Here
are some important tips on How to deal with unauthorized charges,
for shoppers and merchants.
What should I do about
unauthorized charges on my credit cards?
The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) establishes procedures
for resolving billing errors on your credit card accounts, including
fraudulent charges on your accounts and limits your liability for
unauthorized credit card charges to $50 per card.
To take advantage of
the law's consumer protections, you must:
Write to the
creditor at the address given for "billing inquiries," not the
address for sending your payments. Include your name, address,
account number and a description of the billing error, including
the amount and date of the error. Your letter may look something
like this
sample.
Send your letter so that it reaches the
creditor within 60 days after the first bill containing the error
was mailed to you. If the address on your account was changed by
an identity thief and you never received the bill, your dispute
letter still must reach the creditor within 60 days of when the
creditor would have mailed the bill. This is why it's so important
to keep track of your billing statements and immediately follow up
when your bills don't arrive on time.
Send your letter by certified mail, and
request a return receipt. This will be your proof of the date the
creditor received the letter. Include copies (NOT originals) of
sales slips or other documents that support your position. Keep a
copy of your dispute letter.
The creditor must
acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days after receiving
it, unless the problem has been resolved. The creditor must resolve
the dispute within two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days)
after receiving your letter.
The FTC works for the
consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business
practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help
consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get
free information on
consumer issues, visit
www.ftc.gov or call
toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other
fraud-related complaints into
Consumer
Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of
civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Molly's Fund Medical Organizer
- Organize your medical history, medications, and more with Molly's
Med Minder. Exclusive interview with Molly McCabe.
FAQs with Merchants
HealthCare
Finance - CareCredit offers special financing for medical
procedures from Cosmetic Dentistry to LASIK Surgery.
Unmanned
Aircraft Systems - AeroVironment, Inc. is the largest producer of
small UAS in the world today.
Baby
Bassinets - Find out what characterizes a good baby bassinet in this
FAQ with Arm's Reach. Also check out their Pet Beds
exclusive interview.
Southern California Wedding -
Prestine country club setting in Southern California with spectacular views. Exclusive interview
with Sherwood Country Club.
Israel
Biblical Tours - This travel company has archaeologists and scholars
to guide you through the Holy Land.
Church Banners - Exclusive interview with Amplify Designs, the leading manufacturer of Church banners.
CD
Manufacturing - Music Manufacturing Services provides CD's for the
Music Industry all around the world.
Live
Longer... A Science? - David H. Murdock, Chairman of the Dole Food
Company says it is, and he created the luxurious California Health &
Counterfeit
Handbags - "The World Customs Organization estimates the trade in
fakes at about 7 percent of world trade."
Carpet
Cleaning Tips - "Always ask about referrals and if they have a list of
what they do to prepare your carpets for cleaning, and what type of system
do they use..." QA with Sunset Carpet Cleaning
Shopping for
Purses "Whats happening now at a great speed is manufacturers overseas
will see the latest it bag and then duplicate the bag... Price is
primarily why people would buy a knock-off purse as opposed to the real
thing.." Kitsch Purses Q & A
Workers'
Compensation Info "The huge benefit of the Internet is time and
expense savings. The only other way to get all of this information other
than the Internet is at your local law library." FAQ with
WorkCompCentral
Eating
Disorder Treatment - In this FAQ Monte Nido explains how you can find
the right treatment center online.
Planes
Without Pilots Imagine a 3 1/2 foot remote controlled plane that flies
straight up for miles.
Eating
Disorder Help For those dealing with eating disorders, hope is never
too far behind.
Mass
CD Duplication. All of the sudden record labels began relying heavily
on CD manufacturers for the mass production of their clients' albums.
Corporate
Entertainment Corporate meetings are becoming more common in spas than
conference rooms, with room service cuisine rather than with fast food
from drive-thrus.
