Butterfield Bank has apologised to its customers after a number of incorrect transaction locations appeared on their accounts.

The systems error at a third-party transaction processor affected some clients who used debit and credit cards for purchases in Bermuda between Thursday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

The error affected customers using credit and debit cards issued by Butterfield, HSBC and Capital G, as well as overseas issuers. Butterfield estimates that approximately 400 card accounts were impacted.

Butterfield said that cardholders who made purchases using their cards between the same dates may have seen charges (for the correct transaction amounts) attributed to one of four merchants in error: Barracuda Grill, Pickled Onion, The Harbourmaster or Wahoo's Patio & Bistro. For example, a credit card charge For example, a credit card change for a $50 purchase at a hardware store may have appeared in a customer's transaction record as a $50 charge at Pickled Onion restaurant.

The bank said that at no time and in no way were customers' accounts compromised.

All charges to customers' accounts were for the correct amounts; the merchant location, however, was incorrectly identified.

A spokesman for Butterfield Bank said: "We have been advised by our third-party transaction processor that the erroneous transaction information has now been corrected and impacted customers should see the corrections documented in their account transaction histories (online and in statements) noted as 'adjustment purchases', along with the identity of the correct merchant.

"Butterfield regrets the error, and on behalf of our processor, apologises for any confusion or concern this incident may have caused."

Anyone affected or who has any queries can contact Butterfield Bank on 295-1111.