Lost bank transfer UBS employee: "Why don't you go to 'Kassensturz'?" - Pensioner successfully does just that
When a strike thwarted his travel plans, a bureaucratic gauntlet began for a Zurich pensioner. Thanks to a consumer magazine, it came to an unexpected end.
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- A Zurich pensioner initially did not receive his refund due to a change of account and a trip cancellation, as the money was transferred to a closed account.
- Neither UBS nor the travel provider Expedia felt responsible, which led the pensioner to SRF "Espresso".
- After public pressure, Expedia paid out the money again, while UBS found the money that had originally been transferred - the pensioner received double, but offered a refund.
A Zurich pensioner found himself in an awkward situation when he closed his Credit Suisse account and switched to the cantonal bank. Shortly afterwards, the 80-year-old had to cancel a trip to Spain because a strike was announced in the Canary Islands.
This led to a combination of unfortunate circumstances. But the man was also annoyed by the inaction of the UBS and travel agency staff involved, as he told SRF "Espresso".
The online travel provider Expedia confirmed that it would refund the travel costs minus the cancellation fee. The pensioner informed Expedia about his new account, but the refund was still made to the Credit Suisse account, which has since been closed.
Several unsuccessful attempts
Unsettled, the 80-year-old turned to UBS at Zurich's Paradeplatz to clarify the problem. He was told that nothing could be done as the account no longer existed. The pensioner should contact Expedia. However, the travel provider referred him back to the bank, despite a written confirmation of the payment.
According to the report, after several unsuccessful visits to the bank, the pensioner was fed up. "Then the bank employee told me to go to 'Kassensturz'", he told SRF. The pensioner took this advice seriously and contacted the sister show "Espresso", which got in touch with Expedia and UBS.
Better safe than sorry
With success: although both companies initially shifted responsibility back and forth, Expedia finally declared that it would reimburse the sum again as a gesture of goodwill.
At the same time, UBS got in touch to say that the money had been found and transferred to the pensioner's new account. In the end, the pensioner had double the amount in the correct account. However, he offered to repay the excess amount to Expedia.