
If your Chase ATM ate your money, don't panic. According to the bank's policy, you can report the incident within two business days to minimize any potential losses.
You'll need to visit a Chase branch in person to file a dispute, as phone and online reports are not accepted for this type of issue. Make sure to bring your account information and a valid government-issued ID to speed up the process.
ATM Issues
An ATM deposit can go wrong in several unfortunate ways. There are hundreds of thousands of ATMs in the United States, but even machines make mistakes.
The ATM's Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software may misread the handwritten or printed amount on your check, leading to an incorrect deposit. This can be frustrating and time-consuming to resolve.
A sudden power outage can cause a technical glitch to occur during the transaction, resulting in an incomplete or incorrect deposit. This can be a real headache for you.
If you deposited cash, the ATM may miscount the amount, leaving you with an obvious issue. For example, if you deposited $800 and the ATM only registers $600, you'll know something's off.
Contact Your Bank Immediately
Contact your bank immediately. This is the most important step in resolving the issue.
You should contact your bank as soon as possible, even if you're standing outside your own bank using one of their ATMs. Explain what happened to a customer service representative.
The bank will usually credit you for the deposit and perform an investigation. They will determine if you actually deposited the amount you claimed.
Don't panic, it's a frustrating situation, but it's not uncommon. In fact, 61% of consumers visit an ATM at least once a month, according to a 2017 banking study.
Your bank will credit your account and issue a paper receipt verifying the funds. This is the simplest solution, but it may take some time.
If you're using a stand-alone ATM not near your bank branch, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your debit card. Explain the situation to the customer service representative.
The bank will perform an investigation, and if they determine that you actually deposited the amount you claimed, they will deposit that amount in your account, removing the credit.
It's essential to stay calm and patient during this process. Your bank will work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Documentation
Documentation is key when dealing with a botched ATM transaction. Note the time of the transaction, as it may come in handy when disputing the issue with your bank.
Take smartphone pictures of the error screen on the ATM if one comes up during a botched transaction. This can serve as evidence of what went wrong.
Copy the serial numbers on bills before inserting currency into a machine. This can also be useful in case of a dispute.
The more evidence you can gather, the better. This can help your bank resolve the issue more quickly and efficiently.
The Takeaway
If an ATM accepts your cash or check without depositing your funds or registers an incorrect amount, don't worry! Take a breath, gather evidence, and report it to your bank immediately.
Doing so will improve your chances of a quicker resolution and getting the money back where it belongs — in your account.
Sources
- https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/atm-took-my-money-but-did-not-deposit/
- https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/basics/what-is-an-atm-credit
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2017/11/25/what-to-do-if-an-atm-eats-your-deposit/107919072/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/banking/what-to-do-if-atm-eats-deposit
- https://www.wisebread.com/the-atm-just-ate-your-deposit-now-what
Featured Images: pexels.com