Bank customers who lose money due to incorrect debits apparently have no automatic right to compensation. This is what our research on the subject has shown. We asked the Savings Banks and Giro Association about this and received some interesting answers.
General instructions?
After a number of readers told us about their experiences with unclear debits from savings bank accounts, we wanted to know whether there are actually general instructions on how to deal with this issue. After all, our readers had reported various reactions in the savings banks that held their accounts.
Individual approach is part of the company philosophy
At Sparkasse, this individual approach is apparently also part of the company philosophy. All regional savings banks act independently of one another, says Thomas Rienecker. He is the press spokesman for the Savings Banks and Giro Association, the umbrella organization of all savings banks.
Video can provide information
In the cases we researched, the customers had withdrawn money from their account themselves and then later noticed on their bank statement that at least one further debit had been made using a card that was normally associated with the account. However, the customers had not initiated this. In these cases, a video can provide information about who withdrew money at the time recorded.
Video creation and storage is at your discretion
Whether there are any videos at all and how long they are stored is at the discretion of the savings bank, Thomas Rienecker explains. “The retention periods for video recordings at ATMs do indeed vary and are subject to data protection regulations and the specific guidelines of the respective credit institutions. The retention period is usually between 30 and 90 days. After that, the recordings are deleted. There are no legal requirements for minimum storage,” he replied to our inquiry.
The first point of contact is the Sparkasse
The savings bank is also the right contact if you have noticed an unclear account transaction. “As an umbrella organization, we cannot comment on specific individual incidents. We also lack precise knowledge of the processes that led to the payments described. The savings banks are the right contact here,” says Thomas Rienecker.
Reimbursement to arbitration proceedings: everything is possible
The savings banks decide for themselves how they deal with reports of incorrect debits. Our readers reported to us that the shortfall was refunded without any problems, but also that the employees simply accepted the ATM protocol and then offered the customer an arbitration procedure.
Police secure evidence
Either way, you can report the case to the police, who can then secure the video and the ATM logs as evidence, explains police spokesman Felix Zgione. If an investigation is initiated, a lawyer can request access to this evidence and, for example, view the video of the ATM.
