Photo: RNZ
When you're on summer holidays, you might not be thinking much about your banking, insurance or other financial products - unless something goes wrong.
The three external dispute providers that deal with complaints that can't be resolved between financial services providers and their customers say there are a number of things that can catch people out at Christmas and New Year.
Here are a few to watch for and how you can avoid them.
Disputed transactions
Both the Banking Ombudsman and Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL) said they saw complaints about disputed or incorrect transactions.
FSCL said it was common to see them at hotels, bars, online retailers and overseas lounges where cards were used for tabs, pre-authorisation or to place a security hold, if the amount was then more than expected.
FSCL said it also heard about delays or disagreements when card issuers declined to reverse a transaction or chargeback, especially where the merchant argued a charge was legitimate or where the cardholder has not closely followed card terms and conditions.
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"Avoid open tabs where possible, check pre authorisations, keep your card with you at all times, be careful not to be overlooked if entering a PIN, keep receipts and monitor accounts frequently," FSCL ombudsman Susan Taylor said.
"Report suspicious or incorrect transactions promptly, consider
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