Question about a hotel retaining credit card details

sentient_6

So I’ve just discovered a place a stayed in a little over a month ago has gone & charged me again for the nights I stayed. I'm not looking for advice about what to do, I’m sure I can get it sorted because I can prove the money left my account previously, just wondering is there not a legal issue with them having my credit card details to go & process another transaction a month later?

I'm near the end of a round the world trip at the moment & this was in Fiji(which means ringing them & the bank at home on a mobile is a frustrating experience, & never mind i needed the money over the next week & half, but that’s an aside), but I remember when leaving a hotel in Hong Kong way back when the guy at the desk made an elaborate issue of tearing up the paper imprint of my credit card when I was checking out & all was squared up, so is there not a electronic equivalent after paying a place using a cc machine(i.e. no imprint taken but transaction processed & signed for)?

coylemj

This isn't really a legal issue, the hotel probably mistakenly submitted a batch of credit card transactions a second time because of some bug in their systems, it happens all the time.

You didn't say if the transaction was electronic (chip & pin) or the old style machine that impresses the details on parchment paper?

I'm guessing it was chip & pin so you shouldn't have any problem, talk to the credit card company, the transactions probably both have the same reference number and it will be pretty obvious that it's a duplicate.

sentient_6

Thanks for the reply, the orginal transaction was electronic, it showed up on my account within a few days, but the reference number for the new transaction is different. It was clearly put through seperately in the last few days, i'm asking how they'd still have my details after all this time to do this, & if it is legal for them to retain them. I'm sure the bank will advise me when i ring them in the morning, but i was hoping to get a indication on here quicker of where i stand.

BrianD

sentient_6 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, the orginal transaction was electronic, it showed up on my account within a few days, but the reference number for the new transaction is different. It was clearly put through seperately in the last few days, i'm asking how they'd still have my details after all this time to do this, & if it is legal for them to retain them. I'm sure the bank will advise me when i ring them in the morning, but i was hoping to get a indication on here quicker of where i stand.

I'm not familiar with these machines but I'm aware that the details are stored in the machine.

Even so, it's only a month since you stayed so it wouldn't be that outlandish to keep payment details for a calendar month/accounting period.

Best to get it reported to your CC company ASAP - perhaps a family member can chase it up for you?

sentient_6

BrianD wrote: »

Even so, it's only a month since you stayed so it wouldn't be that outlandish to keep payment details for a calendar month/accounting period.

Ya i suppose. We'll see what the bank has to say anyway. Thanks.