Double trouble at Abbey

By SASCHA HUTCHINSON
Updated: 09:29 EST, 27 September 2006

A COMPUTER glitch at Abbey has resulted in all Abbey customers who had their Visa debit card transactions processed last night being charged twice, This is Money can reveal.

The error – which may have affected customers all across the country – means any customer who paid for goods at the till using their Visa debit card will be doubly charged.

It also means Abbey customers who have withdrawn money from cash machines will have had twice the amount of money removed from their account.

The number of customers affected could run into the thousands as banks start processing transactions that took place over the bank holiday. Abbey told This is Money that customers will have the payments automatically corrected tonight.

One This is Money reader told us that he had been charged twice for a lottery ticket that was bought last Saturday. His partner was out of pocket by £70 after doing the shopping and paying by Visa debit card, and two of their friends were also affected.

A hotline set up by Abbey to deal with customer enquiries had been jammed for four hours and he could not get through.

Abbey said: 'We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and will ensure that no customer is financially disadvantaged as a result of this error. Duplicate transactions will be automatically reversed overnight.

'Customers need not take any action. They will have funds returned to their accounts and backdated, with any charges incorrectly incurred automatically refunded.'

• Have you been charged twice by Abbey? Let us know about it by posting in reader comments below.

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