Options to Recover Refund from Qantas/ANZ

deanylev on 26/07/2024 - 15:37
Last edited 26/07/2024 - 20:20

About two months ago I had a Qantas international flight and paid $500 for two exit row seats. The flight was cancelled and we were put on a replacement flight without our exit row seats, so naturally I requested a refund over the phone. I had since cancelled the credit card I originally paid so Qantas asked me for alternate details and sent me an email confirming they had issued the refund to the debit card I provided. The email said this would take up to 4 weeks.

About 12 days later there was no refund and I called Qantas. They said unfortunately the refund had accidentally been issued to the cancelled card, and I just had to call ANZ with two ARN numbers to recover the money. I called ANZ and they said that since 7 business days had passed, the money had been sent back to Qantas. I have since received a letter from ANZ stating that they only sent the money back to Qantas a further 10 days after this call, meaning the reps on the phone lied to me / didn't actually check.

Qantas investigated and found no money had been sent back, and that I would have to sort it out with ANZ. I then opened a dispute with ANZ since I thought if Qantas were claiming the money was still with them, and it wasn't, they would naturally rule in my favour. They closed the dispute today and basically said that since I never claimed the money in that 7 business days, I was liable to deal with the merchant.

I really don't think this is my fault, as I have an email from Qantas confirming in black and white that the money was sent to my debit card, and it may take 4 weeks, so I would have never thought to call ANZ in that time. ANZ and Qantas are both blaming each other and refuse to help me.

Do I have any legal options to pursue, or should I just drop it? I have all of this as evidence in email form.

TL;DR: Qantas refunded money to cancelled card even though I said not to, ANZ sent money back, Qantas say they didn't, both have washed their hands of me

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Comments

  • RED27APPLE on 26/07/2024 - 16:00
    +4

    If you have online access to your ANZ card, it might be worth checking it out. I had to get a refund on a credit card that was over six months closed. Because it was in credit, it showed up on the online portal and I was able to transfer the credit out of it. This was with another credit card company. Tough situation you’re in.

  • animasoIa on 26/07/2024 - 16:07
    +5

    I don't understand why ANZ would "send it back", aren't they obligated to process refunds even after closure? This has happened on my Amex and I just had to talk to chat who asked for my bank details and it was sent over in a few days.

  • CodeXD on 26/07/2024 - 16:13
    +3

    Yeah, that is BS that ANZ sent it back. I've had refunds go back to closed ANZ accounts and I just randomly got an ANZ statement saying it is in credit.

    Hit up ANZ chat (so you have it all in writing) and tell them "I've had money refunded back to my closed credit card, can you please check for me?" they will confirm it is still there, and ask for bsb/acc to send it to, easy done.

    • deanylev on 26/07/2024 - 16:32

      I've had money refunded back to my closed credit card, can you please check for me?

      Unfortunately have tried that multiple times. Each time tell me the balance is $0, ask me when the refund was received, and parrot the same line about it being sent back in 7 days

      • CodeXD on 26/07/2024 - 16:38
        +1

        Ask them for the statement for the close account. Any money credit/debit to your account must be recorded. You might need to wait for the statement to be available tho

  • askbargain on 26/07/2024 - 16:23
    +3

    ANZ has your money

    • markathome on 26/07/2024 - 21:20

      This is correct. Qantas never ever seems to issue refunds to replacement cards/bank accounts.

      I was in a similar situation went through all the hassle of directing them to issue it to a bank account instead of the card.

      They still issued it to the card. Rang up the bank. They had the money and arranged delivery - got it later that day.

      As I said on the call to the bank, this is fantastic, one call to you guys and I got $100.

  • Silmo on 26/07/2024 - 16:24

    I've also been refunded to a close credit card before. Since I didn't have account with that provider, they wrote me a cheque that equals to the refunded amount.

    • Accidentally unpublished my previous comment
    • JohnSy on 26/07/2024 - 16:44

      You were lucky. I was in your situation with Citibank - they sent me a cheque. Then they got bought up by NAB. When I went to cash the cheque I was told by my bank that the cheque had been cancelled and I would need to request a new cheque from citibank. I called citibank sveral times who were apparently looking into it, but nothing ever came of it I gave up in the end.

  • AndyC1 on 26/07/2024 - 17:20
    +1

    Call ANZ and ask to be put through to their complaints department and make a formal complaint. Make sure they understand you want to make a formal complaint and then ask them if they can give you a reference or case number once the formal complaint has been entered into their system.

    A query over the phone is NOT a formal complaint an neither is a request to get the money back to the standard phone monkeys.

  • JimmyF on 26/07/2024 - 18:03
    +1

    Options to Recover Refund from Qantas/ANZ

    My condolences for having to deal with the two worst companies around to get money out of!

    I really don't think this is my fault, as I have an email from Qantas confirming in black and white that the money was sent to my debit card, and it may take 4 weeks, so I would have never thought to call ANZ in that time. ANZ and Qantas are both blaming each other and refuse to help me.

    Wait the 4 weeks, then tell Qantas you haven't received a refund to the card as advised, and provide a copy of your statement to prove it.

    If they sent it to the wrong card, that is their fault not yours.

    • deanylev on 26/07/2024 - 20:19

      then tell Qantas you haven't received a refund to the card as advised

      Unfortunately Qantas are aware of this, and have admitted on the phone it was a mistake, but as far as they are concerned, since I own both cards, they've done their best and it's now my problem :(

      • JimmyF on 26/07/2024 - 21:03

        since I own both cards, they've done their best and it's now my problem :(

        Well you don't own the old card anymore, its cancelled.

        Qantas can't wash their hands of it, saying whoops we sent it to the wrong card. So you deal with it.

        It was their mistake, you haven't got the money, ANZ has said its gone back, so up to Qantas to be fixing it aka finding the money.

        Time to escalate within Qantas. While others are saying ANZ, if ANZ has sent the money back as they say, its no longer an issue with them.

  • thatonethere on 26/07/2024 - 20:07

    May not be your experience, but when i've had payments made to cancelled cards they just send me a statement and then you request a cheque.

    Might be time to engage the AFCA with ANZ

    • deanylev on 26/07/2024 - 20:21

      Yeah I've since created an AFCA report, I've heard good things online so fingers crossed

  • clover on 26/07/2024 - 20:22

    Definitely complain to both of them. You'll be surprised how quickly things can be resolved, especially with the bank. The person in the complaints department usually has more power and is more willing to help you out.

    • deanylev on 26/07/2024 - 20:22

      Have had no luck with this with Qantas but will hopefully have more luck with ANZ by the sounds of it (especially by getting the AFCA involved)

  • JIMB0 on 26/07/2024 - 22:33
    +1

    Lodge a complaint with the ombudsman. This then gets escalated to someone much higher up in the bank who can look at the entire situation and deal with it appropriately.

  • idd on 27/07/2024 - 08:28
    +1

    I’m quite certain ANZ has your money, I’ve been in the same situation before. Lodge a case with AFCA.

    • blitz on 28/07/2024 - 20:00

      It's just so unlikely that ANZ would simply return the money. And it's a pittance to Qantas, they don't want it back.

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