05.01.2001

Computer error is being blamed for potentially thousands of National Bank customers being charged double for withdrawals from automatic teller machines over the New Year holiday break.

The problem relates to transactions on December 30 and December 31.

Cheques, automatic payments, direct debits and withdrawals from credit cards were not affected. The head of corporate affairs for the bank, Cynthia Brophy, said last night that the duplicated fees would be put right by today.

She said the bank would also identify cases such as where people might have incurred fees through accounts going into overdraft.

Matters would be rectified automatically, but if not, customers could also alert the bank to problems. "We don't want anybody to pay any money they do not have to pay," Ms Brophy said. "That is obviously our commitment to any customer. We would never allow them to be charged when they shouldn't be."

The New Zealand Herald

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002