Beware of Malfunctioning ATMs. | Golden Skate

Beware of Malfunctioning ATMs.

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I belong to a credit union so stopped at another credit union today to make a $20.00 withdrawl from their ATM. A lady told me that she had trouble with the machine - she withdrew $250.00 and only got $10.00, but the machine withdrew $250.00! I like an idiot went ahead with my transaction. I withdrew $20 and only received $10 - but the transaction took out $150.00 from my account!!! Now I have to go back to the credit union and recover my money that I did not withdraw! What a pain. I have never had this problem with an ATM before. Anyone else experience anything like this?

This incident makes me want to go back to the good old days of withdrawing money from a teller and writing cheques for expensive items. Forget the stupid debit card!!!
 

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Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Wow, that's a huge malfunction. My hubby was trying to withdraw money from our local ATM, and after three tries, the machine ate his card. He was using the correct card, but the wrong pin number. He had to go inside, report the problem, and then wait ten days for a new card.

Another time, I was trying to make a transfer from my savings to my checking account. The money would transfer, but the receipt came out blank. I never knew if the transfer had been completed, until I went home and called customer service. They had to re-enter some kind of code number into my account for that type of transfer to be completed................42
 

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Interesting to hear these problems. I work for one of the five major banks in Canada, and know all about ATM issues. With our machines, if you get gipped (usually because the machine runs out of money), 99% of the time, our computers will automatically reimburse your funds the next day. There are mistakes, but the computers are pretty smart. I can't speak to the independent machines though. I do my best to stay away from them.
 

sk8tngcanuck

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
I would like to offer another "heads up" in regards to debit card usage.

I am sure you have all tried at one time or another to use the direct payment option offered by 99% of retailers, and have had certain error messages come up (PC time out, Transaction timed out ETC) I encourage you all to keep those slips and check your bank statement carefully. This is what happened to me:

My daughter was just an infant, and I was running late for her 6 week check with her physician. I popped into the gas station where I was a frequent customer, and by frequent I mean I was in there EVERY day for one thing or another. I filled up my car with gas, grabbed a soda and some other odds and ends. My purchase came to just under $40.00. ($39.31 to be exact) The clerk ran my debit card, and it came up Transaction incomplete, PC timed out. The clerk tried 3 more times, for a total of 4 attempts. I explained that I was in a rush, and would it be ok if I popped in after her appointment after I had had a chance to go to the bank and get the cash. My sister was a 6 year employee there, and as this was a small town that I had lived in all my life, there was of course no problem. I went on my merry way, took the little one for her check up, picked up a few other odds and ends and popped into the bank to get cash to go pay for my purchase. On making my withdrawal from the bank, I was shocked to see my account with aprox $ 160.00 less than I expected to be there, so I used the print transaction option. Imagine my shock in seeing all 4 of those supposedly incomplete transactions had in fact gone through my account.

I immediately went back to the gas station with my printout and showed the clerk what had happened. She assured me there was no possible way it could have happened and that I must have made other purchases in that amount. I immediately was taken aback and explained to her that the likelihood of my making 4 transactions of the EXACT amount of the declined one at the gas station was next to impossible. I had her take the slips out of the garbage and showed her how all the times matched up to the incomplete transactions. She told me that I would have to get hold of my bank the next day to have it dealt with, then had the gall to ask me to pay for my earlier purchase. I politely explained that seeing as how they already had $160.00 for my $40.00 purchase, I didn't see that it was necessary, and told her I would speak to the bank and the owner of the store in the morning.

First thing the next morning, I contacted my bank. They told me it was completely out of their hands, as the only responsibity of the bank is to verify whether funds are available. They had no control over the terminal at the gas station, and that it would be up to them to square it away.

I went down to the gas station, receipts and printouts in hand and spoke to the owner of the store. She told me they had balanced the night before and there was no possible way those transactions had been deposited to their account. She was in no way prepared to rectify the situation, or to look into it further. She then asked me to pay my öutstanding tab, which I refused to do. I told her very bluntly that I had more than paid for it and the last thing I was doing was to give her yet another $40.00.

At that point I went back to my bank and spoke with the manager. She assured me that the funds had in fact been withdrawn, and she proceeded to give me the customer service line for the bank that the gas station dealt with. When I phoned their line, they told me that it was a merchant only issue and that they could not help me. I very calmly explained the situation, and they gave me a number that was for merchants only. When I called that number, the woman I spoke with was excellent and said although she wasn't supposed to do it for anyone other than the merchant, she felt for me and said she would check their account. She confirmed what I already knew to be true, that the money had in fact been deposited that same night to their acct. and that I should go back to them and ask them to pay me cash for the difference. I again went back to the gas station, and they refused. They told me there was no possible way it was in their account and there was no way they would reimburse me.

I had to go back to my bank, they had to write a letter to the gas station's bank and in the meantime I was still out $160.00 and they were harassing me every day about when I was going to come in and pay my bill. I told them they had already received their money, and I wanted mine. Imagine my shock when I was walking the kids downtown one day and our local RCMP Corporal stopped me and said he needed to speak to me about theft from the gas station!!!! I was furious. I explained what had happened and told him as far as I was concerned they had more than received compensation for it. He told me he would go back and speak to them, but that in the meantime, I was going to have to pay the bill, or he would be forced to pursue it. He said he understood what happened and believed me, but that if they chose to pursue it his hands would be tied. I don't think I have ever been so angry in my whole life. Knowing the last thing I wanted was a police record, I promptly went to the bank and withdrew the money, then walked over to the tellers and exchanged it for pennies and nickels. I took that bag of coin home, unrolled ever single roll, and went to the home of the owners. I told them exactly what I thought of their business practices and proceeded to drop the bag full of coins on their door step, and stormed away. It took about 6 months for me to get my money back, and ever since then I watch my statements very very carefully for those "incomplete" transactions, and encourage you all to do the same.

Canuck
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
sk8tngcanuck:

Goodness, what a nightmare! Yes, I have had times when the transelect machine has "timed out" or I have made an error and had to redo the transaction. Thanks for relating your harrowing tale. I don't think in this day and age we can be "too careful" with our banking information. I remember when I first received my debit card thinking I would only use it once in awhile - well that once in awhile has become just about every transaction now. I only carry small change for parking most of the time. It's a very frustrating position to be in. The banks and credit unions have pretty much forced us to use these darn cards for just about everything. Tellers are becoming few and far between. It's also a scary world out there to be packing around cash. I guess one could still write cheques.I hang on to every transaction receipt I get - especially with my debit card. I am surprised at work how many people (students mostly) don't want their receipts! I don't think many of them realize what can go wrong and that keeping track of one's financial records is important.

Thanks for relating your story! It was a good warning!

:)
 

Glacierskater

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Canuck,
I can't beleive that you had to go through that! But kudos to your for your creative payment method! I love it!
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I don't have an atm card... no need for it...

I might get one once I get to the city... but I doubt it.
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Wow, Canuck, what a nightmare! But, I absolutely loved that you delivered the payment in small change....if there was ever a time for that it was your situation!
 
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