ATM reports "transaction cancelled, contact your bank" yet funds debited

[steelepulse]

I just went to my local scb atm to withdraw funds from an overseas account. I get the message, transaction cancelled, contact your bank, but upon checking online the funds were debited from the account. I then proceed to call my bank about this and asked about error and status codes of transactions, but the bank rep told me they don't have access to this as it's not their atm. So as of now, 15,000 baht is somewhere, but not in my hands.

Does the local branch keep a record of this transaction, or would I need to contact a head office somewhere? How do these (mis)transactions get tracked down?

Has anyone else ever had this happen? What was the outcome?

[MobileContent]

Their is a possibility that their was a communication error.

The funds should be coming back in to your foreign account in a couple of weeks time.

[Farma]

I've had this happen a couple of times in various countries over the years.

I normally contact my bank and report the matter. Sometimes my bank will ask me if the ATM was attached to a branch and ask me to report the matter to that branch.

Other times my bank will start their own process and contact the ATM owning bank. I believe Oz banks have to respond within 6 weeks.

Usually the owning bank realizes the ATM error and the transaction is cancelled with credit refunded to your account in a matter of days.

[lopburi3]

Normally no action is required for the money to be returned to your account within several days as billing bank will not provide followup as was concealed. Suspect this may happen when ATM has issues (like no enough cash) to make payout after getting approval from your home bank.

[steelepulse]

OK thanks. The bank rep recommended that I go to another bank and try the card and there was no problem at krungsri, so it must have been the local bank's problem. Glad to hear that this isn't an unheard of incident. My overseas bank told me to make a claim once this "withdrawal" gets posted and they'll look into it.

[burgdawg]

OP...nothing like feeling frustrated and left in the dark. If you feel you are getting the runaround by your falang bank, you probably are receiving the standard-issue "we haven't a clue" doublespeak, but in a more professional tone.

Don't despair.

Keep track of any and all times (local, prorated to falang bank time) that you tend to an ATM.

Location of ATM, Thai time, all that. Keep in record book.

Should the bank not clear up their miscue after multiple attempts and your nerves are frayed, call up the falang bank via Skype, whatever. You are starting at the bottom of their food chain with these clowns, so keep your mood light and inquisitive.

You will have to tolerate the falang "voice mail jail" routine before being patched through a living human being. They go through their song and dance, FINALLY ending with "...how may I help you?"

Utter these words: "....please patch me through to your department of client escalation. Now."

You will hear some mumbling and the clerk---excuse me---account representative will come back with "...I'm sorry Mr. Somchai, we don't have that department you are inquiring about."

This is ALL a dance, so hang in there. Never show any anger when dealing with these brainless dweebs.

Calmly and evenly ask for their FULL NAME, their extension number and their department. They will put you on hold for a few seconds, then a voice will come on the line "...this is client escalation, what is your problem?"

BINGO...you are home free. State your claim. These people not only have a brain, they have access to the computer codes to make your problem go away with a few keystrokes. Perfect. Never forget this tip. They have messed up and are there to help.

How did I stumble upon such a department that supposedly doesn't exist? I was using my Bank of America ATM card (not advised, they are horrible and a bunch of teat-suckers off the Fed Reserve clowns) and accessing my own funds. The ATM at Pattaya Klang and Sai Song ate my ATM card and I could not pay rent, etc.

We all know muang Tai enough to know this Thailand is NOT the place to be without funds. Swallow your sob story, they are a dime a dozen.

In the hot sun, with 18 kon Thai behind me, I was soaked in sweat and grew dizzy. Luckily, I wrote down the bank branch phone number, ducked into a 7/11 and had enough funds to buy a cool drink. The aircon allowed me to compose my thoughts.

I buzzed back to hotel and via Skype began calls back to my falang bank.

Turned out BofA has some ridiculous policy in place that the cardholder must call up every three months to run through a set of identity questions. I did this hoop jumping properly, yet they still dropped my access to my own funds.

I snared a credit card, headed to a Thai bank and withdrew 20k baht, keeping track of all. I paid rent, etc. Then set about unraveling the bank screw up. It was during the endless calls that a bank insider sided with my frustration and told me about "client escalation." I rec'd a new ATM card within 24 hours. Once I returned to USA, I presented BofA with $438.23 in bank charges and interest incurred by me due to their lousy ATM card and they credited my account with the said funds.

ALL banks and credit card companies have the "dept of client escalation." Use it when you need to.

You'll be happy you read about this important clue. The banks and cc companies will deny its very existence.

All Catch 22.

[i claudius]

This happened to me with an aeon machine in pattaya when i used a nationwide card (when it was free) Aeon could do nothing but nationwide put the money back into my account and dealt with Aeon themselves.

[hotsoup]

This is not uncommon! True you normally get that message when the funds requested are not deposited/available

Just one other thing I NEVER use SCB ATMs. They seem to be operating on some version of Windows, which does not inspire confidence!, and you will often see a Windows Error Message on the screen. I find no problem with KTB/Kasikorn/BBL. Hope you get your money!

[FiestyFarang]

I would not worry, are you sure that the funds have been debited or just approved? If the latter the ATM could have received the approval and then had a fault. Normally this will be returned in a few days. I would however make as you seem to have done make the bank aware of it. Another fact is when they check the amount of money electronically dispensed as against actual money dispensed they will see the error. ATM are extremely reliable imagine around the world how many ATM withdrawals are made, if they were no the banks would have to spend a lot more with staff covering people going into their branches.

[Pib]

Deal only with your card-issuing bank on this issue....it's not an uncommon problem. Don't get steered back to or think you need to deal with the bank operating the ATM. Deal with your home country, card-issuing bank only....they know how to handle this problem even though some customer service reps may seem semi-clueless on the issue sometimes.

[steelepulse]

The bank made it seem like this happens occasionally, so after spending 20 minutes on the phone with them, they said to get in touch with them once it posted. I got the direct number to call, so after the weekend I'll call and get it sorted.

[JDGRUEN]

With my American bank I have to get on the phone with a bank agent and file a formal dispute. It was explained to me that without making a formal dispute nothing much would be done. I personally would not count on the money getting back to your bank in a few weeks... it just may not happen. It is wise to report it in writing to the manager of the branch where it happened... Date, time, ATM Machine number, etc., any receipt you may have received... and of course supply this information in your dispute at your own bank.

With my dispute - the money was not returned for over four weeks. Had I not filed the dispute I would have never gotten it back - in my opinion.

[Pib]

Just go the TV Search block, type in "ATM Dispute" and you can pull up previous threads regarding this subject. Some people get a credit back to their account in days, others it takes weeks...all depends on the bank and circumstances. And by circumstances I don't just mean what the customer told his bank over the phone but what the bank discovers when backtracking the transaction.

[burgdawg]

....I do not want to come across as a purveyor of Doom 'n Gloom Porn, but the Net and the wonders of ATM banking are hanging by a thread. USA has been running their printing press experiment full tilt for the last 5-6 years. Since when has any empire in history SPENT its way out of bankruptcy? Overnight changes are appearing on the horizon and could be implemented any time.

Like capital controls. Anything.

We all have had experience with some uncle or family member that "...just needs a few thousand" (dollars, pounds, Euros, etc) to "see them through." They have 45 credit cards, robbing Peter to pay Paul, one of the oldest gambits in the history of mankind.

To cut to the chase, we are living in tumultuous times. The 'Net, international banking and travel could disappear overnight.

Park your credit cards, ATM cards and wallet in your safe for 1-2 days per month. Go about your day in Thailand with 100b or less in your pocket. Do it for your own sake, to learn your own internal lessons.

Aeon Bank is the best for transferring in funds from overseas banks to your hands. SCB and other Tai banks are fine for IN-COUNTRY ATM transactions...but please keep aware of your changwat....province.

If you opened your SCB or K-Bank account in Chonburi and decide on a cross-country trip in Thailand...YOU GET CHARGED 20b per transaction outside of the changwat your account was opened. I did not believe this at first when I heard it....checked my bank balance in BKK before flying out and promptly got slapped 20b for even checking my balance.

We ALL need to live like kon Tai in order to live in our chosen home.

[Pib]

Aeon Bank is the best for transferring in funds from overseas banks to your hands. SCB and other Tai banks are fine for IN-COUNTRY ATM transactions...but please keep aware of your changwat....province.

Where you say AEON Bank, do you really mean AEON ATMs? If so, why are AEON ATMs any better than Thai bank ATMs. All ATMs use the "Visa/Mastecard exchange rate" (unless offered a DCC transaction which you say No to and continue on with a regular withdrawal). And all ATMs in Thailand, including AEON ATMs, charge a Bt150 to Bt180 foreign card fee....AEON specifically charges Bt150...they started charging that fee around Feb 14.

Now if you did mean AEON Bank, what make them better for incoming funds? I didn't even now AEON was considered a bank and you could have a bank account with them...thought AEON was just a credit financial company which offered a wide variety of cards.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Pib

[steelepulse]

Here's a follow up. My overseas bank contacted the local SCB bank, and local SCB says transaction was completed and legit. I don't know what evidence they used to back up their stance, but it clearly wasn't the video camera from the atm as in fact no money did come out and the transaction was cancelled. There goes 15K baht due to incompetence and laziness from the local bank on not investigating thoroughly.

[mommysboy]

I have had this happen numerous times in Bangkok mainly and with Thai cards. The account should be recredited. If not call SCB again. That is a whack of money to lose. I only use ATM sparingly in Thailand because I have experienced too many problems over the years.

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