Fraudulent transaction on credit card

weateallthepies

Our credit card company blocked transactions yesterday and contacted us to notify us of a suspicious transaction. It was a £0 transaction in a pub I think. On checking our account however we realize a transaction had been approved the preceding evening for around £1300 and we notified them that this wasn’t our transaction. They quibbled that it might be our mistake (it isn’t) and that we should contact the company in question as we must have credentials there (we don’t, and my wife checked).

They also suggested we would need to go through the chargeback process, though I know this is the wrong step as it’s not a transaction we made and I’m definitely not tacitly admitting we did.

They didn’t even seem in any huge concern that we should cancel the cards, we told them we wanted to and that at least has been done.

They’ve already hung up on us and have failed to call back as promised. Frankly quite shocked at the service and their seeming lack of concern over this activity.

Just wanted any advice on:

1. How is it possible for such a large transaction to be approved without it firing off any of the normal 2FA stuff we would usually get?

2. Anything we should be asking about or doing in particular?

I’m a secondary cardholder which is complicating things as my wife has very busy and long work hours. I’ve told her that we should probably ask for it to be escalated to internal complaints as she is wasting hours repeating the same info to get nowhere and their seems to be the implication that this transaction is our fault.

Needless to say we’ll be shutting this account and going elsewhere once we resolve this.

Thanks.

Wonka_2

Your story isn't very clear - given the location/timing of the large transaction is there any chance it could be yours - even if the value is an error ? I.e. is it local ? A place you've been/used before etc ? Presumably they know this already and your engagement on the subject is just likely to be muddying the waters.

Depending on the card company 'all' you (or actually your wife as the cardholder) need to do is report it as a fraudulent transaction and let their process take it's course.

weateallthepies

Wonka_2 said:

Your story isn't very clear - given the location/timing of the large transaction is there any chance it could be yours - even if the value is an error ? I.e. is it local ? A place you've been/used before etc ? Presumably they know this already and your engagement on the subject is just likely to be muddying the waters.

Depending on the card company 'all' you (or actually your wife as the cardholder) need to do is report it as a fraudulent transaction and let their process take it's course.

Hi, it’s for a holiday company we have never used and we haven’t booked any holidays or anything holiday related. Unclear if the transaction was online or cardholder present, it says London in the transaction listing and neither of us have been in London at the time. No they don’t seem to know this and implied that it must be us. Our engagement has been very little apart from telling them this wasn’t our transaction but they don’t appear to be accepting that it is fraudulent so there isn’t any process happening as far as we know.

Thanks for replying

grumbler

Your CC company is fobbing you off. 
You report a fraudulent transaction. Full stop. Now it's their job and the retailer's to refund you or to prove that you lie.
I think it's time to follow their formal complaint procedure.

weateallthepies

grumbler said:

Your CC company is fobbing you off. 
You report a fraudulent transaction. Full stop. Now it's their job and the retailer's to refund you or to prove that you lie.
I think it's time to follow their formal complaint procedure.

Cheers, that’s how it’s looking to me.

km1500

agree totally with@grumbler.

Report as fraudulent transaction and if they mess you about raise a complaint.

Don't get into discussions kust keep saying I didn't make this transaction it is fraudulent.

born_again

As acc holder Mrs needs to do this. Just tell them it is fraud, you want the card the transaction was made on stopped & a refund in the account at the end of the day. As per Payment Services Directive.

HillStreetBlues

I would raise a complaint.
But telling them that it's not your transaction you have reported the issue.
Once you confirmed it wasn't your transaction  then they should have marked it a fraud.
The whole handing of the issue has been a shambles.

born_again

Of course there is a chance this is not a internet based transaction.
Given a zero amount in a pub (think).
Unless it was a pub's app.

Also could only have spoken the front line call center & not fraud team.

Biggest concern to me is, told a zero amount not there. Yet not stopping card. Any transaction customer advises they have not made. Should be a stopped card.
Also not clear if Mrs (acc holder) spoke to them. Which would be required to replace a card. 

NoodleDoodleMan

If it gets to the stage where you need to absolutely assert your lack of culpability - send them a formal signed letter, typed or word processed (if possible) giving full details of the dispute.

Keep an exact copy for your own records and mail the original by Recorded Delivery - it's not expensive, then you'll have confirmation by Royal Mail tracking service of when and where it's delivered a few days later.

Then the recipient can't dispute it having been received.

born_again

NoodleDoodleMan said:

If it gets to the stage where you need to absolutely assert your lack of culpability - send them a formal signed letter, typed or word processed (if possible) giving full details of the dispute.

Keep an exact copy for your own records and mail the original by Recorded Delivery - it's not expensive, then you'll have confirmation by Royal Mail tracking service of when and where it's delivered a few days later.

Then the recipient can't dispute it having been received.

Banks do not sign for letter, that is all done by PO, or they would be waiting all day for someone to sign for all the letters. 

Proof of posting is all that is required.

If a letter is lost, it's lost. No matter how it is sent.