Having problems with a payment or bank card? On this page, ECC Belgium offers advice on issues relating to unauthorised payments, incorrect bank transfers and bad online purchases paid for by credit card. We explain what you should do. Find out what your rights are and how you could get your money back.
- Have you lost your bank card? Or was it stolen and did the thief clear your bank account?
- Has money been taken from your account without your consent?
- You made a mistake and paid on the wrong account?
- Or was there a problem with your online purchase, but you paid with a credit card? (chargeback)
- Or did your online purchase not go well, but you paid via a payment system such as Klarna or PayPal?
Your bank card is lost or stolen
Get it blocked immediately by contacting CardStop on 078 170 170. Contest any transactions or payments made without your approval with your bank or the credit card issuer – at the latest thirteen months after the event.
This procedure in the event of loss or theft will block any other payment and is the first step towards getting your money back:
- for all disputed transactions that took place after you reported the loss or theft.
- for disputed transactions that took place before you reported the loss or theft. This may entail an excess of maximum 50 euro, except when the third party duplicated your card, used it without physically presenting it (e.g. on the internet) or without presenting electronic identification (e.g. without pin code)
If the fraud is the result of negligence on your part (e.g. because your pin code was too easy), you will not be entitled to reimbursement.
Money has been taken without your consent
Notify your bank immediately. Fraudulent transactions must be contested at the latest thirteen months after the event. It is the only way to reclaim your money.
In such cases the bank has to repay the amount of the contested transaction(s) immediately, supplemented by any interest you may have lost.
You made a mistake and paid on the wrong account
You are responsible for the information (bank account number, name, bank, etc.) you enter when making the transfer. The bank has no obligation whatsoever to refund anything in this regard.
- If the payment has not yet been executed by the bank, the bank may potentially cancel the transfer.
- Has the transaction already been executed? Request a refund from the account holder that was credited. Your bank may be able to assist you with this by contacting the recipient’s bank. You may be required to pay fees for this.
You have a problem with an online purchase and no solution seems possible with the merchant
Did you pay by credit card? Did the parcel not arrive? Has the seller gone bankrupt? Or did you fall into a scammer’s trap? Fortunately, in such cases your card issuer will protect you. You will be entitled to claim your money back via a chargeback.
All you need to do is complete your card issuer’s transaction dispute form within 3 months of the transaction.
- If you paid using a Visa or MasterCard, visit www.mijnkaart.be or www.macarte.be.
- Did you use American Express? You need to submit your claim directly on the issuer’s website.
You paid via Klarna or PayPal
Check via the payment system whether you can recover your money through the complaints procedure. Both Klarna and PayPal have a form of buyer protection.
A complaint regarding unfair trading practices by the merchant can always be filed with
- the Economic Inspectorate in Belgium via ConsumerConnect;
- if the webshop is located in the Netherlands, with ACM;
- in France, with SignalConso.