If you’re googling ‘how to find who charged my credit card’ in the middle of the night, don’t worry, we’ve all been there; that moment when a quick balance check turns into an investigation.

‘I didn’t make that bank transaction’ springs to mind when you find an odd-looking account among your transaction history. Whether it’s the name, the price, or the date that looks a bit off, it’s something that can be easily checked out.

We’ve pulled together a few things to consider the next time you find yourself in this situation and want to look at who’s charging (if not you). If you’re not sure whether a transaction is suspicious or not, you might want to run through the following steps.

1. Compare your receipts

This may seem like an obvious one, but it can save a lot of hassle: cross-reference the transaction history in your account with your receipts. Compare account numbers, double check the price, and make note of the business name on the EFTPOS receipt, as some merchants appear by their registered business name, or parent company name rather than the name on their shopfront, or trading name.

2. Double check transaction dates

One that applies more to online transactions, but can still apply to in-store purchases, is the date on which a transaction is processed on your card. Depending on factors like the location of the receiving business, purchase time of day, and transaction clearances, funds can take time to leave your account after a transaction is confirmed. Online purchases may take at least 24 hours to appear,

3. Confirm conversion rate

Even in this age of globalisation and digital marketplaces, international conversion rates can still cause some confusion. The first thing to check is to know the location in which the transaction is being made. Even if a website advertises Australian dollar prices, the Seller may process the transaction in the country out of which they operate, and if that is not in Australia you’ll be charged for an international transaction.

With that out of the way, you may still see a variance on your statement. This could be due to a delay in the transaction processing, and a fluctuation in currency rates between your purchase date and the actual authorisation date.

4. Go online and search the account name/number

If you can’t figure a transaction out based on date, rate, or receipt, then you can always search for the account name debiting the funds online and find out about them that way. Several companies have registered business names that are different to the shopfront or website URL, and a quick web search can clear that up in an instant.

If you have a Virgin Money Transaction and Savings Account, you can look up a transaction in the Virgin Money app by:

1. Selecting your account from the main Accounts menu 
2. Selecting the ‘More info’ arrow. Here, you can view pending transactions and your posted transactions for each day. 
3. Select the unknown transaction. From this page, you can see more details about the transaction, including what type of transaction it was, and where it was made. You can also find the reference number on bank statements here. 

Still don't recognise the transaction?

If you're still unsure or worried, you can get in touch with our friendly Customer Contact Centre team on 13 81 51. Help is only a phone call away.

You can also visit our support page.

Virgin Money Support & Assistance