Customer's Credit Card Charged But No Record of Transaction In Square

[bandb1]

Yesterday a customer bought 2 pieces of furniture for a total of $2332.06 I connected my card reader to my (new) phone and swiped the card. No transaction recorded in square app. Customer gets on her phone and shows me where that exact amount was charged to her card. They were able to take one piece with them but will be coming back to get the other. I think I know what may have happened. I have a new phone with new case and the card reader did not plug in far enough to connect properly. There is no record of the sale when I log in to my account. 

How can it show up as a transaction to her credit card when there is absolutely no record of it with Square? Needless to say I am very stressed, anyone have a suggestion? Thanks

[TheRealChipA · Accepted solution]

Hi @bandb1.  Most likely, what your customer is seeing on their card account is the pending charge.  If you are not seeing the transaction in your POS transaction list, in your online dashboard transaction list, or in your Square balance, the only thing I can think that happened is that somehow the transaction did not get finalized with Square.  You didn’t say whether or not you say the transaction done screen on your POS.  You should get on the phone with Square Support.  Before you do, be sure you have done these steps:

1. Check your POS transaction list again, just in case.
2. Sign into your online dashboard and go to transactions for the date of the sale to see if the transaction is there.
3. Also in your online dashboard, go to the Balances and look at the activity for that date.

In the end, if he reader disconnected from your device during the transaction, your customer will see that the pending charge drops off their card in the next 3 or so business days.  Then, when they confirm that indeed they were not charged you can run their card again.  Unfortunately, unless support sees something on their end that you are not seeing on yours, it will be a waiting game for a few days until this pending charge is released by the customer’s bank.

I wish you well.

[PartyManiaMD]

I would record as much information as possible including a picture of a valid government ID, write down Card info, make sure you have a way to identify or track her down.

I hate to say a pre-auth is NOT proof that it went through, only that it attempted to go through but her bank is possibly holding the funds because they think it's fraudulent. With no transaction on your end you will NOT get paid and that pre-auth will fall off.

She could also be scamming you and have the exact amount with a fake bank screen shot showing it pending.

If it really did pre-auth the amount that sucks but the only way you're seeing the money is if a transaction goes through on YOUR end.

I'd be hesitant to release the other part of her order until the funds either fall off and you can properly charge her or if she charges it and gets a receipt. Her funds WILL fall off if it's a legitimate pre-authorization AND the transaction isn't in your sales history with Square.