Inadvertent AAFES charges fixed

Numerous transactions at Army and Air Force Exchange operations experienced a double whammy no one saw coming: a processing error resulting in duplicate charges on credit and debit card transactions.

Shoppers who swiped their cards any time between Aug. 7 and Aug. 9 at any AAFES facility worldwide were strongly encouraged to review their statements to see if they were charged twice for one transaction.

Associates from AAFES' information technology and finance and accounting teams worked around the clock to fix all erroneous charges created as a result of the processing error, according to Army Col. Virgil Williams, AAFES chief of staff.

"If a customer finds a billing anomaly, no action will be required on their part, as we're working to correct inaccuracies on their behalf," Williams said.

Williams added, "If there is an overdraft fee as result of a duplicate charge, we're going to fix it. Our priority is to take corrective action as quickly as possible and return customers' accounts to the exact state they were prior to this glitch."

"We promised to do the right thing for our customers that were affected by this unfortunate glitch and we are honoring that promise," said AAFES' Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Jeffry Helm. "We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and want to reimburse them as quickly as possible."

Shoppers whose credit cards were double charged and, as a result, suffered overdraft fees, can simply bring documentation, such as an overdraft notice or online statement, to their nearest exchange for a full refund of the fees.

Locally, Rick Talbot, Fort Belvoir AAFES general manager, said, "It was a glitch in the AAFES-wide system, between Aug. 7 and 10." As of Tuesday morning, Talbot said all the credit and debit transactions were rectified.

"All of the affected customers should see the appropriate credit within this week's time period," he said.