unathorised debit card withdrawal from USA

[jonesyonline]

Hi hope some of you guys can help me with this problem me and my fianc� are having.

About this time last year, for an anniversary treat we booked a limo to take parents from airport to hotel in New York. Payment went through and everything fine.
Come this year a month ago � the same payment was taken out of my fiance's account � obviously using her card details. We rang and asked them why this was, they informed us the same thing had happened to ten people due to a computer error and they would refund the money. After numerous phone calls we eventually got the money refunded back onto care � minus the exchange rate commission.

Now this month they have taken the same payment again. When we phoned them they were very rude and informed us we should sort the issue out with our bank.

Surely this is illegal to take two unauthorised payments from a debit card? In my view it is fraud � taking money not authorised to take � whether or not it is a computer fault or not.

Any ideas on where we could go to for advice. We just want the money refunded and if possible also the money refunded that we have lost out on due to exchange rate commission.

[Rollo]

Why on earth don't you do what they said?

Get onto the card issuer and tell them this is an unauthorised debit?

Can you tell me why you have not done that please?

[jonesyonline]

we did this the 1st time, the bank said we can only appeal transactions after a month.

[padanarm]

Check with your bank whether these were single payments or direct debits.

Most banks should protect debit cards against unauthorised withdrawals and will either cover the charges or may limit your liability to �50.

If these were direct debits you should be fully covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.

It may be illegal depending on what you agreed to. Do you have a copy of what you signed? Since this did not happend in the UK any legal action may be difficult and expensive.

Discuss with your bank, explain you believe you are the victim of an international fraud or mistake, ask for this payee to be blocked and ask for a replacement card.

Your bank is obliged to 'treat you sympathetically'.

[SazzyC0]

I had a problem with an unauthorised payment taken and the bank should have a fraud squad type thing that can retrive your money, get onto them ASAP!

[kira000]

As an immediate step, i would ask that your card is cancelled, and get a replacement. That way at least they cant take another payment in the future.

[jonesyonline]

thanks.
Have contacted bank and they said they could cancel card so it doesn't happen again.
Only problem with that is it will be even more difficult to get the money refunded from the company having changed card details - and if we simply give them the new card details they will have them again and we may be back t square one!!

[kempie]

The original card number should still be able to accept a refund even though no further payments can be authorised.