card declined but money still debited the card !

[completerookie]

strange one here, I've just booked up with the travelodge to stay down south between xmas and new year, and when I booked up, my visa card was declined and the website told me so.

the visa card had a surcharge of £1.50 for using visa (no surcharge for debit cards)

No probs, just a glitch, I'll use another card (debit). This other card worked, booked the hotel and alls well and I now have a receipt for the debit card (without the surcharge) and saying I used card ending in number ????

when I phone MBNA to see why its been declined, they say "no it hasn't, you have xxx debited and the payment went through ok"

so now, I have a card payment that "didn't go though but debited" (complete with surcharge)
a card that did work but without the surcharge, and I've paid twice for the same room ! !

Travelodge say its a "verification by visa" issue, not their problem

so do I demand the credit card company cancel the charge and HOPE I still have a room when I get there, or what next - travelodge say "we promise to reply in ten days" but its xmas and ....

do I wait until I "use the room having paid by debit" and then kick up,

whats the next step.

[Mike Hughes]

You've paid twice. Travelodge should refund one of the payments.

There's nothing to worry about though as if they fail for some reason then you can dispute the payment and Visa will do a chargeback.

Just keep your receipts and it might be worth checking that Travelodge don't have two bookings in your name.

Mike

[completerookie]

I've checked with the motel, they've only got one booking, but with computer systems, I'd hate to get there and find out the computer says one thing, and my credit card says another.

The receipt clearly says "card ending in ????" (ie debit card) so I have to assume I'm in the clear.
I've also replied saying the disput is not with the verification procedure, its with the fact youv'e charged me twice, problem of course, its that timeof the year and I'm £160 down for my troubles.

[Tristar]

Very interesting, I ordered some currency on-line with Tavelex, and their site required me to complete a "Verification by Visa" panel, having tried to do so three times and failed, I gave up, at which point the Travelex site asked me for feedback as to why I had not completed the purchase. Having done so, I tried the verification process again, this time with a different password, this time it was accepted, however, like the OP, I found that my bank account had been debited twice, for the same amount, the initial "failed" purchase having gone through, despite the failure of the verification process. I had no problem getting a refund from Travelex, but my problem is that NO-ONE involved, Travelex, Visa, or Bank, will accept responsibility for the fact that my bank released funds despite my card not being verified by THEIR extra safety system. I am in on-going correspondence with various authorities to establish who is responsible, but it does not give one any confidence in such systems.

PS. On arrival at the airport, two lots of Euro currency awaited me, and I was able to purchase the second pack at the original rate, so at least I made money on the deal.

[Mike Hughes]

my problem is that NO-ONE involved, Travelex, Visa, or Bank, will accept responsibility for the fact that my bank released funds despite my card not being verified by THEIR extra safety system.

The thing with verification is that it is not a requirement for payment to be made. Merely an additional process to try and verify that the purchaser is the owner of the card. Where verification has not been possible, the card issuer makes a normal business decision as to whether it is prepared to accept the risk or not and approve the transaction.

The retailer also gets the information as to whether verification has been successful. I often get the message 'verification attempted' with a payment which presumably means something along the lines 'they nearly knew the password'. I'm not really clear where the liability lies if it is fraudulent.

Mike

[completerookie]

just got back, but there has been no-one in travelodge that can tell me whats going on, probably just that time of the year.
This afternoon, I plan to make a chargeback against the credit card and then start arguing the case if they try chasing me.
I've had my stay, (theoretically against the debit card) and they can keep that money, but the other one . . . I'm having that back.

[Tristar]

Where verification has not been possible, the card issuer makes a normal business decision as to whether it is prepared to accept the risk or not and approve the transaction. Mike

Understood, but my problem is that Travelex asked me for feedback as to why I had not completed the transaction, a fairly definitive statement that they had not accepted the order, and, therefore, funds were not (but in my case were) to be deducted from my account. I stress here that 'Visa' categorically state that responsibility for this problem falls squarely on the bank card issuer, that is my bank, who also categorically deny that they are responsible. I think we should all be concerned that this sort of thing can happen with total deniability by all those involved.

[Tristar]

T Where verification has not been possible, the card issuer makes a normal business decision as to whether it is prepared to accept the risk or not and approve the transaction.Mike

Understood, but my problem is that Travelex asked me for feedback as to why I had not completed the transaction, a fairly definitive statement that they had not accepted the order, and, therefore, funds were not (but in my case were) to be deducted from my account. I stress here that 'Visa' categorically state that responsibility for this problem falls squarely on the bank card issuer, that is my bank, who also categorically deny responsibility. I believe that we should all be concerned that such problems can arise yet complaints are met with total denial by all involved.

[Darren B]

OK heard you the 1st time

I had it this xmas with AP, guy tells me he definately got a credit card failed error twice (two cards used), yet i downloaded 2 orders with two payments. I contacted the customer and unfortunately he cancelled both orders as he thought none had gone through and purchased from another site.

[parklifeclothes]

I stress here that 'Visa' categorically state that responsibility for this problem falls squarely on the bank card issuer, that is my bank, who also categorically deny that they are responsible. .

As always the bank never loses and then go running for a handout so the big fat bosses can have their bonuses