Morning credit card rant

[olnacl]

Last night I placed the order for my friend's MacBook Pro, Time capsule, memory, Office, and CS3 (Newegg, BTW). Prior to ordering, I phoned my CC company and authorized the two different addresses I was shipping to - her house for the software and my work for the computer so it doesn't get left at the front door at home. I also told the representative I was ordering about $4000.00 worth of merchandise.

I placed the MacBook Pro order first, by telephone, then the Time Capsule, also by telephone, then Office and CS3 on the web and finally called OWC for the memory because their website was REALLY slow. I used the same card for all, and OWC rep told me the charge wouldn't go through w/o a phone call to authorize. I did an end run with that using a different card, but then called the CC company and learned that only one of the three purchases was approved - one was kicked back for telephone authorization and the first wasn't on record.

So this morning I have to call all these folks back and hope to get it straightened out.

The joke is that I've had unauthorized charges show up on my CC bill for up to $4000.00 without ever being flagged and when I went through every hoop I could think of to make sure this went smoothly, it blew up. Maybe I should have just bought a CC number off the internet and used that!

[modelamac]

Had the same kind of problem with my cc. PITA. You try to foresee all of the problems that can happen, take precautions to prevent them, and some idiot that you have contacted can't seem to do his job completely. The screw-up somehow manages to affect each event in the chain.

[olnacl]

Yeah, it kills me. I had a Worst Buy CC acount that I opened specifically and only to buy a 37" LCD monitor and spread the no interest payments over 1 year. The card had a credit line of $4500 and was never used nor out of my control after making that purchase. When my available credit rose to $4200 (after making all but the final payment on the monitor) a charge for $4128 appeared on my statement. What part of "inside job" don't you understand?

Of course, that charge, 3 times the amount I originally charged, was never questioned. It took over 6 months to get it removed from my account.

[mattkime]

you were taking preventive measures but they're a reactionary company, sorry!

[volcs0]

I signed up for a meeting in Japan, and I knew there would be CC issues. So I called Amex ahead of time. "I am going to register for a meeting this week. It will be $1000. Expect to see that on the card." They assured me it would go right through - no problem. Of course, I made the reservation and it was blocked. Very embarrassing. I had to call Amex to get it through and then go through the registration process all over again. We're going on the trip in two weeks, and I fully expect trouble when we're there - even though I've tried several times now to get assurances from Amex that we won't.

[dk62]

I went with my CC issuer slowly through the fact that I am using it while travelling and that if they give me any trouble I will start using another card for that. In the end, the lady seemed to understand and did wanted to keep my $5-$7K per month in charges, so I have not had any issues since January. The first denied legitimate charge, and I am switching cards. I particularly like them calling your home because the card is being used in Barcelona - who do they expect to answer if the charges are legitimate???

[olnacl]

You won't believe this - yes you will - after my three calls to the CC company, their fraud department called and left a message on my answering machine that I need to verify charges being made to my credit card.

I called the number and went through an automated system that gave just the name of the seller - without the amount of the sale. I hung up. Called the number on the card, got someone in India who responded "I'm very happy to hear that" when I told him I was upset with them for screwing up what should have been a very smooth transaction. I hung up on him too, with an excuse that I had another call. The 5th call got me yet another Indian, this time female with a little better command of the English language, and she read back the questioned charges which I acknowledged. Hopefully, now, it's over. I still don't have a order acknowledgement for the computer though.

Oh, she said there was a record of my call (note call, not calls) but nothing was documented that I would be making significant charges.

Grrrrrr!

[Lux Interior]

[quote volcs0]So I called Amex ahead of time. "I am going to register for a meeting this week. It will be $1000. Expect to see that on the card."
Reminds me of the commercial a while back with the kid who was hosting his first "big business dinner" and the CC was declined, so he got an AMEX & it never happened again.


I got a Capital One Visa specifically to use in Paris. I called them and told them that my billing address was in the USA, but I would be living and using the card in Paris.

Bought 2,500 Euro worth of appliances. No problem. Paid the balance. So far, so good. Then they locked the account after a 50 euro charge. Had to call and get it unlocked. I forget what their explanation was, but I was like WTF?

[dk62]

I think Visa recently had a big push for "enhancing security" and declining out-of-town purchases. This, of course, is protecting them rather than customers, who have very limited liability for fraudulent purchases, but big headaches standing in the department store and not being able to pay.