He caught a $14,204 overcharge—this one habit could save you from the same mess

Unexpected charges on a routine purchase can throw anyone into panic—especially when the numbers just don’t add up.

A recent incident at a major Australian petrol station chain has left customers stunned and scrambling for answers.

What began as a typical weekend transaction spiralled into a financial nightmare for some unsuspecting shoppers.


A bizarre payment glitch at a well-known petrol station chain left many Aussies stunned after routine purchases turned into jaw-dropping bank charges.

Several customers reported waking up to find their cards had been charged not just once or twice—but in some cases, more than 100 times—for the same transaction. The issue reportedly occurred on 31 May and affected multiple locations across the country.

One Sydney man, Steve, told Radio 2GB he was left reeling after a $106 payment multiplied unexpectedly.


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Sydney man hit with $14k petrol charge. Image source: Viva Energy Australia


He said he was charged 134 times—bringing the total to a staggering $14,204.

In another case, a man named Angelo said his daughter had made a small purchase, buying a drink and a chocolate, only to discover that same $6 transaction had repeated 104 times. He added that his daughter was due to travel overseas and was worried about whether her refund would arrive in time.

The petrol stations in question, once known as Coles Express, were rebranded as Reddy Express after their 2023 acquisition by Viva Energy. With more than 700 locations affected, concern spread quickly among those who had swiped their cards over the weekend.

Frustrated customers who tried to get help were met with a recorded voice message when they called the company’s helpline. The message confirmed that Reddy Express was aware of the issue and assured callers they would be reimbursed within two to seven days.


In a public statement, Reddy Express later said: ‘On Saturday (31/5) a technical issue led to intermittent EFTPOS errors affecting some guests paying by credit or debit card at Reddy Express stores.’

‘In some cases, this has resulted in guests being charged more than once for their transaction.
‘We are working to reverse any duplicate transactions as quickly as possible.’

‘In most cases, people should have seen the refund appear in their debit or credit card accounts by now.’

‘If you have not yet received a refund or have not yet contacted us, please contact us now via our customer service office at [email protected] or call 1800 656-055. Reddy Express sincerely apologises to any impacted guests.’


Customers who made a purchase at any Reddy Express store on 31 May were urged to check their transaction history for anomalies.

The saga mirrored a similar banking error from 2024, when Commonwealth Bank customers were hit by a ‘duplicate payments’ issue that saw funds disappear from accounts. That glitch caused significant disruption, with many left unable to access their money and some finding themselves overdrawn without warning.

Reddy Express was contacted for further comment.

Key Takeaways
  • Customers at Reddy Express were charged up to 134 times for single transactions due to an EFTPOS glitch on 31 May.
  • The error affected former Coles Express stations, now rebranded under Viva Energy, with over 700 locations impacted.
  • Reddy Express apologised and said most refunds should already appear, urging anyone still affected to contact their customer service.
  • The incident echoed a 2024 Commonwealth Bank glitch that also caused duplicate payments and disrupted access to funds.

Have you ever double-checked your bank statement and found something that didn’t add up? Let us know your experience in the comments.
 

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just goes to prove that using plastic is not always a good thing
Imagine the rake in for the banks with their card surcharges being added 100 times
The refund will be for the goods but will the bank refund the surcharges as well
WE need strict regulations because a refund in a few days time or a week or when they feel like it is not good enough, because it comes out of your account immediately so it must go back in immediately including any surcharges
 
You do not have to look far to find some of these, that could be called, cybercriminals, in disguise, who just do their theiving in another format.
Reason for being over charged was said to be a technical issue.
Did these companies not see excess amounts of funds in their company account. Or did they think that no one was going to come forward and complain.
Really, being charge 100 times for the same item. What stops the person at the counter to press the cash register keyboard, times 100, for a single purchase.
Immediate investigation needs to be conducted to locate what or who has caused the supposed technical issue that caused this criminal act. 🙏🦋
 
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I have no doubt that we will be cashless sooner than later. The penalty for such theft from peoples accounts should be sufficiently high enough to deter companies from such system failures ensuring checks and balances are in place on all transactions.
 
Big deal. It was obviously just a mistake. It's been dealt with and nothing to make a fuss about. 🙄
I respect your opinion totally. But there are people in our society will are not too happy when one purchased item has been has been charged 100 times. Many people respect their hard earned cash, and a one off cash mistake, is one mistake too many. Don't forget, technology has been created by man, so how do we explain this so called technical issue that has multiplied the purchased item 100 times. 🙏🦋
 
All the more reason to pay cash
REMEMBER
CASH IS KING
So you keep all your cash in the house or on you......or.....do you have it in a bank? You do know that mistakes and computer glitches happen with back accounts too, countless examples over the years of accounts being overdrawn by direct payments being debited multiple times. This story is about something that rarely happens, in fact so rare that the chance of you being robbed of your cash is far greater.
 
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