Technical error with card payments leaves some Boroughbridge SPAR customers overdrawn

A technical issue with card transactions at Boroughbridge SPAR has led to weeks worth of checkout payments being charged all at once to customer bank accounts.
Boroughbridge SPAR. Picture: Google.Boroughbridge SPAR. Picture: Google.
Boroughbridge SPAR. Picture: Google.

Single mum-of-five Karen Hutchinson, said the error has left her unable to pay for her rent and utilities.

She said: "I found out after a friend told me to check my account at the bank, but to be honest I thought it only affected those who had contactless cards, so I never thought it would be me.

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"I called my bank for a balance, and to hear I was £191 overdrawn on my account which has no overdraft was so shocking that I burst into tears in front of my children - which as a strong person was very embarrassing.

"The money that was taken was all I had to live on till next week, and worse, has left me unable to pay my rent, buy gas and electric, and finish the food shopping.

"As a single mum of five, four that live at home, money is tight already, but this has left us in complete hardship. And as I'm already struggling with rent payments and bills, this has made the whole situation ten times more than it ever needed to be."

A statement from a SPAR spokesperson reads: "A technical issue at our card acquirer service has delayed money being debited from our customers' accounts when they have made card purchases at our SPAR store in Boroughbridge over a number of weeks.

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"While this problem has now been resolved, we understand the inconvenience this could cause our shoppers and regret any difficulties this delay has created."

A spokesperson added: "SPAR has been contacting anyone who has been in touch to explain the issue and assure them it is now resolved."

A thread on a Facebook forum for Boroughbridge has attracted hundreds of comments about the delayed card transactions - many from those who have been affected.

Karen said: "From a personal point of view it's not just affected me, but the children - having to say no to things they need and having to explain that we are now going to have to budget with what we have is heartbreaking."