Online shopper charged more than $4500 for pumpkin

The online shopper was accidentally charged $4,570.82 for one pumpkin. Photo / 123rf

An online shopper was shocked to discover she had been charged more than $4500 for a single pumpkin.

The error stemmed from a missing decimal point, sending Emma Jelsma's credit card way into the red, Fairfax reported.

Jelsma ordered a 1.018kg half-pumpkin online from Countdown.

But she was shocked to learn she had mistakenly been charged $4570.82 for 1018kg of the tasty vegetable.

Countdown told her the payment had already been processed but she assumed it would bounce because her credit card limit was not high enough to accept the payment, Fairfax reported.

Jelsma was furious when she later learned the payment had gone through, sending her card beyond its $1500 limit.

She was still waiting for a refund.

"ANZ can't explain it - waiting for a manager to call me back. They're scrabbling for answers, even tried to say it was something to do with me having a business account with them. It's a personal card," she told Fairfax.

"To add insult to injury, I've been with them for many years, and after my separation I tried to get an increase on my $1500 credit card limit, they flat out declined me - never been in debt, very careful with money, but they said my income wasn't stable enough. So this is outstanding logic."

Jelsma now wants compensation for the time she has spent trying to resolve the issue, and for any bank fees charged.

A spokeswoman for Countdown told Fairfax the charge had been reversed but there had been a delay at Jelsma's bank.

Countdown's head of online had contacted Jelsma and offered her a gift card and credit.

The Herald is seeking comment from ANZ.