BasicsCard dispute resolution 103-01230100

Confirm the customer's identification before proceeding. For assistance, see Authenticating a Centrelink customer.

Note: there is no requirement to sight or photocopy customer identity documents.

If the payment nominee is contacting, confirm that:

• the BasicsCard was issued to the payment nominee
• the payment nominee arrangement exists, and
• the payment nominee's identity

If an income managed customer has a payment nominee, the BasicsCard will be issued to the payment nominee on behalf of the customer.

• If the dispute is about the balance or transaction summary and the enquiry cannot be resolved at first contact and they wish to escalate an issue in relation to their BasicsCard, go to Step 2
• If the customer is reporting that a BasicsCard and income managed funds have been issued to a third party incorrectly, and the funds are unable to be recovered, go to Step 4
• If investigating an escalated complaint or claim for compensation under the Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA) scheme. Go to Step 7

Determine the nature of the enquiry or complaint and obtain information from the customer to assist in the resolution.

Depending on the nature of the complaint, different information will need to be gathered. The following is a guide to the information a Service Officer will need to obtain.

Transactions that have occurred after card loss:

• date card was lost/stolen and possible time
• date card was reported as lost/stolen
• where card was lost (if known)
• was PIN information stored with card or does anyone else know the PIN?
• when was the card last used and where?

Balance on card:

• When was the card last used and where?
• How much was the last transaction for?
• Does anyone else have access to the card/PIN?

Disputed transaction:

• What is the date of the disputed transaction?
• How much is the disputed transaction for?
• When was the card last used and where?
• Does anyone else have access to the card/PIN?

Merchant Issues:

• What is the specific issue in relation to, for example fees charged by the Merchant (what was the fee?), Merchant enforcing a minimum purchase amount for transactions (what was the minimum purchase amount?) or Merchant holding onto the card
• When did this occur?
• Who is the merchant?
• What is the location of the store?

Card used fraudulently:

• How did the person get access to the card?
• How did they get access to the PIN?
• Was the card reported as lost or stolen?
• Do they suspect who used the card?

Can the dispute be resolved at first contact?

• Yes, record details in a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Enter the customer's feedback into the Customer Feedback Tool ensuring all information obtained in Step 2 is included.

Where the dispute cannot be resolved at first contact, it should be escalated through to Access Support, option 7. The Income Management Policy Helpdesk will assist to resolve escalated complaints where necessary.

See Recording complaints and feedback in the Customer Feedback Tool and Complaints and feedback index

Does the customer still have access to their BasicsCard?

• Yes, procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 5

If a customer (or their payment nominee) contacts and claims a BasicsCard has been issued on their record to an unauthorised third party, ask whether the disputed card has previously been reported, and enquire as to the action taken.

If not previously reported, go to the Card Action History screen - Income Management> BasicsCard> BasicsCard action history:

• Determine the date on which the customer's current BasicsCard was issued
• Confirm with the customer (or their payment nominee) that they did not have a BasicsCard issued on this date
• Check the last four digits of the card that is active on the customer's record and confirm with the customer (or payment nominee) that this card is not in their possession

Go to the Transaction Summary screen, Income Management> BasicsCard> Transaction summary:

• Search transactions conducted on the disputed BasicsCard
• Ask the customer whether they recall conducting these transactions

Once these checks are completed, does the customer still believe that the BasicsCard was issued to a third party in error?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, procedure ends here

If the BasicsCard is active, suspend the card.

Annotate the DOC automatically generated by the suspension activity, advising that the card is not to be reactivated as it was issued to a third party in error.

Note: it is preferable that a replacement card is issued rather than the incorrectly issued card being closed manually, as this would close the current BasicsCard account and all BasicsCard action history would be lost.

Issue a replacement BasicsCard to the customer. This can be done face to face or by request via the Income Management line. This will close the incorrectly issued BasicsCard automatically.

• DOC the customer's record with the details of the conversation, the disputed card and transaction details, and any action taken
• Tell the customer the case will be referred for investigation
• Enter the customer's feedback into the Customer Feedback Tool. For assistance, see Recording complaints and feedback in the Customer Feedback Tool and Complaints and feedback index > BasicsCard. Ensure the following is included:
• Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• disputed BasicsCard number
• disputed transactions
• details of action taken on record - for example, card suspension details
• details of conversation with customer
• Where the dispute cannot be resolved at first contact, it should be escalated through to Level 2 Complaints. The Income Management Policy Helpdesk will assist to resolve escalated complaints where necessary.

Procedure ends here.

Where an escalated complaint cannot be resolved through normal dispute resolution procedures, and there is sufficient evidence to indicate the customer may have lost money due to defective administration, they may be eligible to claim for compensation under the Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA) scheme.

See Customer compensation and act of grace payments.

For the Income Management Policy Helpdesk team only

The Income Management Policy Helpdesk will liaise with the Service Zone and Compensation Management team to investigate the case, including details of disputed transactions and the issue of disputed BasicsCards.

To support the investigation, statements from customers and Service Officers will be required to ascertain that the customer has suffered 'detriment' caused by the 'defective' action or inaction of the agency, and where the claimant has no legal or statutory right of redress.

If a CDDA claim is granted following investigation, the Income Management Policy Helpdesk will:

• tell the relevant case manager within the People and Customer Compensation Legal Branch that upon approval of the CDDA claim no letter should be issued to the customer. This will need to be delivered in person once the income managed funds have been re-credited to the customer's Income Management account
• provide the Compensation Team with the relevant General Ledger Code and Cost Centre
• ensure the Treasury Section of the Treasury, Governance and Shared Services Branch are advised when CDDA funds are available so they can be credited to the Income Management Record Account
• re-credit the customer's individual Income Management account once the Income Management Record Account has been credited with the CDDA funds
• tell compensation and treasury teams once funds have been re-credited to the customer
• DOC the customer's record with details of CDDA claim
• organise with Service Zone for letter provided by the Compensation Team to be hand delivered to the customer
• update any Escalation Brief drafted by the Service Zone

Compensation granted under the CDDA scheme for lost Income Management (IM) funds must be returned to the Customer's IM account.