To ask what my options are? Unauthorised payment from my bank account

[Ubereatswhat]

N/c but regular user

We ordered an Uber eats the other day totalling just under £40. We had a £40 gift card which is Uber money on the app.

I chose to pay via this gift card, and the payment went through. To my surprise the following day there was a pending charge in my bank account for minus -£39.

Uber has a whole section on their website about how they take an authorisation fee for the order total, I guess a little bit like pay at the pump at petrol stations. Logged on to my online banking this morning and the payment has actually gone through so they’ve removed nearly forty quid from my bank account without my permission to do so.

Of course it’s not a huge sum but I also can’t afford to just wave goodbye to £40. We would never usually get a takeaway, it was a treat as someone had bought us the gift card as a present. Selected that option on payment page and everything.

My bank can’t help because the order turned up. They have said they’d only be able to recall the transaction if the goods didn’t arrive.

Uber keep repeating on their live chat that I can use the £40 gift card again in the future, but that’s not good enough - I don’t dare place another order in case they take my money again rather than using the gift card as specified. All the call centres are overseas and I’ve spoken to 4 representatives now, most can’t seem to understand and the one that did just kept repeating that they would ‘note my concerns’

What can I do? I never consented to them charging my debit card. They have pulled the info from the app as you have to put
your card details in in order to make an account.

If anyone could help or advise that would be fab. I’m really cross!

I've used Uber and Air BnB etc for years, I've never had a tip or any any other payment that I hadn't authorised myself taken from my account.

Sometimes it really is a user error.

@GuinnessBird eh? So just because something's never happened to you means it doesn't happen? Right oh.

I've had it happen, and they admitted as much after MUCH hounding. Sounds similar to what happened to OP.

I don't think it's deliberate, just incompetent admin, and then no one being bothered to rectify it because there's no pressing need to - it's not as if anyone's going to drag them through the courts for 40 quid.

@GuinnessBird How come you’re so quick so side with a billion dollar corporation than the OP when there isn’t any clear evidence to show the OP has made a mistake and the corporation have refunded her???

You must have little life experience of big companies making mistakes via their systems, lucky you!!!

@TheBananaRoom

You know this comes a cross as really mean right? Saying the OP has made a mistake when there is no actual evidence of this?

By all means ask or suggest this to the OP but to say it to another user in this way is so rude.

If go back to Uber eats, insist. Ask for a call back. Complain. Initially they won't back down, but they will in the end. It really is them that is at fault.

Same. Used Uber and Uber eats hundreds of times and never had any unauthorised transaction. It really does sound like user error, and as PP said, OP not answering the question about her receipt is telling.

I'm really glad you posted this, OP. 🙌

There's no Deliveroo, uber eats or any other food delivery service where I live so I've no experience of using these services and I find some of the responses on here to a company effectively stealing your money, to be extremely blasé and rather shocking!

I now know to be wary when on holiday and will probably choose not to use these types of services in case they take extra money off me.

I already choose not to use the credit card petrol station pumps for the same reason.
Absolute feckers!

It will say on the transaction receipt which form of payment was selected.

If you did actually select the voucher and not your card, then you can use that as evidence to your bank that you should not have been charged.

If it does, as I suspect it will, say you used your card then that's your fault and you just need to suck it up. Use the giftcard next time.

I'm glad you got it sorted OP. To those suggesting it was her mistake and she should have to live with it - actually, I disagree. If you make a mistake using an app (or a machine or a system) that you wouldn't normally use, because of a one-off like a gift card, then it suggests that the system isn't really set up appropriately for such use, and that's not fair. If you have a gift card you have to be able to use it with a lot less hassle than this!

She is out of pocket. She can't use the gift card for a supermarket shop or petrol that she might have needed the £40 for.

I’d definitely call back the bank and say it was an unauthorised payment. I couldn’t afford to spawn away £40 on a takeaway unless I had ear marked money for it. All our bills are sky rocketing I can fully see why you’re upset about it.

Of course it’s an issue. OP doesn’t have the £40 to spare. For all we know that could be the last £40 they have to get through the rest of the month. How fortunate for you that you can’t relate!

I love how many people think this must be user error because it's never happened to them!

Well, she can hardly use the gift card to pay the bills, so of course she's out of pocket.

Unfortunately, since you've authorised your debit card with Uber on previous occasions, as long as that debit card is on file with them, you have already given your consent to take money from your account, which is why the bank won't do anything. On this occasion, you should keep trying with Uber about the gift card and try to kick up enough of a stink that they'll refund you.
Sorry you're going through this

I'm pretty sure that when you download the app & accept the t&c's / that will be where you are agreeing to them using your bank card details - regardless of the issue you are currently facing. And I'm guessing this is where it gets sticky with requesting a chargeback from your bank.

Sorry op not what you want to hear.

I will NEVER download the twatty app or use their services after reading your post.

There are no legally binding terms and conditions that allow a company to use your card details whenever they like, for whatever purpose.

I'm astounded but the number of people who believe because you've given a company your card details, they are entitled to use them to take sums of their choosing, whenever they like.

What if the sums were larger? Say you have credit with a holiday company for £1000 as they had to cancel your trip (this happened to me during covid). But then, when you book your replacement holiday, they take the £1000 from your card instead. Would you all be OK with this, as you'd 'given them permission' to use your bank details?

I never said it was acceptable @petronella23

I did however state that she has agreed the T&C's within the app & this is probably why the bank won't refund regardless of the circumstances. This is rubbish op. Hope you get it sorted. I would be all over twitter with this one.