“Do you want a copy?” It’s a question everyone is asked when they pay with a bank card, and usually, the answer is no, because we have all the details on the receipt or our banking app. The Bank of Spain agrees that the paper copy is not needed, and that it is more environmentally friendly not to print it out, but, they also advise before saying no, to make sure the amount you are being charged is correct and is shown on the screen of the card machine.
Although it sounds obvious to confirm how much you are paying, the Bank of Spain says they are receiving more complaints and requests for refunds, which are difficult to prove, especially as contactless payments are becoming more common and the limit without a pin number has been raised.
Most contactless transactions go through without being asked for the PIN as the limit is usually 50 euros, so people often just swipe the card and don’t look at the amount.
“If you are charged too much for a contactless payment, it is always difficult to resolve”, the Bank of Spain says, “although if you have retained a paper copy of the transaction it will help.”
The Bank advises that everyone should get in the habit of checking the amount on the screen of the card machine and comparing the till receipt with the amount they were charged, or ask your bank to send you a text message or notification every time you use your card to make a payment, as this is an instant way of checking that the transaction was correct.
