Really Need Help: Stuck between Amazon and Westpac

FurioG on 10/11/2024 - 15:30

TLDR: Needed to send back a $1,450 mobile phone to Amazon who made a refund on a closed credit card (only option according to them). The refund was supposedly processed, but Westpac wasn't able to locate it, sent me an official letter that supposedly the refund never reached them. Now I'm stuck, Amazon says they processed the refund and I should be able to get it from Westpac.

Detail breakdown:
 • I needed to return a $1,450 mobile phone to Amazon. Talked to couple different people pleading to have the return processed somewhere else than the closed credit card as I anticipated potential issues. Everyone told me it can't be done, needs to be on the closed card.

 • Actually called Westpac, they said returns made on a closed card will be transferred to my bank account with them.

 • I send the phone back, Amazon sends me official email that they processed the refund.

 • A month goes by, the money is not in my account. I call Westpac. They said they'll look into it and someone will contact me, nobody contacts me.

 • I call again and lodge an official complaint. Get assigned a complaint manager who gets all the details and says he'll look into it.

 • The complaint manager contacts me back and says they can't locate they money, says it most likely bounced back to Amazon. I asked him why would it bounce back, returns on a closed credit card should be able to processed, he said he's not sure, but claims they never got the money, says I need to contact Amazon, closes the complaint.

 • I call Amazon, they said someone will email me from the billing department, nobody gets in touch. This happened twice. When I call again, some lady tells me they did the refund and it didn't bounce back so I need to take it with Westpac. She's not from billing though, just general support escalation. I tell her to give me evidence and she says the original refund is evidence.

I'm extremely frustrated and don't know what to do. My gut tells me that it's Westpac who are to blame here, I've had countless of Amazon refunds and never had issues. I also don't understand the notion of the supposed refund bouncing back, closed credit cards should still be able to be refunded, did this with Commbank without issues.I'm thinking to go into a Westpac branch to explain and seek help, but are concerned they'll try to just fuck me off saying it's not a branch issue.

HELP!

General Discussion

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Comments

  • askbargain on 10/11/2024 - 15:31
    +5

    The complaint manager

    just say the magical 4 letters AFCA and it will appear

    • FurioG on 10/11/2024 - 15:34
      -1

      Hi, I am unsure if your'e joking or not. Their email when they were closing the complaint said this, I'm not sure if they're afraid of it.

      "
      Your options
      If you are not satisfied with our review and findings or if you believe we have missed anything, there are further options available to you.
      We would encourage you to:
      • Consider contacting the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, an external dispute resolution scheme for financial services (contact details below). You will need to do so within 2 years of the date of this email.
      "

      • askbargain on 10/11/2024 - 15:35
        +3

        it's a free service to you. not so free to westpac

        • FurioG on 10/11/2024 - 15:37

          So you're saying to contact them as a threat because the cost of handling it will be greater than what they need to reimburse? I'm not familiar with AFCA, so I'd appreciate if you could elaborate/suggest a strategy.

          • Astrom on 10/11/2024 - 15:51

            @FurioG: If they've closed the complaint already and told you to consider it you may as well just go ahead and contact AFCA at this point, I don't think they're afraid at this point if they're "encouraging" you to do it and they themselves consider it "closed".

            • FurioG on 10/11/2024 - 15:56

              @Astrom: Yeah, I suppose that's an option,although I wanted to ask if there is perhaps a quicker resolution.

      • Webber000 on 11/11/2024 - 19:35
        +1

        They're not afraid of it - its probably standard wording that they are required to put for any closed complaint.

        Realistically this may well be your best option as it will get a third party involved and will force Westpac to prove they sent/bounced the money back to Amazon, or Westpac will magically find that they have had the money all along and it is sitting in a holding account because the automated system couldn't match it with you.

        • FurioG on 11/11/2024 - 23:44

          Finally a high quality response, thank you so much.

  • MS Paint on 10/11/2024 - 15:34

    @mapax

    We need and acronym for this please.

    FFS seems to cover it but is too generic IMHO.

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 10/11/2024 - 16:05
      +2

      ADAARTACCCHS?

      • MS Paint on 10/11/2024 - 16:35
        +2

        I like it but mapax has said in the past that greater chance of committee approval with 7 letters.

  • 7ekn00 on 10/11/2024 - 15:42

    Credit Card Churner?

    • mskeggs on 10/11/2024 - 18:13

      Sometimes having a long relationship with a bank helps, sometimes it doesn’t.
      In any case, churned or not, the bank should be able to respond showing “the refund bounced back to Amazon” or whatever they are claiming.

      • 7ekn00 on 10/11/2024 - 18:21
        +1

        I know my account manager personally, have easily navigated similar matters with their actual assistance ;)

        • mskeggs on 10/11/2024 - 20:54
          +1

          I used to until they closed the branch!

      • Waltervp on 11/11/2024 - 09:33
        +2

        Westpac like anz are totally crap, and they don't care how long you've been with them. Unless you are a $1m customer they have no care in the world for you. Elevate straight to AFCA.

  • onetwothreefour on 10/11/2024 - 15:59

    try to just (profanity) me off

    I like the way comments get censored but forum posts dont.

  • SmiTTy on 10/11/2024 - 16:34
    +1

    I'd be pushing for evidence from Amazon that the refund was processed.
    In my experience, getting money that was refunded to a cancelled account has been super easy and often without my involvement. It could well be an Amazon issue rather than Westpac (But given you don't know .. you should still push both sides for evidence, and provide it to the other party if necessary. For eg. if u have soemthing from amazon that the refund was processed, my can show that to Westpac and tell them to investigate).

  • MrHyde on 10/11/2024 - 16:52

    I'd just lodge a case with xCAT naming both Westpac and Amazon as defendants and let them fight it out on whose problem it is.

  • randomusername2017 on 10/11/2024 - 17:06
    +2

    Lot of $1450 phones going back to Amazon these days 🤔

  • pyramid on 10/11/2024 - 21:03
    +1

    Once I had refund on closed ANZ credit card. So ANZ sent me cheque.

    • FurioG on 10/11/2024 - 21:16

      I wish. I got an account with them and they'd distribute it in that account, but they "can't find it".

  • lgacb08 on 12/11/2024 - 22:06

    your story sound odd, why on Earth would you choose the difficult route if that amount is significant to you, more than once Amazon let me choose to refund by amazon credit.

    • FurioG on 13/11/2024 - 08:52
      -1

      Id love to get amazon credit or any other refund method than the original card. Tried talking to several people to get this, but wasnt feasible. Because the return was after more than 30 days, I had to ask them to process it and they claimed original payment method was the only way, they couldnt do credit or another card.

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