On 22/02/2013 7:05 PM, S Viemeister wrote:

> It took us _months_ to sort out false charges on our American Express
> card, even though it was fairly obvious that my husband couldn't have
> made gasoline purchases in both New Jersey and Texas within an hour of
> each other - and the fake purchases in Texas were apparently for large
> commercial vehicles, while the NJ charges were within his usual pattern
> at the time.


On two occasions I have had calls from credit card companies asking
about unusual purchase patterns, both at Christmas. I rarely used my
credit cards so a sudden spree set off their alarms.

I am only aware of one instance of false charges and that was an
expensive lunch for which I was charged twice, the original amount I had
charged and then the same amount plus a few pennies a day or two later.
I contacted Visa as soon as the bill came in. They called the restaurant
and they got a cock and bull story about how they were a new business
and thought the charge had not gone through. They were supposed to issue
a credit.

The credit did not appear on the next month's bill so I called back.
Visa told me they were going to ask the restaurant for a hard copy and
if they did not get it within 45 days I would not be liable.

Two months later and no credit, I was in the area and stopped at the
restaurant and demanded my money. It probably helped that I was in
uniform and threatening to have charges laid. They gave me a cheque and
I cashed it ASAP. By coincidence, Visa called that night and asked if I
had had any resolution with the restaurant, and when I told her that I
had just been paid that day she said that was a good because it would be
hard to get it straightened out after so much time had passed


????
I reported it as as soon as I got the bill with the fraudulent charge.
They had contacted the restaurant that day and said there would be
credit issued.

This is the same company with which I had, years before, had zero
balance for several months, and then I got a bill with zero balance but
15 cents interest on the unpaid balance. After I ignored it for several
months they started sending me letters demanding payment of their 15
cents, then 16 cents, then 17 cents.