Reader charged €100 for contactless beer payment in French bar

Reader question: I went into a local bar in France, ordered a beer and paid by contactless bank card. I later received my statement and realised they have charged me €100. I am not returning to France until at least Easter. Is there anything I can do?

In the the first instance, contact the bar with proof of the transaction (ie. your bank statement) and ask for a refund.

If you kept a receipt, all the better, but it should be possible for the bar to identify the payment.

If there is an anomaly, you should also contact your bank.

If you used a French card, law allows for a refund via the bank in the case of ‘badly executed’ card transactions.

Banks in many countries have similar arrangements.

Contactless payments can be prone to such problems as people might not check the machine’s display or their receipt.

If necessary, a consumer body such as France Conso Banque may be able to help.

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