Debit Card Transactions Just Disappear.....

[kilee]

I check my main checking account online almost everyday. I did a lot of shopping on this past Friday and Saturday w/ my debit card (used it as a Mastercard). Anyhow, all weekend the "debits" were shown as pending and my available balance was reduced to the appropriate amount.

I went online yesterday figuring they all would of cleared since the banks were closed Monday. Ironically they were all still pending- but the balance was correct and I didn't think anything else of it.

Today I went on (I did so much shopping last weekend I was afraid I may of misplaced a receipt and was making sure I got all the "charges"). My bank balance shows I have $300+ more in my account and all the pending charges just literally dropped off my account. I called my bank when they opened-- they basically keep acting like the charges were never there. They keep saying I must of been mistaken. I actually went through 4 different people at the bank- climbing the ladder each time. I'm not going out and spending the money- I'm sure they'll figure this out. I know that the merchants have 7 days to process their claims otherwise the money is released and they lose their authorizations. I'm just not understanding how this whole thing happened. I want to add-- my mom is the branch manager where I bank-- so she's not hiding something. She's the one who put me in touch w/ the higher ups because she herself in 15 yrs has never seen anything like this. There has been no wide spread complaints- so it's not a "common error". Just wondering if anyone else has ran into this.

 

[OhMari]

I'm sure when the merchants don't get their money and it bounces back at them, they will post it again. But can they do it. Maybe it went through as credit and it showed up right away, but it has to be approved, that is why they call it pending.

 

[LK03]

This has happened with me before. I bank with Bank of America and will be done with them as soon as we move but over the weekend I will see pending transacations and then the first business day of the week they dissapear and my checking looks as if nothing happened but by Wednesday or so everything has cleared. This bank also likes to post duplicate pends of transactions as well. It's always nice to come home from Chili's for example and see two identical transactions for $30, and then when I check during the week there is only 1 that cleared.

 

[kilee]

I don't bank w/ a national bank (I think they are in a handful of Eastern States). Anyhow, I've been w/ them for 13 yrs- and this is the first time since I've been online (about 5-6 yrs) that this has ever happened. I am just real particular about my account and it's driving me crazy- I want them to take the money from the available balance and be done w/ it. On a side note I shop w/ my debit card almost daily- so this isn't normal to have happen.

I know they have 7 days to claim the authorization they have on the money.

 

[rascalmom]

We have this problem with one particular local restaurant - sometime I wonder if I should call up their manager & let them know what's going on. It has happened several times - we eat there fairly frequently. Makes you wonder if they ever balance out!

 

[charabby]

It happened to me this fall. When I called my bank, they said it was normal and the charges would clear like they're supposed to. They did. Just wait a few days, they'll be back.

 

[chell]

Hope you figure it out soon. Maybe it has something to do with the new year and their computers. Could it be that no one else has noticed this yet? Or those who did notice didn't say anything hoping their charges will never show up?

The only time I had a transaction disappear is when a friend had my payment voided so he could pay it. Sorry this isn't much help to your situation though.

I also keep a daily check on mine so I know how you feel. I can't stand it when things are not just right on my account. Drives me nuts!

 

[Poohlovr]

This happens to mine on a regular basis. If the payment isn't processed in 5 days, it falls off and my "avaiable" balance goes back up.
It is bothersome.

 

[bicker]

That makes sense, as a security measure: When charges are applied, vendors probably have a certain amount of time to provide validated proof of the charge. Once they provide validated proof, I bet the charges will re-appear.

 

[Beth]

What you are seeing initially are the "pre-authorizations" that the merchant sends through.

I work for a bank... and normally what happens is... the pre-auth will stick against the account until the actual transaction posts, then it will drop off.

But, unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong. If the amount of the actual transaction differs significantly from the pre-auth, the pre-auth may not drop off. This will directly impact your available balance.

I've not seen the pre-auth drop off a few days before the actual transaction as you described.. but it sounds like that's what's happening.

You may have noticed $1 pre-auths pending against your account from time to time from gas stations. Last summer, when the gas prices began to skyrocket, our local Hess Stations decided to send through $50-$75 pre-auth's, instead of the traditional $1's. When the real transaction came through - these pre-auth's weren't falling off. WHAT a mess! Of course, everyone called and was blaming the Bank... but we can't control what the merchants are sending through... we can only respond to it when it gets here.

 

[kilee]

They weren't $1 pre-auth's but the entire amount that was correct. They showed in my account just like they would of any other time.

It said:
Media Play--- $32.68
Target--- $22.16

And so on---- I'm thinking it has to be some computer glitch- and I'm sure they'll pop back up. If they don't by Monday- I'll contact the bank again. I checked this morning and they're gone again.

 

[bicker]

I don't believe pre-authorizations are supposed to be for an arbitrary amount -- they're supposed to be for the amount of the hold.

 

[stinkerbelle]

This bank also likes to post duplicate pends of transactions as well. It's always nice to come home from Chili's for example and see two identical transactions for $30, and then when I check during the week there is only 1 that cleared.

this is actually very normal...and was done by Fleet before the change over.

think of it this way - you give your debit card to the waitress, they put it through, she brings it back for you to sign and leave a tip.

i, normally, leave a cash tip...but the "debit" had already gone through for the $30...if I were to have left an amount on the debit slip they would have put the card through again.

one always drops off...they explained to me that most restaurants (but I found only most often at Chili's!) do this.