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I called my one and only credit card company today to "upgrade" my card, I had received an offer in the mail to get more points per $ spent. So when I called I was given the current balance and it seemed higher than I expected. When I listened to the last 5 charges the automated system gave me, 4 of them were not charges authorized by me. Two were for a Rosetta Stone program purchase, each over $600! And two very small charges. So I had my card cancelled and will get a new one.
This has never happened to me, is it pretty common?
Has it happened to you and did it result in a huge hassle?
THis is really making me think twice ordering over the internet.. should it? Or can it happen even if you don't make purchases over the internet.
Guess I am pretty upset over this and not looking forward to my statement which should arrive in a little over a week and will probably have more "unexpected charges" on it. Grrrr.
__________________
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. ~Henry David Thoreau
If you worry about buying over the internet, you can always buy a prepaid card for those purchases. Its a hassle, but at least that way you know it isn't linked to your credit.
WaMu has a credit card that has a second layer of protection when used in several internet sites (Amazon, Walmart.com, among others). When you use the card for the first time, it asks you if you want to sign on for this added protection feature (it is free). It asks you for a secret pass phrase which will display for you when you check out your purchase. It has to match what you have in your profile before the purchase goes through. Then you will be issued an online receipt by WaMu for your purchase so you know exactly what's going to hit your credit card. Here's more info if you're interested.
It just happened to me. Citibank fraud department called me as someone was charging some strange stuff on my card. The charges were manually input, outside the U.S., and for amounts like $1.95 to start, and then up to $100.00 or so. In all I think there were 5 charges. It was a test. Thank goodness it was caught early.
No they were not mine. The card was canceled and we are now in dispute. You must fill out their paperwork and send it in within 5 days.
When I asked what the charges were for I was informed some were for dating services. $1.95 for dating services? Really.
I don't have anything else to offer at this time. My guess is it also was from an Internet purchase.
Has happened to me at least three or four times over the years. Last time (about a month ago) was a $100 purchase from a company that bills for internet sales. Disputed the sale, got a replacement card. Tried to contact the company doing the billing and got a recording and a hang-up. Uh-huh.
The couple of times before that, the fraud departments called me up to verify unusual purchases. If you make enough purchases on a card, the number will eventually find its way into scammers' hands.
Timely thread! I bought a set of tools from MI Tools on Monday. No email confirmation. I called them 4 time already and had yet to speak to anyone. Emailed them and got no reply. It is beginning to look like a scam.
You can get a one time use number from certain credit cards to use online for individual purchases. Helps enormously to reduce these issues. We use Discover but there are a couple of others. Doesnt cost anything.
They are also excellent about disputed purchases. We have had a variety and they were all taken care of, even when it was a purchase we forgot, efficiently and professionally. We track our expenses carefully online and often catch them way before any billing date. Gives us a lot more time to get it fixed and saves a lot of aggravation.
Thieves Skim Card Data At Fuel Pumps | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | National and World News (http://www.digtriad.com/news/national_world/article.aspx?storyid=112389&catid=175 - broken link)
Don't just think it's a problem with gas pumps. Same thing can happen at any retail store. All it takes is one unscrupulous employee who wants to steal your credit card info.
I called my one and only credit card company today to "upgrade" my card, I had received an offer in the mail to get more points per $ spent. So when I called I was given the current balance and it seemed higher than I expected. When I listened to the last 5 charges the automated system gave me, 4 of them were not charges authorized by me. Two were for a Rosetta Stone program purchase, each over $600! And two very small charges. So I had my card cancelled and will get a new one.
This has never happened to me, is it pretty common?
Has it happened to you and did it result in a huge hassle?
THis is really making me think twice ordering over the internet.. should it? Or can it happen even if you don't make purchases over the internet.
Guess I am pretty upset over this and not looking forward to my statement which should arrive in a little over a week and will probably have more "unexpected charges" on it. Grrrr.
I had this happen about 11 years ago on one card. There were 2 charges from Victoria's Secret that I didn't authorize. The only headache was calling the credit card company to dispute the charges.
My husband also got a charge on a "closed" credit card of his once. That was more of a hassle to straighten out because the account had been "closed" for years.
I use Chase now and they have great customer service. I usually don't use my card unless we are doing a remodel (I get Walden's book coupons). Sometimes I go for months without a charge and then all of a sudden I will charge up to my limit and Chase usually red flags my account. They make sure that it is me making the charges "before" the charges go through. I really appreciate that.
As far as online purchases I have a separate card with a $500.00 limit and it never gets increased unless I ask for an increase.
I also check my purchases online and keep track of everything closely.
It is usually pretty easy to dispute a charge. Good luck.
Lisa
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$1.95 for dating services? Really. 
