If the ATM did not dispense the money, but debited it from the card, you must strictly follow the instructions to collect your funds that were not received by the ATM by mistake.
Let's look at an example
Let's say you have a card account with one large bank that cooperates with other banks that do not charge fees for cash withdrawals at their ATMs. You decide to receive money through a third-party ATM by entering the required amount on the screen. After this, the ATM thought for a long time, and then reported an error and returned the card.
Let's say you decide to perform the transaction again, requesting exactly the same amount on the screen, but this time the funds dispenser responded differently, displaying information that there is not enough money in your account to be debited. And according to the statement, you saw that the funds had indeed disappeared from your balance. As a result, you are left without money and without a receipt for the transaction. It is quite natural that you will panic in such a situation if you do not know the step-by-step instructions for returning your honestly earned funds.
What should I do if the ATM does not issue a receipt and funds after the transaction?
If a similar situation has happened to you, then do not despair. This is not your fault. It's all about the device. There can be many reasons for a technical failure: insufficient banknotes, problems with software, malfunction of the bill acceptor, mechanical damage to the plastic card, power outage and many others. And if there were no witnesses to the unpleasant situation that happened to you, then you should remember or write down everything that will help the banking organization to sort out the problem in the near future and refund your money:
- First, make sure that the dispenser has actually completed all work on your card. Wait 30-60 seconds after returning the card, as in some cases the money gets stuck when there are technical problems with the ATM. Because if the device issues them after this period of time, and you do not take them, then the ATM will take the money back after a minute, but it will be debited from your account. In this case, of course, it will be much easier to return them, since this is not an error; the ATM takes the bills back to protect them from theft.
- Be sure to remember or write down the ATM number and the address of its location somewhere. The number is usually located on the front or side of the device. As a rule, it contains 4-8 digits.
- If the ATM did not give you the requested amount, did not make sounds indicating the dispensing of money, or did not print a receipt, then immediately, if possible, check the card balance through the Internet application or at another nearby ATM. If funds have disappeared from your account, immediately contact the issuing bank that issued the card.
- Write down the approximate time to inform the bank specialists.
- If there were witnesses to such a situation, ask them for contact information so that if something happens they can confirm the ATM’s failure to dispense funds.
How to contact the bank?
If the ATM did not dispense money, and the bank wrote it off from the account, then call the bank and tell a specialist in detail about what happened. It will log your problem. It is better, of course, to visit the bank in person and get a photocopy of your application.
You need to contact the issuing bank that issued the card for you, even if you used an ATM of a third-party bank to withdraw money.
Such requests are usually processed within 30 days. The period may be increased to 60 days if such a situation occurred when withdrawing funds outside of Russia.
If the funds were debited from a debit card on the account of which the bank accrues interest on the balance, then in this case it is not obliged to compensate for this interest. If the money was withdrawn from a credit card on which payment is due in the near future, then the bank will also not give the right to defer payment. This should be remembered in order to avoid loan arrears.
How to make a written complaint to the bank?
When drawing up an application to the issuing bank, you must indicate:
- plastic card number;
- the amount you tried to withdraw;
- withdrawal time;
- ATM location address;
- device number.
After this, you need to describe the situation in detail and submit the claim to a bank employee for registration. Don’t forget to ask for a photocopy of the application with the stamp, date and details of the specialist. Be sure to check the date of registration of the claim, since it is from this day that the countdown for solving the problem will begin.
If the bank does not have offices in your city, then you can make a claim in writing, have it certified by a notary office and send it by registered mail to the bank address specified in the agreement.
If the funds were not issued by an ATM of a third-party bank, then be sure to write the same complaint to this bank. Each money dispensing device has a camera, and ATMs installed in bank offices, one way or another, fall into the internal video surveillance zone.
By submitting a written request, you will inform the third-party bank about the problem that has arisen, and it will be able to take all necessary measures to preserve the video footage from the cameras in the event that consideration of the application takes a long time.
What to do next?
When you withdraw funds from an ATM, they are not immediately debited from your card account. First, they are blocked, and the ATM sends a request through the payment system to the bank to block the money. In online banking, a clock icon usually appears next to such an operation, which indicates that the funds are “frozen”. Their issuance operations are confirmed only after some time. That is, if excess funds are detected during ATM collection, the “freezing” icon for the withdrawal operation in Internet banking should disappear and the money should be returned to the account. But if this did not happen and the banknotes were not actually issued to you by the ATM, then you will have to wait for a decision on your application within the promised 30 calendar days.
How to speed up the process of returning funds to your card account?
If the bank branch does not tell you anything other than the request number, then try to resolve the issue through the call center of the issuing bank. Ask a specialist to connect you by phone with an employee who deals with the return of funds written off but not received from the account.
As a rule, if such a problem happened to you when withdrawing funds from an ATM of your “home” bank, then it will take specialists no more than 7 days to check transactions, CCTV cameras and ATM collection. But if you withdrew money from a third-party bank, then communication between credit institutions will already take place through the payment system, which means that the decision will not be expedited.
How long can I expect a refund of incorrectly debited funds to my card?
Exactly 1 month after acceptance of the appeal, you should receive a message about the decision on the case. If the outcome of the case is positive, the money will be credited to your account within 5 business days.
If the bank makes a negative decision and refuses to return the funds, then all you have to do is contact the police by writing a statement to verify the illegal write-off.
If in this case the bank ignores your demands, then file a claim in court. Through the court, under Article 856 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, you will be able to demand payment of interest for the use of the amount illegally debited from the account, as well as compensation payments for moral damage.
- Withdraw funds only from ATMs of your “native” bank, and not from ATMs of partners. Because if a third-party bank’s device does not issue money due to a malfunction, the refund process will take a long time.
- Do not withdraw money in large amounts in one transaction. If you need to withdraw a large amount, it is better to contact the bank’s cash desk or send money by wire transfer.
- If problems arise in the operation of the ATM, refuse to perform a transaction in it to avoid problems.
- Always request a printout of the receipt when making any card transaction at an ATM, this will make it easier for you to prove that the transaction took place.
- Don’t panic if the ATM still doesn’t give you banknotes, but strictly follow the instructions described above.
Practice shows that modern ATMs are far from being 100% reliable devices. Most often you have to deal with the fact that they do not return the card or do not accept it or do not see it. But there are even more unpleasant situations that directly affect the state of your account - when the operation is carried out, but less money is issued than requested; or a completely different amount is written off than the one issued. What to do in such and similar cases. Moneyinformer has prepared a review on this topic.
The most common error situations with bank cards when withdrawing and depositing money
The ATM debited the money, but did not dispense anything.
- A smaller amount was issued than was written off from the card.
- The ATM did not credit, “ate” the money that was deposited, or did not credit the entire deposited amount to the account.
- Money can be deposited into the receiver, and then taken back.
- Sometimes the glitch is that a check is issued for a financial transaction, the money is not issued, but the money is not debited from the account.
It should be borne in mind that in the vast majority of cases, the bank returns to the client incorrectly written off or undercredited amounts. Therefore, you should never panic, as this may only worsen your chances of getting your money back. But you must understand that the bank will have to carry out a check at your request, and only after identifying a technical failure, discovering extra money during collection, or taking into account some other facts, will it transfer the missing funds to your account.
What should the victim do in such cases?
Be prepared in advance
Since you will need to contact the bank with an application when going to withdraw or deposit money on a card, it is advisable to have a mobile phone and passport with you. In most banks, you can submit an application by calling the hotline or ATM service, but some require personal presence and then you cannot do without a passport.
It is always preferable to use the ATM of your own, “native” bank, rather than a “foreign” one. In this case, the chances of a refund are greater. And if he is also located directly in the bank branch, this can also be beneficial - it will be easier to find witnesses to what happened, and the promptness of contacting bank employees will be a plus, especially since one of them will be very close and will help with advice.
During and after the incident
You must contact the ATM service of the card issuing bank by phone and report the incident. This should be done within 24 hours, but it’s better not to waste time and hurry. You will need to provide all the details of what happened, including the address and ATM number, and the exact time of the incident. It is better to write down this data immediately after the incident, so as not to make mistakes later. Naturally, you will need to indicate the card number and passport details of its owner.
(It would be appropriate to mention here that using someone else’s card is illegal, and this circumstance, discovered by the bank, may lead to a separate investigation).
Note: If transactions were carried out at an ATM of a “foreign” bank, you still need to contact your bank, which issued the card.
According to the rules of most banks, just a telephone call will not be enough, and you will need to submit an application in person at a bank branch within 5 days, once again providing all the information you have about the incident.
Important:
-- When making an application over the phone, you should write down the name of the employee who received it and the application number.
-- When submitting an application at the bank office, you should also write down the incoming number and date, or even better, ask to make a copy of it for you. You can immediately clarify the time frame for consideration of your claim.
Never neglect the “print receipt” function. The data from the check will help you make an application without errors, and in some situations it can serve as arguments in your favor.
- Having taken money from the receiver, you need to count it right there on the spot. Moreover, it is advisable to do this in front of the ATM video camera, which in most cases is located at the top of the screen. In any case, it is imperative to do this in front of the camera if, during the first quick recalculation, a suspicion arises that the amount is not correct; Moreover, the bills must be rearranged so that the camera can record their denomination and quantity.
- If you still have less money than you need, call one of the people nearby as witnesses and count the bills together, and then write down the contact information of these witnesses. If you are in a bank office, the chances that the people standing behind you in line will respond are much greater.
There may be times when a message will appear on the screen related to your card transaction. It is advisable to take a photo of it on your mobile phone.
After the incident, and when withdrawing large amounts of cash and before the operation, it would be useful to take an account statement. In addition, before filing a claim, you should check your card balance again.
Making a statement
Describe the situation as fully as possible: the location of the incident, the exact time to the minute (a check will help), the number and address of the ATM, the amount requested, the amount received in hand, indicating the number and denominations of banknotes. If you were able to find witnesses, please provide their contact information. Describe how you discovered the shortage - immediately on the spot or already at home. If you believe that the video recording will testify in your favor, please ask to save it and not delete it until the verification is completed.
Try to avoid inaccuracies. Keep in mind that a refusal may also occur for a formal reason: for example, you entered the ATM number or address incorrectly.
If a refund is refused
In the vast majority of cases, banks identify technical faults and return money to customers. In particular, Sberbank treats user requests with loyalty and attention. However, it also happens that victims receive a negative answer. No technical or software failures are detected, and no excess money is detected in the ATM.
Then the only option still left for the client is to go to court. If we are talking about missing large sums, maybe this will make sense. But there is very little practical chance that the results of a banking investigation will be rejected by the court. A bank audit is a closed internal procedure, and even the testimony of witnesses does not guarantee a decision in your favor. A surviving video recording of the money recalculation, which testifies in your favor, would be the most powerful argument in this case - the bank is obliged to provide it upon a judicial request.
For information
There can be quite a few reasons why an ATM will not dispense money or incorrectly credit it to your account.
Software errors occur, for example, failures in communication with the payment system processing server. A module may fail, for example, a dispenser - a device for dispensing funds. You may run out of banknotes of the required denomination; a banknote may get stuck in the dispensing module (sometimes it comes out with a delay)...
But sometimes failures are “seemingly” initiated by the user himself. For example, a larger amount is requested for withdrawal than is in the account, or the daily limit for cash withdrawal is exceeded. It is better to avoid such requests.
Refund deadlines
As a rule, according to internal bank instructions, the investigation must be completed no later than two weeks, but in practice the money is returned even earlier.
But this applies to ATMs owned by the card issuing bank. If we are talking about a device owned by a third-party bank, the consideration of the claim extends for up to 45 days, since in this case the verification requires the participation of not only the issuing bank and the payment system, but also the third-party bank.
Today, more and more people use plastic bank cards. Salaries, benefits, or other cash payments are made to the account. You can pay for purchases in stores with bank cards, but to get cash we often use ATMs.
An ATM is a rather complex device, the operation of which sometimes fails. Therefore, today it is not uncommon for situations to occur when the machine refuses to issue cash.
1. Stay put! You should not immediately leave the ATM, because the withdrawal of money may occur a little later after a system failure, and then a random client may take your money. Then it will be almost impossible for you to prove that the bank did not issue them.
2. If an unpleasant situation with an ATM occurs on the territory of a bank branch, immediately call a bank employee and act in accordance with his instructions.
3. If problems with the ATM occur in another location, then you must, without leaving the machine, call the hotline at the phone number indicated on the back of your card. The service employee needs to describe the situation and, to confirm the transaction, request an account statement at the time of the transaction and (or) a slip/receipt. Since all transactions with bank cards are monitored automatically around the clock, it will not be difficult for a bank employee to check the accuracy of your information. It is not necessary to block a bank card, but you can exercise this right to minimize the risk of funds being written off from your account. If the information is confirmed, the missing money must be transferred back to the bank card (in case it has been written off). The bank is obliged to notify you about this operation. Refunds may take time, but usually do not require a trip to the branch.
4. If you learned about the debiting of money after an unsuccessful transaction and have already left the ATM, or were unable to agree with a bank employee by phone, you must submit a statement to any branch of your bank and describe in detail the circumstances of the incident (indicate the bank card number, date and time transaction performed, ATM location address, brief description of the situation), attach available documents (statement of recent transactions, transaction receipt, copy of passport). The application also needs to indicate the details by which you will need to transfer the money back. It is advisable to submit an application to the bank in two copies so that you have confirmation of the actual filing of the claim for the return of funds. Applications are accepted only from the legal card holder or from an authorized representative on the basis of a notarized power of attorney.
- It is better to withdraw a large amount of funds through a cash desk at a bank branch;
- if the ATM is slow, it is better to refuse the operation or withdraw a small amount of money;
- Always take a written receipt, because in the event of a failed transaction, it will help you quickly authorize your transaction by indicating a unique transaction code;
- try to use the services of your bank’s terminals.
The ATM debited the requested amount from the card account, but did not dispense cash: a situation that all owners of plastic cards subconsciously fear. The situation seems even more desperate if the transaction was carried out at a time when bank branches are no longer open. What to do in such a case, and is there a chance to return lost funds?
Procedure for returning funds retained by an ATM
In fact, the occurrence of the above situation is not such a rare occurrence. The cause of such failures may be problems with the device’s power supply, lack of funds to fulfill the user’s request, or a software error. Be that as it may, there is no need to panic: the money will definitely be returned to the account of its owner. Moreover, sometimes this happens automatically. After some time, it is worth checking the card balance: it is possible that the money has already been transferred back.
If automatic return does not occur, you should perform the following steps:
Save receipt
If the ATM managed to issue a receipt indicating the transaction, you should not throw it in the trash - the presence of such a document can significantly speed up the process of returning money.
Contact a bank employee
If the operation was carried out at a terminal located in the bank’s office during business hours, you should voice your problem to the manager on duty. He will help you correctly draw up a claim for a refund, clarify the timing of the return, and answer all the client’s questions.
Call the bank's hotline
If for some reason it is not possible to obtain personal advice from employees of a banking organization, you must call the bank’s hotline. Its number can be found on a bank card or on the terminal itself, a malfunction of which led to the problem. Bank card transactions are automatically tracked in real time, so obtaining information about where the money is is not difficult for the operator.
In addition, by calling the hotline, you can leave a request for a refund, and not write a statement at the territorial bank branch. in such a situation, it is not worth it - the debiting of funds occurred due to a failure in the system, and not due to fraudsters gaining access to account management.
Wait for the results of the request
As a rule, funds are returned to the bank account within a few weeks from the date of the failed transaction. Such a long period is due to the fact that the bank needs to verify all the data specified in the application, as well as all transactions previously carried out on the account.
Go to court
Sometimes the bank refuses to refund the applicant the funds erroneously debited from the account. In such a situation, the client of the banking organization will have to defend his rights in court by preparing a statement of claim and creating an evidence base confirming the fact that the money was written off and retained by the terminal.
As a rule, there are no problems with returning money written off but not issued by an ATM. The only inconvenience for the cardholder is the need to write an application for a refund and a long wait for them to be transferred to a bank account.
If the bank refuses to refund, you will have to resolve the issue in court, requesting compensation not only for material, but also for moral damage.
Russians are already accustomed to using bank cards. We must assume that electronic payment systems will soon only strengthen their position in the financial market. The fact is that using ATMs is convenient and comfortable, especially on a business trip or while traveling. There is no need to carry a lot of money with you and fear that you will be robbed or the money will somehow be lost. In any city, iron machines are at your service, which can issue the required amount. The main thing is that there are no problems. After all, sometimes it happens that the ATM did not dispense money, but wrote it off from the card.
Yes, in any business there are, at least small, disadvantages. In addition to cases of fraud with the client’s account (despite all sorts of protection methods provided by the bank), certain technical failures in the system are also possible, as a result of which the money does not reach the user. This concerns the so-called failed transactions, which can occur just at the moment when you have completed all the cash withdrawal operations, the money has already been debited from the account, and the withdrawal of money never occurred due to the loss of the signal. Of course, such situations are extremely rare, but they still happen.
What to do if the ATM does not dispense money?
Well, this annoying error can be fixed, so don’t worry too much. Of course, it will take time (this depends on the bank’s policy) and a little fuss, but no one is immune from unpleasant moments in life. First, you need to wait 10-15 minutes and then check your account. Usually, during such failures, a special system is triggered (if it is connected by the bank), providing for an automatic return of money to the client’s account. By checking the balance you will be able to see this.
If the money has not been returned to your account, then the first thing you need to do is contact the branch of the bank whose services you use and write a corresponding statement in which you should describe the situation that happened. Be prepared in advance for the fact that the money will not be returned to you immediately or even after a few days. The bank studies the situation for a long time, checks all transactions on the account, and also establishes the cause of the failure in the system. This entire process may take about a month (although the contract specifies a period of 15 days), but rest assured that the money will be returned to you without fail.
Why is the refund process delayed?
Firstly, A lot of time is spent on analytical studies of the causes of failure, as well as on testing equipment.
Secondly, collection of the bank must be carried out, which does not happen immediately, but after some time.
Third, much depends on the complexity of the situation. It may be necessary to involve additional specialists to analyze and troubleshoot problems.
Also, the time for refunding depends on the amount written off. If the amount is small, the client can count on a quick refund (within 10 days). The fact is that collection of an ATM is carried out only after the funds in it run out. It may turn out that several bills, which together make up the amount debited from the account, got stuck as a result of technical problems in the seized cassettes. In this case, the situation will be settled and the money will quickly be returned by the bank to your card.
Often, the amount requested by a client from an ATM is urgently needed, and he has no other funds. In such situations, bank employees can accommodate the client halfway and set a so-called bonus.
In what cases can you get a bonus?
1. The amount of money written off is small.
2. The bank card and ATM belong to the same bank.
3. The client is regular, and funds are credited regularly.
It is in the interests of the bank to retain the client and ensure maximum convenience in using the services provided. Therefore, banks set a bonus for a period of one month to partially and temporarily resolve the problem. Of course, this carries a certain risk for the bank, since it is impossible to immediately determine the causes of the failure and confirm the fact of the loss of the client’s money. All this takes time. In addition, it is necessary to take into account numerous facts of fraud in this area. However, if the check and analysis did not confirm the failed transaction, and the bonus has already been received by the client, the bank will write off the bonus amount from the client’s account, even if it is empty. In any case, the amount must be returned to the bank.
Rules for using an ATM
1. It is recommended to withdraw large amounts directly at a bank branch, rather than using an ATM.
2. Sometimes the ATM does not work well, which is called “slowdown”. In this case, it is better not to carry out any operations to avoid system failures.
3. Make it a rule to always write a check, which will be one of the proofs of withdrawal of funds and will help speed up the process of returning the money.
These simple and uncomplicated rules are available to everyone. I would like to hope that they will help the credit card owner avoid unpleasant misunderstandings.
If the ATM does not issue a card, read
