No one is insured against an erroneous transfer of money or from a situation when an ATM unexpectedly "ate" a card. How not to get confused and at the same time not to lose money? Here are some stories from the life of the unlucky John.
Situation 1. Error while transferring money
Vasily decided to return the debt to a friend using a money transfer, but he made a mistake in the details for a couple of numbers. Now he does not know where the money went and how to get it back.
What happened?
There are three options.
What to do?
You need to immediately call the bank and report that an error has occurred. State the exact date, time and amount of the transfer to be canceled.
To make sure that you are the one calling, the operator will ask security questions (specify passport data, code word, amounts and dates of last card transactions, address or other information that you left to the bank).
If the bank has not yet begun to carry out the operation, it will simply cancel it.
If the money got to a special account inside the bank, you can immediately check with the operator when the money will be returned.
If someone nevertheless received the funds, they will have to come to the bank branch and draw up a written application for the return of the erroneous payment. In this case, you should ask the bank employee to give you a receipt for the completed transfer and make a copy of the application with a note that the bank has accepted it.
The bank is not obliged to return the money transferred on behalf of the client. But the bank manager can advise on how best to act in this situation.
For example, if the money went to the account of an organization, you can find its contacts and contact the accounting department. A copy of the statement about the erroneous transfer with the bank's mark and the receipt of the operation performed will become arguments that should convince the company to return the money.
If it is not possible to find a recipient or he refuses to voluntarily return the money, John has the right to go to court, referring to the Civil Code (Article on unjust enrichment).
For more information on what to do with transfers using incorrect details, read the text "How to return money that you sent or received by mistake".
Situation 2. The ATM did not issue money, but debited it from the account
So that the mistake with the translation would not be repeated, Vasily decided to repay the debt in cash. To do this, it was necessary to withdraw the required amount from the card. The ATM started counting money, but no bills appeared in the compartment for issuing banknotes. At the same time, John received an SMS message about the withdrawal of money from the account.
What happened?
What to do?
Wait a few minutes. Some ATMs are slow and do not issue bills immediately.
It does not hurt to carefully inspect the banknote dispensing compartment and check if money is stuck there. If you can't see them or can't get them, you need to call the bank. His phone number is always indicated on the device itself. The operator needs to describe the situation and provide the ATM number (the operator will tell you how to find it).
If you tried to withdraw money from a third-party bank ATM, then in addition to this, you should contact your bank. His phone number is written on the back of the card.
To return the money, you will need to submit an application for a disputed card transaction to your bank. It is necessary to indicate as much information as possible: date, time, amount, ATM number. It is also worth noting that you have already reported the problem to the bank operator by phone. If the ATM has issued a check, you should attach a copy to your application.
The bank will check. The video surveillance camera, which is built into the ATM, will help. The camera was supposed to record that Vasily did not take his money.
The bank's specialists will also check the ATM software: they will receive information about a technical failure or that the operation has not been completed.
The collectors will open and inspect the safe part of the ATM, count the cash, check all transactions in an electronic journal and withdraw the surplus money. Based on the results of the check, the bank manager will contact Vasily and report the results. If the failure is confirmed, the money will be returned to Vasily's account.
Situation 3. The ATM accepted the money, but they were not credited to the account
Colleagues gave Vasily money for the anniversary, he decided to put it on the card. As soon as the bill validator took the money, a message about a technical malfunction was displayed on the ATM screen. Vasily checked the SMS notifications and his balance through the bank's application: the money never came to the account.
What happened?
At the most inopportune moment at the ATM, the connection with the processing center was interrupted. But the money did not disappear anywhere, the ATM sent it to the "reserve". The machine accepted the bills, but did not have time to transmit information about the account balance replenishment.
What to do?
Take a picture of the ATM screen, call the bank whose phone number is indicated on the machine, and describe the situation. If the ATM has issued a check, you need to keep it. It is also worth writing down the machine number and the time of the operation.
Then you need to go to the branch of the bank that issued you the card and write a statement about the disputed operation. The application must be accompanied by a copy of the check from the ATM (if the check was issued by the machine), photographs of the screen and demand that the amount be credited to the account.
The bank will investigate and contact you. The money lost at the ATM should be returned to your account.
The exact terms of the refund are not regulated. The Civil Code obliges organizations (including banks) to fulfill their obligations within a "reasonable time", but the bank and the client may understand it differently.
A couple of weeks can be considered a reasonable time. If the bank informed you about the decision to return the money more than two weeks ago, you should go to the branch and write a statement demanding that the money be credited to the account. After you submit your requirements in writing, the bank is obliged to return the money within seven days.
Situation 4. ATM "ate" the card
Vasily is again at the ATM. This time - to pay for the Internet. But the ATM "ate" the card and does not give it back.
What happened?
Several options are possible.
What to do?
First, you should wait a little - perhaps the ATM will still return the card in a couple of minutes.
If the ATM is in a bank branch, you need to contact the employees. They will open the ATM and take out the card.
If the ATM is not in the bank's office or the branch is already closed, you need to call the bank's hotline - the phone number is indicated on the body of the device. Describe the situation to the employee, and he will transfer the information to the specialists who serve the ATM. They will remove the card and give it to the bank branch.
The operator will tell you when and in which department it will be possible to pick up the card. If the card is stuck in an ATM of another bank, it is better to immediately clarify whether you need any other documents besides a passport. For example, you may need a certificate that the card really belongs to you. It will need to be taken from the bank that issued the card.
Do not forget that you can withdraw cash from a card account even if the card is not at hand. To do this, you need to contact the branch of your bank with a passport. You can also transfer money through a mobile bank to any other card.
Situation 5. The account received money from an unknown sender
John unexpectedly received an SMS that a large amount had fallen to his account. But he did not understand who sent him the money and why.
What happened?
Three cases are possible.
What to do?
Fraudsters have learned to fake bank numbers in SMS messages. First you need to make sure that the money came to the account exactly. You can check the account balance and see the latest transfers through the online bank or the bank's mobile application.
There are two options:
If a "bank employee" requires codes or passwords, rushes and intimidates, this is a sure sign of fraud. Hang up the phone and dial the bank number yourself - it is indicated on the back of your card and on the bank's official website.
You can read about other most common fraudulent schemes in the "Fraud" section.
Situation 1. Error while transferring money
Vasily decided to return the debt to a friend using a money transfer, but he made a mistake in the details for a couple of numbers. Now he does not know where the money went and how to get it back.
What happened?
There are three options.
- The money has not yet left Vasily's account. Transfers by account number can take several hours, and sometimes even up to three days.
If Vasily calls the bank immediately, there is a chance to stop the payment.
Transfers to the recipient's card or phone number go away instantly - and then Vasily will have one of the following options. - Payment failed. It may turn out that the phone number, account or card number to which Vasily inadvertently tried to send money does not exist.
Account and card numbers are generated according to a specific algorithm. They contain coded in which department of the bank the account is opened, what is the currency of the account, to which payment system the card and other information belongs. An erroneous digit simply indicates that there is no such number. This means that the payment will not go through.
It is much easier to miss a phone number, but still there is a chance that it is not registered with anyone.
When transferring to a non-existent card or phone number, the bank will immediately inform you that it cannot find the recipient's account and send money. If Vasily made a transfer using the account number, the money will go to a special account inside the bank and will automatically be returned to Vasily within a week. When exactly - you can clarify by calling the bank's hotline. - The money fell into someone else's account. If the wrong account, card or phone number turned out to be real and the money was received by a stranger, it will not be possible to return the transfer without his participation. After the money is credited to the recipient's account, according to the law, he becomes their owner. But if a person got money by mistake, it is considered unjustified enrichment. The recipient is obliged to return them if he knows the details of the person from whom the payment came. Such details can be the phone number, card or account of the sender.
What to do?
You need to immediately call the bank and report that an error has occurred. State the exact date, time and amount of the transfer to be canceled.
To make sure that you are the one calling, the operator will ask security questions (specify passport data, code word, amounts and dates of last card transactions, address or other information that you left to the bank).
If the bank has not yet begun to carry out the operation, it will simply cancel it.
If the money got to a special account inside the bank, you can immediately check with the operator when the money will be returned.
If someone nevertheless received the funds, they will have to come to the bank branch and draw up a written application for the return of the erroneous payment. In this case, you should ask the bank employee to give you a receipt for the completed transfer and make a copy of the application with a note that the bank has accepted it.
The bank is not obliged to return the money transferred on behalf of the client. But the bank manager can advise on how best to act in this situation.
For example, if the money went to the account of an organization, you can find its contacts and contact the accounting department. A copy of the statement about the erroneous transfer with the bank's mark and the receipt of the operation performed will become arguments that should convince the company to return the money.
If it is not possible to find a recipient or he refuses to voluntarily return the money, John has the right to go to court, referring to the Civil Code (Article on unjust enrichment).
For more information on what to do with transfers using incorrect details, read the text "How to return money that you sent or received by mistake".
Situation 2. The ATM did not issue money, but debited it from the account
So that the mistake with the translation would not be repeated, Vasily decided to repay the debt in cash. To do this, it was necessary to withdraw the required amount from the card. The ATM started counting money, but no bills appeared in the compartment for issuing banknotes. At the same time, John received an SMS message about the withdrawal of money from the account.
What happened?
- The ATM has run out of money. But due to a technical failure, he considered that the bills had been issued.
- The money was hesitating. Perhaps they are stuck somewhere at the ATM.
- Communication with the processing center was interrupted. This could have happened due to a technical communication problem at the time of the operation.
What to do?
Wait a few minutes. Some ATMs are slow and do not issue bills immediately.
It does not hurt to carefully inspect the banknote dispensing compartment and check if money is stuck there. If you can't see them or can't get them, you need to call the bank. His phone number is always indicated on the device itself. The operator needs to describe the situation and provide the ATM number (the operator will tell you how to find it).
If you tried to withdraw money from a third-party bank ATM, then in addition to this, you should contact your bank. His phone number is written on the back of the card.
To return the money, you will need to submit an application for a disputed card transaction to your bank. It is necessary to indicate as much information as possible: date, time, amount, ATM number. It is also worth noting that you have already reported the problem to the bank operator by phone. If the ATM has issued a check, you should attach a copy to your application.
The bank will check. The video surveillance camera, which is built into the ATM, will help. The camera was supposed to record that Vasily did not take his money.
The bank's specialists will also check the ATM software: they will receive information about a technical failure or that the operation has not been completed.
The collectors will open and inspect the safe part of the ATM, count the cash, check all transactions in an electronic journal and withdraw the surplus money. Based on the results of the check, the bank manager will contact Vasily and report the results. If the failure is confirmed, the money will be returned to Vasily's account.
Situation 3. The ATM accepted the money, but they were not credited to the account
Colleagues gave Vasily money for the anniversary, he decided to put it on the card. As soon as the bill validator took the money, a message about a technical malfunction was displayed on the ATM screen. Vasily checked the SMS notifications and his balance through the bank's application: the money never came to the account.
What happened?
At the most inopportune moment at the ATM, the connection with the processing center was interrupted. But the money did not disappear anywhere, the ATM sent it to the "reserve". The machine accepted the bills, but did not have time to transmit information about the account balance replenishment.
What to do?
Take a picture of the ATM screen, call the bank whose phone number is indicated on the machine, and describe the situation. If the ATM has issued a check, you need to keep it. It is also worth writing down the machine number and the time of the operation.
Then you need to go to the branch of the bank that issued you the card and write a statement about the disputed operation. The application must be accompanied by a copy of the check from the ATM (if the check was issued by the machine), photographs of the screen and demand that the amount be credited to the account.
The bank will investigate and contact you. The money lost at the ATM should be returned to your account.
The exact terms of the refund are not regulated. The Civil Code obliges organizations (including banks) to fulfill their obligations within a "reasonable time", but the bank and the client may understand it differently.
A couple of weeks can be considered a reasonable time. If the bank informed you about the decision to return the money more than two weeks ago, you should go to the branch and write a statement demanding that the money be credited to the account. After you submit your requirements in writing, the bank is obliged to return the money within seven days.
Situation 4. ATM "ate" the card
Vasily is again at the ATM. This time - to pay for the Internet. But the ATM "ate" the card and does not give it back.
What happened?
Several options are possible.
- The technical error. Like any other equipment, an ATM may malfunction due to an error in the system of the device itself or a disconnection with the processing center.
- The PIN code was entered incorrectly three times. The ATM system suspected that it was a fraudster, so it did not return the card.
- The client did not have time to pick up the card. The ATM gives a person from 20 seconds to one minute to pick up the card. If the client did not manage to do this, the ATM will take the card back so that it does not accidentally end up with fraudsters.
- The card is expired. Some ATMs do not return cards that have expired.
- The card is blocked. The ATM will not give such a card because it thinks that a fraudster is trying to use it.
What to do?
First, you should wait a little - perhaps the ATM will still return the card in a couple of minutes.
If the ATM is in a bank branch, you need to contact the employees. They will open the ATM and take out the card.
If the ATM is not in the bank's office or the branch is already closed, you need to call the bank's hotline - the phone number is indicated on the body of the device. Describe the situation to the employee, and he will transfer the information to the specialists who serve the ATM. They will remove the card and give it to the bank branch.
The operator will tell you when and in which department it will be possible to pick up the card. If the card is stuck in an ATM of another bank, it is better to immediately clarify whether you need any other documents besides a passport. For example, you may need a certificate that the card really belongs to you. It will need to be taken from the bank that issued the card.
Do not forget that you can withdraw cash from a card account even if the card is not at hand. To do this, you need to contact the branch of your bank with a passport. You can also transfer money through a mobile bank to any other card.
Situation 5. The account received money from an unknown sender
John unexpectedly received an SMS that a large amount had fallen to his account. But he did not understand who sent him the money and why.
What happened?
Three cases are possible.
- The scammers sent SMS. They sent John a message on behalf of the bank about "replenishing the account", and then called back and asked to return the "erroneous" transfer. If John believes them and fulfills their demand, he will transfer his money to the deceivers.
- The money was transferred by a friend. John recently had a birthday. His friend decided that money was the best gift and made him a transfer. But Vasily did not understand who sent the money and why.
- Someone sent money by mistake. The unknown person confused the details or the phone number to which the transfer had to be made. As Vasily himself once did.
What to do?
Fraudsters have learned to fake bank numbers in SMS messages. First you need to make sure that the money came to the account exactly. You can check the account balance and see the latest transfers through the online bank or the bank's mobile application.
There are two options:
- The amount on the account has not increased. So they are trying to deceive Vasily. If he believes the scammers and makes a transfer to them himself, the bank will not return the money to him.
- The money is actually credited to the account. Then it is worth asking the bank for an account statement - in order to understand who made the transfer. The statement will contain the name of the sender or the name of the company. If they are familiar to you, you can contact them and find out what kind of payment it is. In case of an obvious mistake, you can ask the bank to transfer the amount back.
If a "bank employee" requires codes or passwords, rushes and intimidates, this is a sure sign of fraud. Hang up the phone and dial the bank number yourself - it is indicated on the back of your card and on the bank's official website.
You can read about other most common fraudulent schemes in the "Fraud" section.
