Credit Card Billing Disputes
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:29 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
alex
Date: 8/9/2000 3:30 am CDT
I have been an amex cardholder since 1976. Over the past several years I have had experiences in disputing (any) charge to be nothing short of an agressively rediculous exercise in futility. The circumstances simply grow in leaps & bounds deeper into absurdity. I have had 3 disputes over the past 16 months. One dispute concerned a NYC shoemaker who charged me an 80% deposit, approx $800., and never delivered the mechandise. I disputed the charge, about 2 weeks later I received a letter from amex along with the merchants response, the letter stated,"This is to inform you that we have completed our investigation and have removed your temporary credit and re-charging you. Then I read the merchants response, the merchant evaded all commentary on the transaction,...but claims his shock that amex would suspect wrong doing by him because he's had a merchant account since 1938. I lost 3 rounds against this letter without this merchant ever being required to issue another response. In fact, I was threatened with termination of my account by a supervisor in Ft. Lauderdale if I continued to "harrass" American Express any further. Next dispute, a carpet & upholstery cleaner who wiped out a $7000. wool rug. I disputed the charge by sending in a detailed complaint, with a deplorable BBB record showing this merchant to be a public menace, photo's of the damage, copy of the merchants charge-slip. 3 weeks later I receive a letter form Amex stating: We have concluded our investigation and are reversing your temporary credit. When I saw this merchants documentation, despite the carnage perpetrated on my home, I had to laugh, this merchant sends in a scrap paper letter, no letterhead, no charge-slip, and actually claims that he is not the merchant identified in the BBB report, despite that his charge-slip, which he chose not include with his response, is consistent with the title listed in the BBB report, and is no doubt the same document this merchant submitted for reimbursement. I got a lawyer involved in this one, and as a result amex chose to offer a "good will" credit to both parties, a supervisor at amex described this move as "the cost of doing business, this way no-one looses". Sure, the wool rug was nuth'n, don't mention it. I am presently involved in a dispute with a merchant who has for 71/2 months refused to turn over the signed receipt, so far I have been dealt two charge-backs. American Express makes most of their money off their merchant accounts, they can no longer compete with MasterCard or Visa, all they have left is the art of defending those who steal from the cardholders. You have a situation where they need their merchants more than the merchants need them. If you use the amex card, don't forget it is the same as using cash and getting no receipt. alex
CardRatings.com is the most comprehensive source for comparing credit card offers. Please visit CardRatings.com to view the best rated credit cards!
archive
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:30 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
alex
Date: 8/15/2000 5:03 am CDT
good question, i'm afraid i don't have an intelligent answer for that. just living in the past, i suppose. alex
archive
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:30 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
Carl C
Date: 2/27/2001 1:01 pm CDT
Beware! I too had to learn the hard way that all credit card companies are VERY merchant-biased in their dispute resolutions. I pre-paid for a product and was given the wrong thing. The merchant refused to return/refund, but I left it their with them anyway with the foolish thought that my credit card provider would back me up. Visa/Capital-One offered to refund the difference in cost of the missing options rather than credit the whole product cost. They expect me - the consumer - to settle for something they didn't order thus giving the merchant an unwarranted (stolen) sale profit. Yeah - thanks - you credit card companies are real pals! You can order a Cadillac, get delivered a Yugo and Visa will ask you to take the cash difference and get stuck with the Yugo!!
CardRatings.com is the most comprehensive source for comparing credit card offers. Please visit CardRatings.com to view the best rated credit cards!
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:29 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
alex
Date: 8/9/2000 3:30 am CDT
I have been an amex cardholder since 1976. Over the past several years I have had experiences in disputing (any) charge to be nothing short of an agressively rediculous exercise in futility. The circumstances simply grow in leaps & bounds deeper into absurdity. I have had 3 disputes over the past 16 months. One dispute concerned a NYC shoemaker who charged me an 80% deposit, approx $800., and never delivered the mechandise. I disputed the charge, about 2 weeks later I received a letter from amex along with the merchants response, the letter stated,"This is to inform you that we have completed our investigation and have removed your temporary credit and re-charging you. Then I read the merchants response, the merchant evaded all commentary on the transaction,...but claims his shock that amex would suspect wrong doing by him because he's had a merchant account since 1938. I lost 3 rounds against this letter without this merchant ever being required to issue another response. In fact, I was threatened with termination of my account by a supervisor in Ft. Lauderdale if I continued to "harrass" American Express any further. Next dispute, a carpet & upholstery cleaner who wiped out a $7000. wool rug. I disputed the charge by sending in a detailed complaint, with a deplorable BBB record showing this merchant to be a public menace, photo's of the damage, copy of the merchants charge-slip. 3 weeks later I receive a letter form Amex stating: We have concluded our investigation and are reversing your temporary credit. When I saw this merchants documentation, despite the carnage perpetrated on my home, I had to laugh, this merchant sends in a scrap paper letter, no letterhead, no charge-slip, and actually claims that he is not the merchant identified in the BBB report, despite that his charge-slip, which he chose not include with his response, is consistent with the title listed in the BBB report, and is no doubt the same document this merchant submitted for reimbursement. I got a lawyer involved in this one, and as a result amex chose to offer a "good will" credit to both parties, a supervisor at amex described this move as "the cost of doing business, this way no-one looses". Sure, the wool rug was nuth'n, don't mention it. I am presently involved in a dispute with a merchant who has for 71/2 months refused to turn over the signed receipt, so far I have been dealt two charge-backs. American Express makes most of their money off their merchant accounts, they can no longer compete with MasterCard or Visa, all they have left is the art of defending those who steal from the cardholders. You have a situation where they need their merchants more than the merchants need them. If you use the amex card, don't forget it is the same as using cash and getting no receipt. alex
CardRatings.com is the most comprehensive source for comparing credit card offers. Please visit CardRatings.com to view the best rated credit cards!
archive
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:30 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
alex
Date: 8/15/2000 5:03 am CDT
good question, i'm afraid i don't have an intelligent answer for that. just living in the past, i suppose. alex
archive
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:30 pm
Post subject: Credit Card Billing Disputes
Carl C
Date: 2/27/2001 1:01 pm CDT
Beware! I too had to learn the hard way that all credit card companies are VERY merchant-biased in their dispute resolutions. I pre-paid for a product and was given the wrong thing. The merchant refused to return/refund, but I left it their with them anyway with the foolish thought that my credit card provider would back me up. Visa/Capital-One offered to refund the difference in cost of the missing options rather than credit the whole product cost. They expect me - the consumer - to settle for something they didn't order thus giving the merchant an unwarranted (stolen) sale profit. Yeah - thanks - you credit card companies are real pals! You can order a Cadillac, get delivered a Yugo and Visa will ask you to take the cash difference and get stuck with the Yugo!!
CardRatings.com is the most comprehensive source for comparing credit card offers. Please visit CardRatings.com to view the best rated credit cards!
posted by CardRatings.com at 3:59 PM
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