Holiday Trip Got Charge 3 Months Later. Company Say's EFTPOS System Was Faulty 3 Month Ago

NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 09:54
Last edited 23/01/2019 - 11:22

Hi All
Went on a holiday to Hawaii, was really a great trip.
We also went on a helicopter ride, cost over $1000 for 1 hour. One of the best scenery in the world.
Anyway we paid for our ride on that day, as I remembered I've paid it in cash, as we always bring cash to pay for all our expenses while on holiday.
When we booked for the ride we have to give them our Credit card details just in case we cancel in the last minutes they will take our money.
Three months later got an email from the Helicopter company saying on that day their efpos was faulty and they did not charge us and now they're withdrawing the money from my credit card, they apologise for the "inconvenience", and took the money from my credit card 2 days ago (3 months after our holiday).
Called up the bank and told the bank I did not authorize any transaction from overseas as I have not been on holiday in the last three months.
The bank has block the transaction and refunded me.

Would you let it slide and not worry about it?
Can company keep your credit card detail after 3 months of purchases?
I'm more than happy to pay them if I'm %100 sure that I didn't get charge but as I said 3 months after the holiday memories because vague.

Update:
Just call up the company and got them to clarified why they charging me again!!!
But I got more confuse, they told me over the phone that I've paid $500 in cash and I haven't pay the rest.
So I ask them it was just over $1000 and I've $500 in case why are they charging my me $1000 again?
The lady said "Yes it very confusing" and their system not working probably and she email me back once do some more "research".
And yes I have evidence that said told me I"ve paid $500 in cash.

Travel

Comments

  • Bonbi on 23/01/2019 - 10:01
    +4

    Surely with that large of a purchase and such an unforgettable experience you would've remembered if you paid over $1000 in cash or not.

    Is there anyone who would let an "unauthorised" $1000 charge slide…?

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:11

      Hi Bonbi
      What I meant by let it slide and not worry about it as the bank already refunded me and ignor and forget about the company.

  • bobbified on 23/01/2019 - 10:10
    +4

    Anyway we paid for our ride on that day, as I remembered I've paid it in cash

    Selective memory? A $1000 expense and you don't know whether you paid or not? I honestly find that laughable. Even if you had $20k in cash on your trip and you paid $1000, you would still notice the dent in your budget.

    Or did you not pay and thought you got away with it (until now…).

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:15

      Hi Bobbified
      I'm not that kind of person who did not pay and try to get away with it. If I know that I haven't pay I would pay it right away.
      I would notice of a dent if my budget if it was one week ago, but this is 3 months after.

      • bobbified on 23/01/2019 - 10:19
        +6

        The right thing to do would be to call the company and speak to them.

        Three months after or not - if you haven't paid, then you should pay. They've provided you with a great experience, as you've put it, so I think deserve to be paid (if you haven't already).

        I just find it hard to believe you can't remember whether you paid or not. I go on holidays regularly and spend quite a bit and I can't imagine not remembering whether I've paid for something or not. It's not a couple of hundred or so that might get thrown around - it's $1000.

        • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:23
          +1

          Thank Bob
          Yes I will call them today, I do want to pay them but I was pretty sure I pay in cash. I will ask them if they can provide evidence that on the day if they charge my credit card they need to show that it got reject.

          • bobbified on 23/01/2019 - 10:28
            +1

            @NightVision: I obviously don't know you personally (so I'm not going to try judge what type of person you are), but have a look at your story from the other side and you have to admit that it sounds a little sus… haha

            It could well be that you did pay and they didn't record it for whatever reason - a quick call to them with information of who/when you paid cash on the day might help jog their memory. You could also ask the person/people you were on the trip with and they may be able help remind you of those details.

            • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:54

              @bobbified: My partner was %100 sure and told we pay in cash, she said she remember giving me the cash to make the payment, as for me I'm not $100 sure, probably %80 sure and the other %20 not so sure.

              We travel with other other families as well, one other family got charge after 3 month too, they were really upset and angry as were %100 sure they paid in cash.

              While the third family have no issue.

              • bobbified on 23/01/2019 - 11:43

                @NightVision: In that case, you probably have paid.

                I'd still just call them up and have a chat so that the matter gets closed on both ends and you no longer have to think about it :)

              • ShannonN on 23/01/2019 - 11:52
                +1

                @NightVision: If you paid in cash on the day of the trip surely the operator would have issued a ticket or a receipt. I volunteer on a tourist train and we always give a ticket and tell all to keep ticket as a souvenir.

                with it being such a memorable trip did you perhaps keep ticket in a scrap book or photograph it? then you have hard evidence of payment, at the end of the day no operator will let you fly on a 1000 trip without prior payment.

                • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 12:04

                  @ShannonN: Thank ShannonN
                  That an excellent idea. From now on I will take photos of all expensive Travel and other receipts and save it to google photos.

      • shadowangel on 24/01/2019 - 08:19

        if you pay cash keep a reciept. always.

    • Tech5 on 23/01/2019 - 14:37
      +3

      I don't think that a $1000 expense means that it has to be remembered clearly. I've booked about 7 hotels for my next trip and I cannot remember if I have already paid for them (probably 1000 per hotel) or if I need to pay at the hotel. I would need to pull up reservation details to find out

  • HighAndDry on 23/01/2019 - 10:20
    +2

    The bank has block the transaction and refunded me.

    Then it's all solved. Though seriously - how do you not remember if you've paid a one-off $1k expense or not? Even for a trip to Hawaii, as a single experience that would've been one of the bigger expenses.

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:28
      +1

      Hi HighandDry
      We did lots of other activities as well while we were their, no issues with other activities company just this one.

      • HighAndDry on 23/01/2019 - 10:34
        +1

        That's besides the point, only one company's EFTPOS machine could've been broken, and if you haven't paid then you haven't paid. Did you account for all your cash spending on the trip? I know I basically do a quick and dirty reconciliation of my cash after holidays to make sure I haven't accidentally stashed a few hundred in emergency money in some place.

        Edit: I'm not saying I don't believe you by the way, I just feel like $1,000 is a lot of money, for you and for the tour operator, so I'd personally ensure that I have paid, instead of just brushing it off once the bank has found in my favour.

  • Baysew on 23/01/2019 - 10:39
    +6

    Called up the bank and told the bank I did not authorize any transaction from overseas as I have not been on holiday in the last three months.

    But you had been on holiday!

  • boomramada on 23/01/2019 - 10:53
    +1

    Hang on, so you paid $1000 (cash) and you haven't got a invoice? saying PAID And you carrying $1000 or more cash each time while you on holiday? nice.

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 10:57
      +1

      Well it was three month ago, and thought the holiday was over done and dusted. I'm pretty sure they gave us a receipt as we paid over the counter. I'm not so sure where are the receipt are now, I'll go home and look around the house tonight.

    • ykwon10 on 23/01/2019 - 10:58
      +3

      Even if he has an invoice, do you expect OP to keep it after 3 months? What is the big deal paying $1000 cash? I know some people still prefer to use cash over cards

      • boomramada on 23/01/2019 - 11:04

        Duh, that's why I don't pay $1000 with Cash, too hard to keep tabs.
        Well, what is the big deal carrying cash? you could lose it over pickpocket or you be creating threads like this for similar incidents.
        So what is the benefit of caring that much sum?

        • ykwon10 on 23/01/2019 - 11:06

          Its a matter of preference. Some people especially older generation prefers to use cash over card, it is as simple as that.

          • boomramada on 23/01/2019 - 11:09

            @ykwon10: I'm not against it, matter of preference should have a backup plan. Keeping the receipts for while. I remember my old man keep his receipts for years.

      • singlemalt72 on 23/01/2019 - 12:57

        Photograph your receipts … takes seconds - always there if you back up to Google photos or similar.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2019 - 11:05
    -2

    can you let me know next time you go on holidays so i can get someone to rob you of the 20K cash you seem to carry at all times on holiday

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 11:26
      +2

      Hi Terminal
      Please come to this address and rob me, as I will wait for you tonight.
      601 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

      • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2019 - 11:29
        +2

        i think i've been there before

        • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 11:29

          AND? What happened?

      • DazMon on 24/01/2019 - 19:52

        ha ha! Nice.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2019 - 11:41
    -4

    Your word against theirs. You lose

    • NightVision on 23/01/2019 - 11:52
      +1

      Hi Jason.
      I don't think I have lost. As I said they bank had stopped the transactions they will not get the payment.
      BUT I want to do the right thing and knowing that there's no doubt in my mind that I've paid.
      But their system also confusing their own employee as well and now their own employee not sure either.

      • shadowangel on 24/01/2019 - 17:25

        merchant can still dispute the reversal. With the information you gave the bank they have a shot at winning.

  • capslock on 23/01/2019 - 13:28
    +8

    If the helicopter company's eftpos machine was broken on the day then the OP would have likely had to pay cash.

    I find it hard to believe that the helicopter company would have had a broken machine for 3 months and wasn't accepting any card payments for all of that time. The business would have had no cash flow.

    I would say there has been an administrative error. While there is still no evidence either way I am on the OP's side.

  • Ozpit on 24/01/2019 - 11:19
    +2

    Being an Ozbargainer, handing over $1000 in cash is something I would absolutely remember. It would be like having a leg ripped off by a shark. You don’t forget that in a hurry.

  • Hithere on 24/01/2019 - 13:24

    Even when I've been in a store and their EFTPOS has been down they've manually processed my payment and I've received a handwritten invoice.

    That's all they used to do in the "Old days".

    • shadowangel on 24/01/2019 - 17:22

      old days when people where honest. these days people take advantage of charge backs.

  • DazMon on 24/01/2019 - 19:51

    $1000 for a 1 hour ride, sounds extravagant…
    Wish I had that sort of $ to burn like that.
    Let alone carry it around in my wallet, that's a scary thought.

  • Ken1977 on 25/01/2019 - 01:15

    If the eftpos machine was down then how could they use it on the day. You would have to pay cash or they take your credit card number. But to process 3 months later, it took 3 months to fix the eftpos machine?. Sounds completely dodgy to me. If they made the mistake and failed to charge you they should write off the loss instead of charging you 3 months later.

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