticed that both transactions were debited including the £300 for the transaction error at the Santander ATM. I immediately contacted Nationwide via my online secure email messaging service and logged this issue as an ATM dispute.
3) On 19th February, they messaged me back for further details, and I complied with their request, clearly stating what had happened, “I tried to withdraw £300 cash, but the machine shoed a message stating that this transaction could not be completed, and it returned my card, but I did NOT receive any cash”
4) On 6th March, 2018 I received a letter from Nationwide which stated that this issue had been investigated by Santander’s head office, and stated, “The ATM has been thoroughly checked and no discrepancies have been found in relation to your transaction. Therefore I regret that no adjustment can be made to your account”
5) On the 12th March I replied to Nationwide’s letter – recorded delivery – as follows:-
“I am extremely surprised by the contents of your letter dated 6th March, 2018.
Firstly, when I tried to withdraw £300 from the Santander ATM in question, it came up with a transaction error message, and no cash was dispensed. So, surely a transaction error message MUST be recorded somewhere? And surely a discrepancy in the cash count would be recorded?
Secondly, why would I go to a second ATM (Lloyds Bank) about 20 yards away, and withdraw £200 from them if my first transaction would have been successful. (I know that my ATM withdrawal limit is £500)
And thirdly, I am now 65 years of age, and I have never had a ATM dispute in my entire life. And I have been a Nationwide customer for around 30 plus years. So, I assumed that this would be investigated thoroughly, and my claim substantiated, without me being left with the feeling that I have made a stupid mistake (which I didn’t) or committed fraud.
So could you please re-investigate & advise.”
6) On 15th March I received an email response stating that in order to challenge this further a “decline/void receipt” was required. My email response then stated that no void receipt was discharged, and that I would have expected the transaction error message to be logged by Santander, and there would be a “cash discrepancy record as well”
7) On 20th March Nationwide responded via email. This included a detailed journal transaction provided by Santander stating “Amount dispensed” with a suggestion that I “report to the police”
8) Lastly, I have been a happy Nationwide customer for 30 years….until now. But I feel as though I am out of pocket to the tune of £300 through no fault of my own, and nowhere else to go.

eskbanker

coolerking wrote: »

why would I go to a second ATM (Lloyds Bank) about 20 yards away, and withdraw £200 from them if my first transaction would have been successful. (I know that my ATM withdrawal limit is £500)

Not doubting your story but an alternative interpretation of this bit is: why would you only withdraw £200 at the second ATM if you were needing £300 and knew that your first attempt to get this hadn't succeeded?

Anyway, complain formally to Nationwide if you haven't already (https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/contact-us/make-a-complaint) and if they don't resolve to your satisfaction then escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

eschaton

eskbanker wrote: »

Not doubting your story but an alternative interpretation of this bit is: why would you only withdraw £200 at the second ATM if you were needing £300 and knew that your first attempt to get this hadn't succeeded

Exactly what I thought when I read it.

Whether genuine or not, any person from the bank will be asking the exact same question.