Tesco shoppers are told to check their bank statements after thousands are charged TWICE

Tesco customers have been advised to check their bank statements after the retailer admitted shoppers were billed twice due to a ‘technical error’.

The British supermarket chain said an internal payments glitch had triggered a wave of overpayments on in-store purchases in the past week and was working to reverse duplicate transactions immediately.

Last month Tesco shoppers complained after card payments made at some of the retailer’s petrol stations were taken months after they were made. 

The retailer said the problem is nationwide and across Express, Extra, Metro, fuel stations and superstores, while online orders are unaffected. 

A spokesperson refused to say how many customers have been double-charged, but MoneySavingExpert.com reported that thousands are thought to have been affected and that the issue may be ongoing. 

MailOnline has found that complaints stretch back to at least February 6, with shoppers revealing they were double-charged at stores in Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, King’s Lynn in Norfolk, Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire and Newmarket in Suffolk. 

Though Tesco has apologised for the blunder, there were reports even yesterday of people being double-charged at stores across the UK. 

Shoppers have told MailOnline how they have been double-charged by Tesco, with Lorraine Gravesande revealing she was charged £51.02 while shopping in a store on the Isle of Wight last Friday. 

‘I know it isn’t a huge amount for some people, but I am unable to work due to health reasons so need to account for every penny,’ she explained. ‘Hopefully this will be sorted soon.’  

Joseph Adams revealed he was forced into his overdraft after he was double-charged at a Tesco Express store in Blackpool.  In total, he was charged £118 and he was left £29 overdrawn. 

‘My bank added unarranged overdraft charges to my account. It took me three days to get hold of Tesco to rectify it,’ he told the Mirror. 

Twitter users have been asking Tesco how to get refunds, with one account posting: ‘Hi there, I’ve been double charged for a purchase made at a Tesco today, looking to get one of the payments refunded, thank you’.

Another said: ‘I’ve been double charged for a shop I did on Tuesday! Have spoken to my bank who have said to speak with you!’

‘Hey ya @Tesco may I ask a question please?’ one user asked. ‘I think I’ve been double charge, can you assist please or do I need to call/visit another service?’

One Twitter account said: ‘@Tesco I have been double charged for some fuel, contacted bank and they said you need to cancel 1 of these transactions’.

Furious social-media users who complained they were ‘erroneously charged twice for shopping’ blasted Tesco’s ‘absolutely shocking customer service’. 

A spokesperson for Tesco told MailOnline: ‘Due to a technical error some customer card payments have been authorised more than once. 

‘We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, and we want to reassure affected customers that they will only pay for their purchases once and any duplicate transactions will be reversed.’    

While all customers will be contacted directly, this could take weeks – so customers are being encouraged to raise the query with copies of their bank statement if they have been affected.

Tesco said it is aiming to refund all customers within 24 hours, though the ‘pending’ amount could take five working days to reappear in the account if people have been charged twice.

Have YOU been double-charged? Email [email protected].