Travelex taking funds but not providing the the funds requested.

[straitman]

Tonight I sent just over $1500 to Travelex so i could pickup some Fiji cash on leaving Australia on Thursday night.
Travelex require that you use your residential address and not a PO Box so I provided our residential address which I have done previously. (Admittedly I misread their requirements and used a PO Box initially but subsequently used my residential address.)

A message came back from Travelex that they said:
Sorry, we're unable to process you order
Payment was not taken.
We are unable to advise why your online payment failed. The order reference number is xx_X etc.

Well guess what they have taken the funds. I've spoken to CBA who have released the money to Travelex and Travelex who say they didn't take the money as our address details didn't match up. Both our PO Box and home address are registered with CBA so there isn't an issue that they are aware of.

(Whilst writing this I am chatting online to Travelex and I've spoken to CBA)

I complied with all the requirements from Travelex yet they are now saying we didn't and that they haven't got the funds.

They have now admitted I used my home address yet they declined the transaction (and accepted the funds)

Very frustrating when they keep altering the story a little at a time. I'll do a charge back from CBA though that really isn't the point IMHO.

Other than the better rates (currently) I have to ask why use them ever again?

 

[Matt_01]

In my experience with online banking transactions and may not be the same as yours, when you make the payment the funds do disappear from your account. During the settlement process if the receiving party has cancelled or reject the transaction funds are returned to your account within 24-72 hours. I have run into a similar issue with Travelex online in the past.

 

[straitman]

I have spoken to CBA again and they gave me a detailed script for a request of refund. Once Travelex send that the funds will be back in my account within two hours.

It's now all up to Travelex.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry to hear. Are Travelex really that much better? Or is that for Fijian currency?

 

[straitman]

Sorry to hear. Are Travelex really that much better? Or is that for Fijian currency?

In this case they were about 5% better. $A1000 gave $FJ70 extra. Normally it is not that noticeable.

The money reappeared overnight.

 

[BAM1748]

Geez, that's a bit rich to take and put it on the customer to explain what happened.

 

[oz_mark]

My experience with various failed transactions online is that they undo themselves in due course.

In multistep processes, things can fail after the bank request is done. Banks dont always undo straight away.