Not upheld: Card / payment disputes complaint against Clydesdale Bank Plc trading as Virgin Money

Decision detail

Summary

Mr A complained that Virgin Money refused to reimburse him for a £100 ATM withdrawal he claimed was unauthorised on 30 January 2026. The withdrawal occurred 2 minutes before Mr A made an authorised cash deposit at a different ATM. Virgin's technical evidence showed the withdrawal used Mr A's genuine card and correct PIN, entered successfully on the first attempt. The ombudsman found that given the tight timeline and the requirement for both card and PIN knowledge, the only plausible explanation was that Mr A authorised the withdrawal himself. The complaint was not upheld, and Virgin was permitted to retain the £50 goodwill credit it had already provided.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the technical evidence conclusively demonstrated the withdrawal required both Mr A's genuine card and correct PIN. The tight timeline (2 minutes between withdrawal and deposit) made it implausible that a third party could have taken the card, used it, and returned it without Mr A noticing. The ombudsman concluded that Mr A authorising the withdrawal himself was the only plausible explanation, particularly given the card had to be in his possession to make the subsequent deposit minutes later.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website