Express Vending Machines weren't charging customers

[Kevin]

Apparently many of the new credit card-accepting Express Vending Machines weren't actually charging customers. CTA has a page on their site describing the problem:

The Chicago Transit Authority is advising customers who have used credit or debit cards to purchase fare media or add value at some of the CTA's new Express Farecard Vending Machines that delayed transactions may appear on their accounts this month. A processing error caused some credit and debit card transactions conducted between March and July 2008 to be authorized, but not charged against customers' accounts.

The problem supposedly lies with Metavante Corporation, the vender responsible for processing the transactions. They're now finally processing the backlog of transactions that never were actually charged. They've offered to refund customers any overdraft charges or other fees as a result of the delayed transactions:

At the CTA’s request, Metavante has agreed to reimburse debit card customers who incurred overdraft charges or fees as a result of the delayed posting. Metavante has also set up a customer service line to answer customer questions about the delayed charges. Customers may contact Metavante customer service at 866-371-2709, Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

[Busjack]

The two fishy things about the offer to reimburse overdraft charges:

• If CTA can't inform the customers directly, how would they know that CTA's processor caused the overdraft? Is CTA going to also post notices on the machines?
  
• In any event, someone using a debit card should have known that the charge was coming, so any overdraft theoretically shouldn't be the CTA's fault.
  

Also, I don't know if this shows the inability of a government agency or its contractor to perform. A few months ago, Radio Shack double authorized a purchase, and my credit card was shut down with a fraud alert within 10 minutes, so these things can be detected quickly, if someone wants to.