East Coas Debited My Account

[dave87016]

Hi all today I booked tickets for travel on Virgin I knew I had the funds in for 3 people with railcards, however it said "Sorry unsuccesful payment either card details or billing address is incorrect, I have checked my email no confirmation but my bank account has been debited the total cost any help as I travel Friday

Thanks in advance

P.S Any member of East Coast Staff PM me as I am hard of hearing and unable to use the phone to contact them

 

[island]

I don't think we have anyone from EC staff on the site.

Most likely scenario here is that your bank account has not in fact been debited and you are seeing on your online banking a preauthorization from East Coast which will drop off in a few days. I understand RBS and NatWest's online banking can be particularly confusing in this regard. You should contact your bank if possible to establish whether this is the case.

 

[dave87016]

Been to Cash machine it has got my balance but minus the 67 quid I paid for the tickets

 

[Mike395]

I'd agree with island - I booked a hotel last week which I have subsequently cancelled, and only today has the charge 'dropped off' my card. Natwest takes it off your available balance immediately (they don't differentiate, from a customer's POV, between a preauth request and an actual debit, when displaying your balance, either online or at a cashpoint)

Rail travel sites (specifically WebTIS ones such as LM, EC, Southern, redspottedhanky etc) do seem to match the billing address exactly to whats on file with the card issuer, and is more picky than most about spelling errors etc.

 

[whhistle]

It's a term called ring-fenced.
The funds are not available for you to use as they have been allocated to the purchase. However, as that purchase is not successful, then they will be returned for you to use within a few days.

As other have said.

 

[dave87016]

Thanks for that im with HSBC and never encountered a problem in years of booking. even more mystifying is the fact they have credited my rewards points with the correct points as would have happened if the transaction was succesful

 

[IanXC]

Thanks for that im with HSBC and never encountered a problem in years of booking. even more mystifying is the fact they have credited my rewards points with the correct points as would have happened if the transaction was succesful

Indeed! The authorisation will be "live" on your account, so the initial card authorisation will probably have been approved, then East Coasts further checks probably werent. If you need the authorisation taken off banks normally accept a fax from the retailer.

 

[island]

All the above tends to confirm my initial suspicion. It will all drop off in a few days (might take up to a week). Go ahead and book again. If you need the funds then you will have to contact East Coast to have the preauthorization voided.

 

[muttynut]

i work for east coast but im a driver so cant help sorry

 

[michael769]

I suggest that the OP contacts his bank of card issuer to find out if the charge has actually made it though, or he is simply as others have suggested getting confused with a pre-authorisation.

 

[TheEscapist_]

Hi all today I booked tickets for travel on Virgin I knew I had the funds in for 3 people with railcards, however it said "Sorry unsuccesful payment either card details or billing address is incorrect, I have checked my email no confirmation but my bank account has been debited the total cost any help as I travel Friday

Thanks in advance

P.S Any member of East Coast Staff PM me as I am hard of hearing and unable to use the phone to contact them

I work for East Coast... The best thing I can advise is to drop Web Support a wee email through this link: http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/?id=17

 

[dave87016]

Thanks for all your help everyone they said the funds should be credited back to my account within 2-3 days as previous posters said, I will let you know how I get on thanks to everyone for their help

 

[LondonJohn]

Thanks for all your help everyone they said the funds should be credited back to my account within 2-3 days as previous posters said, I will let you know how I get on thanks to everyone for their help

The funds will not actually be taken from your account and therefore not put back into your account. At some stage in the process the TOC company "withhold" the monies to stop you spending them by the time their debit goes through. As others have mentioned when the transaction does not go through the monies will be made available for you to spend again.

IF you are dependant on these funds becoming available if you contact your bank you can ask them to cancel the authorisation. I too bank with HSBC and find sometimes they will, sometimes they won't.

They wont be able to see any more details other than a retailer has got an authorisation on the transaction. They can't tell if it will debit until it does as this is dependant on the retailer passing the transaction.

DM me if you want more information.

 

[dave87016]

I have Private Messaged you LondonJohn