Refund to closed credit card. Issues getting money back

Terry_Towelling

Let's wait and see first.

Stevano

Had a phone call from Halifax’s complaints team yesterday. They are adamant I need an originating sort code and account number still!! Shouted at them and they are going to have a look without it but are sure they won’t be able to find the money without it!

Amazon won’t give me the sort code and account number! Will give Halifax time to look and then get the Ombudsman involved!

Terry_Towelling

Stevano wrote: »

Had a phone call from Halifax’s complaints team yesterday. They are adamant I need an originating sort code and account number still!! Shouted at them and they are going to have a look without it but are sure they won’t be able to find the money without it!

Amazon won’t give me the sort code and account number! Will give Halifax time to look and then get the Ombudsman involved!

Halifax is wrong - there will be no Sort Code or Account Number.

Presumably you've rammed it home to them that this is a card transaction that has come through the card networks with your old card number as its destination?

You can identify the originator for them, but it will be a Visa or MasterCard processing bank identifier rather than a sort code - and that will probably confuse them even more.


Digits 2 to 7 (inclusive) of the 23 digit reference number identifies the originating card transaction processor. Digits 8 to 11 (inclusive) represent the date it was processed through the card network. Digit 8 is the last digit of the processing year (8 for 2018). Digits 9, 10 and 11 represent the day of the year as a sequential number (001 = 1st January; 365 = 31st December).

Don't worry, you'll get there - eventually. They might even give you a bit extra to say sorry for mucking you about.

Stevano

Fingers crossed! Thank you once again.

lifethrualens

If your Halifax card has been closed with a zero balance for some time, it may be that their system has purged your account meaning it’s no longer an active card number. This would mean when the scheme (MasterCard/Visa) processed the refund, it would get to Halifax and their systems would typically reject back as there is no longer a valid card number to accept it.

Halifax are also then not likely to be able to trace anything at their side, they likely don’t have the option to be able to trace transactional refunds which is why they keep requesting a sort code and account number - if the refund had been sent through as an actual payment they could check their actual bank accounts, this might not be something they have thought to explain/clarify with you.

While persevering with Halifax, I would also be inclined to request Amazon complete a trace at their side to determine if the refund was indeed rejected back to them and is in fact in a suspense account at their side.

Stevano

Hi Lifethrualens, thank you for the reply. I have previously spoken to a manager from an Amazon English call centre who was certain the transaction had gone through their end. I have sent about 10 emails and made about 5 phone calls to amazon regarding this and they are useless! I’m gonna leave with Halifax at the moment as this whole situation is only winding me up more and more!!

Terry_Towelling

Posts #6 and #10 dealt with the possibility of an automated rejection. Even if Halifax had automatically rejected the item, they should still have an audit trail of the incoming and outgoing transactions and Amazon should be able to identify it as having been put back in their systems if it were rejected.

Halifax needs to be told again that they are not looking for a bank transfer, faster payment, BACs/CHAPS payment but a refund to a credit card. Someone in their back office needs to be consulting with whoever controls the incoming and outgoing files to and from the card payment schemes. They will know exactly what to look for.

Credit card companies should know that refunds come in after debits and that they can come in more than a year after. They should not be routinely rejecting these items but following them up to put them in the right place.

kay0601

Just to say, please don’t shout at the call handler when you next call in! It’s not their fault Halifax have a poor system for dealing with cases like yours and they’ll have been trying to help you.

Stevano

Cheers guys, I used to work in a call centre so know what it’s like so would never shout at them. I just shouted at the manager at Amazon cos he was useless and his tone gave off that he couldn’t care less!

Stevano

Thank you for all your help guys. Halifax have called me today to advise the money has been found. Thanks again and have a lovely Christmas.