Ghost entry

choccyface2006

When checking my online bank yesterday I noticed that a payment from last week has been duplicated. The code for the date, time and amount are the same. My balance has been adjusted accordingly.

I called my bank (Natwest) who said it was probably a ghost entry and it should dissappear overnight, if not call them. Well I forgot to check till just now and see that it hasn't gone. I'll call them tomorrow to try to resolve this.

I was wondering though, what happens if a payment like this takes you overdrawn? This has come from my savings account that is for Christmas spending so I don't have an overdraft faciility on this account. Is is the banks fault or the shop where the original transaction took place?

Thanks, Sarah x

jonesMUFCforever

It is probably the fault of the shop.
Can I ask how you managed to make a payment from a savings account?
Most banks do not allow debit cards etc on savings account.

To fully answer the rest of your question - if the payment had been duplicated then you would have raised a duplicated transaction with the card services section of your card issuer.
They would correct the entry and should cancel any charges that might have followed.

choccyface2006

Its from my first reserve account, I have a solo card for it (& my ISA too)

I'll call first thing, thanks ejones999.

natweststaffmember

My understanding with ghost entries is that they normally drop off within 3 working days. There is a thread on the forum which does suggest as long as a week but in my experience this is not the case. It is not overnight as was told to you.

Mikeyorks

natweststaffmember wrote: »

My understanding with ghost entries is that they normally drop off within 3 working days. There is a thread on the forum which does suggest as long as a week but in my experience this is not the case. It is not overnight as was told to you.

I think that thread relates to a 'reserved' amount ..... but which will never be claimed. In other words the available amount is reduced - but there is no posted entry.

This is not the same - as the OP cites a 2nd visible entry on her statement and where the detail fully duplicates an earlier posting.

natweststaffmember

I believed the other thread was the same thing although I may have misread the previous thread on here. acually, the ghost entry is different to what he actually has which is a duplicated entry ie that funds set aside. But the timescale is as advised as that is from experience I have in dealing with cases like this at work(as my username suggests I work for NatWest).