ATM At Service Station Short Changed Me

Lozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 08:28
Last edited 24/06/2019 - 14:12 by 2 other users

I recently went to a United petrol station to withdraw some money from the ATM. I entered $300 and the machine spat out $150. Fortunately I was the only person there and it was fairly early in the morning. Even more fortunately the excuse for a manager was nearby and was able to see what happened. Initially they tried to say the machine was not their responsibility and that I had to contact the machine operators. That was their first lie. - I had a receipt and it clearly showed "United Petrol" on the top.

They then changed tack slightly and asked for my details (not thinking ahead I gave some), and went on to say that someone would contact me and arrange a reimbursement. Long story cut short I advised them that it was in their best interests to stop lying and give me the rest of the money before things occurred that they would regret. Note- I did not threaten them with physical violence in any way. I was talking about phoning the police and media.

Surprisingly the up to then partial language barrier dissolved and they gave me the rest of my money.

Questions:- What would others have done? What else could I have done?

Note.I have since made repeated attempts to contact their head office and they refuse to return my calls or emails.

Financial

closed Comments

  • jjjaar on 24/06/2019 - 08:37
    +13

    I wouldn’t have used the atm in the first place. I only use ones attached to banks because they are actually connected to the bank.

    ATMs in petrol stations or bars aren’t always affiliated with the venue in which they are placed so they may not have been lying and may have had nothing to do with the ATM, regardless of the branding of the machine.

    Sounds like they gave you money because you were getting aggressive in what you wanted and it was safer for them.

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:05
      -2

      Assertive, not aggressive. I was well aware that there were cameras and took care not to say anything that could be unarguably construed as a threat, I also took care to not swear or raise my voice.

      • afoveht on 24/06/2019 - 09:27
        +4

        Assertive, not aggressive.

        Easily misconstrued by both sides. Especially if the other party was had a poor command of English or was otherwise vulnerable.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2019 - 08:37
    +8

    I have had a similar thing happen and I contacted my bank and lodged a disputed transaction and got my money bank.

    Whilst the ATM might be part of the servo, the worker drone on night shift would have no access to it, I would be surprised if any staff member on site had any access to it.

    Many years ago I worked night shift in a servo, you get all sorts of BS stories and people trying to steal from the company, you acted like an (profanity), you didn't directly threaten violence but you certainly implied it.

      • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2019 - 10:12
        +5

        You didn't say you were going to call the police/media, you said before something you regret happens. This pretty much means violence. How would calling the police/media be something they would regret. The only person that would regret that is you as they laughed at you.

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:32
      -4

      right…and how is saying you'll call the police/media violent?

      • sheamas88 on 24/06/2019 - 09:43
        +10

        give me the rest of the money before things occurred that they would regret

        That sounds pretty threatening to me.

      • tomsco on 24/06/2019 - 11:16
        +3

        Did you mention police/media to them? Your note suggests that’s what you implied, but not what you said.

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 10:20
      -4

      who said anything about nightshift?

      • ngengerous on 24/06/2019 - 10:56
        +3

        'fairly early in the morning' is usually the time when a nightshift manager would be finishing up their shift. His experience still stands regardless.

      • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2019 - 11:27
        +2

        Fairly early in the morning sounds like night shift to me.

  • Skramit on 24/06/2019 - 08:37
    +1

    Are you suspecting a scam here, or just a company with poor customer service refusing to acknowledge a faulty machine? Because to me it's the latter but your emotive description kinda indicates you think it's a scam?

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:06
      -3

      dont think it was deliberate , but the lie about not being responsible for the atm raises questions

      • John Kimble on 24/06/2019 - 09:10

        They probably just didn't know for sure.

      • ThithLord on 24/06/2019 - 09:11
        +3

        They're not responsible for the ATM, though, dude. Next time you're at the Servo, check the stickers on the ATM. It'll tell you who to contact.

        • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 10:01
          -2

          which does make the refusal of their head office more unusual. If that was the case, you'd think they would have said that.

      • coxjon on 24/06/2019 - 10:15
        +8

        The "United" on the ATM receipt was probably more of the name/location of the ATM. I wouldn't call 7/11 if I had questions about Krispy Kreme ingredients.

  • John Kimble on 24/06/2019 - 09:01
    +9

    It's very unlikely they own the ATM. It's probably run by an independent ATM owner and whitelabelled under their name.

    There was no need to threaten them, the usual process is to raise a dispute with your card issuer and you eventually get your money back after they investigate/confirm what happened with the ATM owner or maintenance company (can be a few days to a few weeks). I suppose your way was a lot quicker…

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:12
      -2

      good point. thanks. and calling police isnt a threat

      • sheamas88 on 24/06/2019 - 11:25
        +4

        Threatening to call them only if they don't give into your demands could be considered extortion.

        • orangetrain on 24/06/2019 - 12:51

          What does a petrol station has to hide?

  • holdenmg on 24/06/2019 - 09:05

    If it is a drive in/serve yourself establishment, just go put a chain around the ATM and drive around with it for a bit.

    Grab up the money owed to you (and your chain) and you are good to go.

  • Pootie Tang on 24/06/2019 - 09:11
    +11

    $300——> Cocaine

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:13
      -1

      uhhhhmmm, ok…….

    • bobbified on 24/06/2019 - 09:36

      LOL!

      how do you know? =p

    • Imhereforcomments on 24/06/2019 - 14:00

      Half a gram just wasn't enough.

  • Ocker on 24/06/2019 - 09:42
    +13

    "give me the rest of the money before things occurred that they would regret "
    Seems to me that you were overly aggressive, and your comments would have been very intimidating to an operator who probably had no control over the situation, least of all access to the ATM.
    That aside the ATM would be owned and operated by someone else that pays the servo. rent (typically a few thousand)to place the machine in their premises

    • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 09:52

      negative media coverage is something most businesses would like to avoid..

      • dmac80 on 24/06/2019 - 10:31
        +9

        You're hardly going to get on the news because an ATM played up and you missed out on $150.

      • ngengerous on 24/06/2019 - 10:36

        And potential physical threats are something most managers would like to avoid.

  • bobbified on 24/06/2019 - 09:45
    +4

    … and they gave me the rest of my money.

    Where did they get the rest of the money from to give you?

    The funds from the ATM and the cashier is rarely (if ever) mixed. They're always kept completely separate to each other.

    If they simply took it out of the till, the posters of the earlier comments could be right about the employees feeling threatened.

    • redforever on 24/06/2019 - 10:18
      +4

      If he took the money from the till, poor guy probably had it taken out of his pay as well. I know, that's against employment law but it happens.

      It is now up to him to get it back from the atm operator. whether or not he ended getting his money back is a different story given he wasn't the transaction or card owner. let's hope he can given the relatively small amount and the cctc footage showing he actually gave you the money.

    • spackbace on 24/06/2019 - 10:31
      +12

      It's almost like the teller treated it like a hold-up. Handing over cash from the till, when the ATM was the issue doesn't seem right…

      Must've felt threatened enough to just hand it over.

      • ozboygsl on 24/06/2019 - 10:50
        -8

        lol

        • sweefu on 24/06/2019 - 11:30
          +4

          It seems you're getting a kick out of this?

    • whooah1979 on 24/06/2019 - 10:40
      +4

      could be right about the employees feeling threatened.

      Let's hope they did the right thing and called the police.

      • bobbified on 24/06/2019 - 10:41

        LOL.. I was thinking that! They've got his details too so OP ain't running very far!

  • crashloaded on 24/06/2019 - 10:07
    +3

    A lot of ATMs are third party. The shop just gets a payment after a certain amount of transactions.

    Used to have customers claim being ripped off all the time demanding money when I didn't own the atm.

  • whooah1979 on 24/06/2019 - 10:38
    +3

    Call the phone number on the ATM. They're there to assist with enquiries.

  • c64 on 24/06/2019 - 10:40
    +3

    i think you call your own bank, tell them you have been short changed at the atm and they sort it out from there.

  • Ryanek on 24/06/2019 - 11:04
    +5

    What would others have done

    Why would I expect the guy working the counter to reimburse me? This is so odd. Every ATM has contact details for these kind of errors so they can be validated and reimbursed properly.

    You also threatened to call the cops and media? Mate, they have better things to do.

  • ngengerous on 24/06/2019 - 11:13
    +3

    I don't think the comments are irrelevant, mate.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 24/06/2019 - 11:34
    +7

    Should have created an alt. Now you'll be a Member since 2013 disableduser45457.

  • Ughhh on 24/06/2019 - 13:42

    give me the rest of the money before things occurred that they would regret

    Yeah Not a threat at all, for all anyone knows, you were going to hug them and make them friendship bracelets. Anyone would regret that.

  • xuqi on 24/06/2019 - 14:08

    No idea why some insist on editing out OP info, when 'revisions' function allows retrieval. Just report the thread for closure..

    I recently went to a United petrol station to withdraw some money from the ATM. I entered $300 and the machine spat out $150. Fortunately I was the only person there and it was fairly early in the morning. Even more fortunately the excuse for a manager was nearby and was able to see what happened. Initially they tried to say the machine was not their responsibility and that I had to contact the machine operators. That was their first lie. - I had a receipt and it clearly showed "United Petrol" on the top.

    They then changed tack slightly and asked for my details (not thinking ahead I gave some), and went on to say that someone would contact me and arrange a reimbursement. Long story cut short I advised them that it was in their best interests to stop lying and give me the rest of the money before things occurred that they would regret. Note- I did not threaten them with physical violence in any way. I was talking about phoning the police and media.

    Surprisingly the up to then partial language barrier dissolved and they gave me the rest of my money.

    Questions:- What would others have done? What else could I have done?

    Note.I have since made repeated attempts to contact their head office and they refuse to return my calls or emails.

  • pegaxs on 24/06/2019 - 14:13

    DisabledUser284732 in 3… 2… 1…

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