Credit card verification

Dave Siciliano

Dave Siciliano

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
6,434
Location
Dallas, Texas
Display Name
Dave Siciliano
Home Airfield
Addison, ADS
So help me understand what's reasonable here. I disputed three charges on my credit card this month all from the same place for $15.95. Did it on the web site where it says I will receive a response. Never got one and bill is due; so, I call them.

Have to put my member number in;
then, a PIN;
then, go through voice mail labyrinth;
Then say 'problems with charges';
finally get an agent.
She has to verify who I am so:
She asks my telephone password-which I provide;
She asks my last payment amount which I didn't have;
She asks for the name and DOB of my Son or Daughter which I provide;

We're not done yet. I tell her all I want to know is why they haven't responded to my disputed charges.

She says she still has to verify who I am.
She wants card expiration date: I give it.

We're not done yet: she wants the CVS number on the card:
So I tell her I'm done and I will dispute this in writing with copies to the BBB, Chamber of Commerce and Attorney General.

She says she can't respond until I finish verification.

So what's reasonable here? They made me call because they didn't respond which the web site said the would and put my through 20 questions. I wasn't trying to make any charges or payments; just find out why they hadn't responded.

Best,

Dave
 
I think your response is appropriate - asking for maybe four things tops should be sufficient. At that point, ask for a supervisor. I'd be suspicious that someone in the call center was trying to steal your identity with all the things they were asking for.
 
Dave,

I've never been asked for that much information and I wouldn't give that over the phone, either. FWIW, I've had to dispute a few charges with Amex, and found that process to be very, very simple.

Check your CC agreement. Most of the time, you don't need to pay an item that is in dispute. Personally, I would pay my bill minus the total of the disputed items.

-Felix
 
sba55 said:
Dave,

I've never been asked for that much information and I wouldn't give that over the phone, either. FWIW, I've had to dispute a few charges with Amex, and found that process to be very, very simple.

Check your CC agreement. Most of the time, you don't need to pay an item that is in dispute. Personally, I would pay my bill minus the total of the disputed items.

-Felix
Click to expand...

I ditto all but the last. PAY the item and ask for credit when you call back the real CC Company. If you are late it starts a whole other process (read: headache) which is controlled somewhere else.
 
Dart said:
I ditto all but the last. PAY the item and ask for credit when you call back the real CC Company. If you are late it starts a whole other process (read: headache) which is controlled somewhere else.
Click to expand...

I'm sending a certified letter with the check tomorrow less the disputed amounts.

Best,

Dave
 
Dart said:
I ditto all but the last. PAY the item and ask for credit when you call back the real CC Company. If you are late it starts a whole other process (read: headache) which is controlled somewhere else.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I'd just check if the CC company even expects you to pay disputed items. I know the major issuers don't....
 
That's why I ask; I am amazed that USAA was a problem. They have always been very cooperative when I have asked them to dispute a charge. They are pretty determined in verifying identity, but I don't recall that many layers of security when I have called (not that I have never heard any of those questions, only that I have never heard *all* of them in the same call).

Get the dispute to them, in writing, and they will reverse the charges pending review. And, with USAA, they typically take the member's side.
 
I've never had that kind of issue with USAA either; I bet because he didn't know one of the early items (last payment amount), they automatically had to go into "vigorous" mode.

Whenever I call them, I'm logged into my web account so I can answer questions like that. I bet if you call back with that info at the ready, you'll get quicker service, fewer questions. Still, frustrating... I know that one.
 
Discover has done that to me.... AFTER I put in the whole mess to their computer upon calling.

I'd be asking for a supervisor. To the supervisor I'd ask them how valuable my business was to them. Is it valuable enough to settle the issue or would they prefer I take my business elsewhere?

As a courier, I used to put $12-15,000 in fuel alone every year through Discover. I may have been small taters compared to some customers but isn't the bulk of their business made up of small tater customers?

I'll bet ya they ignore the letter and leave the difference an unpaid balance; charging interest as a result. If they do, start hunting down the CEO and general counsel's names and numbers in SEC filings.
 
Wow USAA has always treated me very very well. Very professional. I'm surprised.
 
KennyFlys said:
Discover has done that to me.... AFTER I put in the whole mess to their computer upon calling.
Click to expand...
I've always had good luck with Discover, and I use it for almost everything. I've had a few contested charges which I resolved on the web site. Once, they were slow at taking the charge away so I called them on the phone but I don't remember it being too much of a hassle.

Then there was the time I got my card stolen so they issued me a new one and a couple weeks later I left it at some store so I had to call them and say, "You're never going to believe this but..." :redface:
 
They seem to be adding layers of identification verification. IMO, an account number and a pin with a telephone password should be it for administrative matters. I only called to find out why they hadn't responded to three disputed items. I wasn't moving funds, asking for balances or anything else. I think I'll just change providers. This has occurred several times. The fraud unit called last week and wouldn't honor a gas charge. It was for fuel in Rockford on my way back from Wisconsin. They wouldn't hold for me a minute while I got to the phone and I had to call back and go through the push 1 through 22 routine and hold. Yes, sir the airplane does hold that much fuel, and if you will notice, that was on the way back from Oshkosh where I also purchased fuel.

Best,

Dave
 
You could always switch to Frost. Their corporate HQ is right there in USAA's own backyard.
 
The only thing worse than being a credit card company's customer is to be one of the vendors they work with. If you want frustration, try it from MY end. (The hotel industry.)

The credit card industry is a total and complete scam. The only ones who win are (not surprisingly) the card issuers.
 
I've never had that problem with USAA, either. Even on a recent call to dispute a charge.
 
I got ahold of a customer relations person this morning; we'll see what happens. She said the third degree may have been because there were some large charges two weeks ago that frauds called about (my airplane fuel). She also thought it was unreasonable for what I was doing.

We'll see. Thanks for everyone's perspective.

Best,

Dave
 
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