Microsoft has taken my money despite a failed transaction through the XBox store

BrynmorCampos · May 18, 2021

Hello fellow Xboxers,

I attempted to purchase a digital copy of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance through the XBox Store from my XBox Series-X on the 07/05/2021. Everything went per normal (added to my cart and checked-out). Once I got to payment it sat there a while and simply failed the purchase.

This is where my hell started...

Even though the store transaction failed the funds still went off my account as "reserved". I contacted XBox support to resolve the issue where they could see the failed transaction (I cannot see anything under my order history) however they could not see the transaction side of the funds and asked me to contact my bank.

I contacted my bank who confirmed the funds were in a "frozen" state and could reverse the transaction. A day later the bank called me back, after a lengthily investigation to say that they tried to reverse the transaction but it then moved from a "frozen" state to a "processed" state which means that it traversed through my account to Microsoft.

So they should have my money now right?

Wrong!

I called Microsoft XBox support again to update them on the situation and again they can see the failed transaction but deny any transaction of funds going through the account. This is certainly an anomaly... I proceeded to ask for an investigation to be opened where I uploaded my bank provided documents to show evidence of the funds traversing through my account. I am now trying to follow-up (18 May 2021) literally 11-days after the original failed purchase and I cannot get to anyone who can help me.

Microsoft literally have my money and I have all the evidence in the world to prove so but no-one at Microsoft XBox Support is willing or able to help me.

What do I do?

My gut feeling is that whilst Microsoft's systems show a failed transaction their payment gateway provider (whomever they use) processed the funds so in my opinion they have my money technically but how to get Microsoft to listen?!

:)

BrynmorCampos

Hello, the purchase still does not show on my Order History. However Microsofts backend system can see the failed purchase and I have all the necessary information from my bank to show the transaction of the funds through my account.

XBF Houmaidi O

Hello @BrynmorCampos!

First of all, we re truly sorry about this situation. May I ask you, now after contacting your ban and the transaction moved from a "frozen" state to a "processed" state, are you able to locate the charges on your order history?

Sodangidni

A transaction could fail for a lot of reasons and can occur in online marketplaces, so this is not something exclusive to the Microsoft store.

However, it is important to mention that always that a transaction didn't go through, the money will be reversed because Microsoft didn't receive it.

GraysMedic1

Thank you. I tried that, but it just tells me that my account has no transactions. The money is being taken through an account set up with my details. I have tried calling microsoft from a number the bank gave to me, but it does not work. It appears microsoft do not want to be contacted.

If this continues, it will go through my bank as a fraud case. It would be better if someone in microsoft investigated this.

Marco Di crescenzo

I have this exact issue rn but I have no funds to pay another way and Xbox has taken my money there is no transaction in my bank account

Microsoft has taken my money despite a failed transaction through the XBox store