Westpac "Fee Refund"

[albatross710]

I've noticed transactions on two of my Westpac C'card accounts.

22 Jul 2009 FEE REFUND FRGN AMT: 0 UNKNOWN CURRENCY CODE
22 Jul 2009 FEE REFUND FRGN AMT: 0 UNKNOWN CURRENCY CODE

Amounts ranging from a few cents to $20.

Doesn't make too much sense other than some miscalculations along the way. Not enough detail to make it worth trying to find out what's going on. I'll just put them into the pool with my 1 x QFF point from April 1st.

 

[zzyss]

Is somebody trying to sign up for Paypal or something using your credit card? Reminds me of the authentication schemes where they deposit tiny amounts into your account for you to "verify" that you're the owner of the card.

I'd give them a call just to check that it's not suspicious, even though the amounts are small.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I too have had one "fee refund" payment of about $10 post on my new Westpac KF card.

 

[Cheesy]

Ditto, $7.79 on 22-JUL for me. Made a few foreign transanctions in early July, is that the possible link for everyone else as well?

 

[Pollywaffle]

Mystery solved!

I called to query my fee refund and was told that fees were incorrectly calculated on foreign transations between 12 & 17 July. The refunds are to correct the miscalculations.

I was also told that everyone affected would be receiving a letter explaining what had happened.

 

[albatross710]

I was also told that everyone affected would be receiving a letter explaining what had happened.

I wish banks could be creative with their communications.
Perhaps a little card in the style of a Monopoly Chance Card:

----------------------------------------
Bank error in your favour
collect $7.71
----------------------------------------

 

[Schebesta]

Mystery solved!

I called to query my fee refund and was told that fees were incorrectly calculated on foreign transations between 12 & 17 July. The refunds are to correct the miscalculations.

I was also told that everyone affected would be receiving a letter explaining what had happened.

I can confirm that I had the same thing. When I was overseas and I got back I just started getting these random numbers of cents and dollars turning up into my bill.

I didnt question why because money in is better than money out!

But I do thank you for the clarification.

 

[cove]

I looked back on my statement and found a $13.60 refund on Kris Flyer Westpac
but it was still highway robbery the way these guys charge on overseas transactions. It remains a **DO NOT USE ** card for overseas purchases.

 

[Schebesta]

I agree, the spreads they have for their foreign currencies are out of control. Although I compared them to forex guys at the airport and I found that the cc's had better rates.
What is your experiences with that?

 

[cove]

Getting currency at the airport without booking is another way to get taken down.
They might be ok for tipping money but nothing else.
There are other threads that help us to not use Westpac until they redo their fees and charges to be competitive.

 

[Schebesta]

tipping money?

 

[cove]

Try not tipping in America at a restaurant.

 

[lovestotravel]

Try not tipping in America at a restaurant.

Many ignorant Aussies do it, and some of them even feel proud for doing so. This leads some servers in restaurants to start to explain tipping when/if they hear the Aussie accent when you order.

Usually I'll always put on an USA accent as they understand what you are ordering and you don't' receive the "this is how to tip speech". This has happened to me in mainly mid range restaurants, and never in the low (Denny's) or higher end (Ruth's Chris Steakhouse etc etc) restaurants.

Lots of stories to be told by servers about Aussies not tipping and just having no idea about how the US tipping system works.

Now back to the topic:

I received similar transactions on my Amex issued card awhile back, it took three phone calls for them to work out what it was.

In my instance it was to do with a purchase and then a refund a month later that was made in the USA. As the exchange rate changed during that time, the refund amount was greater than the purchase amount. Amex get to keep this difference and that was the reasoning for the weird entries similar to the original poster on my statements.

 

[cove]

I am quite ok with tipping where you start by doubling the tax and go up.
Even though I am a shareholder I dont think we need to tip Westpac for their foreign exchange skills on our credit cards when we are overseas.
Their Westpac Kris card will get left in Australia as they are not competitive on overseas transactions.
Thank you for reminding me about American steakhouses.