I Got Charged ₺37,700 on Booking.com Without My Consent and Garanti Bank Didn’t Block It

On the eve of a national holiday, I was shocked to receive a notification from Garanti Bank informing me that a €826.75 (₺37,700) charge was made through Booking.com for a hotel reservation — completely without my knowledge or approval. All my online transaction options and alternative payment methods were disabled, so there was no way this transaction should have been possible.

I immediately called Garanti Bank after receiving the SMS that said, “If this transaction wasn’t made by you, please call us.” I did exactly that and explained the situation. They acknowledged that I could file a dispute once the charge appeared in my statement, but until then, they wouldn’t take any action.

This is completely unacceptable. How can such a large amount be withdrawn without proper verification, especially when the card was protected and my authorization was clearly not provided? I feel violated and unprotected as a customer.

I demand a full investigation into this transaction, a prompt reversal of the unauthorized charge, and a clear explanation as to how this was even allowed to happen. Garanti Bank and Booking.com must both be held accountable.