Have you ever experienced going to the ATM to withdraw money but eventhough no money came out, the transaction was treated as successful and your last withdrawal atempt reflected in your statement balance?
In this age of cybercrime, hacking and identity theft, such incidents can easily trigger panic. But if this happened to you, you’re not alone. And the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is aware of this, offering you some ideas on what to do. So when you encounter this experience, do the following steps:
1. Record the details of the incident. Include the time and date of transaction, name of bank and ATM branch that experienced the problem. You may also describe the situation (long line of ATM users, errors entering PIN, and other pieces of evidence that may help in the investigation.).
2. Keep the transaction receipt. Better if you take a photo or photocopy of the receipt as there are ATM transaction receipts whose print outs fade easily.
3. Notify the bank immediately. There is likely phone numbers printed on the ATM panel or screen in case you encounter such problems. For example, BPI has 89-100 you can dial when in Metro Manila. If the ATM is located near a branch, notify the staff about the problem and provide information you kept in step #1.
4. File a complaint. If money was not restored in the account, you may file a complaint addressed to the bank. Provide the a copy of the transaction receipt. By this time the branch manager or someone with jurisdiction of this concern should manage to reach out to you and explain clearly the steps to recover your lost money.
5. Escalate to BSP. If the issue is not addressed within a reasonable timeframe by the bank authorities, you may escalate the issue to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Email: consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph
Phone: 708-7087
Have your documents such details of incident and transaction receipt ready.
