“When Carla DeLuca canceled her room at the W Hotel Union Square in New York a week before her arrival, the hotel decided to ding her for a night’s stay anyway….
When unwanted fees pop up on credit card bills, they may end up being contested, if they’re not removed…
Despite assurances from several W employees that the erroneous charge would be reversed, DeLuca, who owns a marketing company in San Francisco, was asked to pay an extra $330 on her next American Express bill…
So DeLuca did what increasing numbers of travelers are doing: she filed a dispute with her charge card company…
“The hotel told American Express that it was my responsibility to pay,” she recalls. But Amex sided with DeLuca, crediting her for the full amount.
“The number of credit card disputes seems to be on the rise,” says Jason Sarracini, the president of Toronto-based TargetVacations.ca, an online travel agency. “Consumers seem to think they can use their cards as bargaining tools.”…
Here’s what you need to know in order to file a successful dispute.
1. Watch your bill
Review your credit card billing statement as soon as you get it online or through the mail. “Compare receipts to charges listed on the statement,” says Catherine Williams, a vice president at Money Management International, a Chicago-based financial advice company.
“Should you see any mismatch of information, like a wrong amount or an unknown vendor, you should immediately file a dispute with you creditor.”
Remember, while your dispute is under investigation, the amount in question can’t be charged interest or reported as late in payment.
2. Have an airtight case
Obviously, every disputed card charge won’t be decided in your favor.
The weaker challenges are rejected. For instance, say someone buys a vacation package online and then the price falls.
“Many times, we are not able to refund the difference, so consumers decide to take action,” says Sarracini of TargetVacations.ca.
Yet those still remain legitimate purchases, and a dispute isn’t likely to do any good. On the other hand, if a company has violated federal or state laws, or breached its own contract, then you stand an excellent chance of prevailing.
3. Exhaust all other options
A credit card dispute shouldn’t be your first move but rather a last resort, say experts.
“You should go to the merchant first to try to resolve your problem,” says Josh Moritz, a managing partner at Blau Moritz Klang, a marketing agency that develops credit-card debt collection programs for banks.
“Oftentimes, the merchant will make amends.” That might include a partial refund or credit for a future product.
Consider the resolution carefully before deciding to take your case to a dispute, which is more of a winner-takes-all proposition. You might be better off compromising.
4. Know the law
The Fair Credit Billing Act lets you dispute billing errors directly with your credit card company. It covers everything from fraudulent purchases to incorrect billing amounts to deficient merchandise, according to Orlando-based consumer rights attorney Don Petersen.
“Credit card companies must conduct a reasonable investigation within two months and send … a letter informing the consumer of the results of its investigation,” he says.
Here’s more information on the rules
Also, bear in mind that you may have other remedies, says Ken Lin, the chief executive of Credit Karma, a financial information company based in San Francisco.
“There are often consumer protection laws at the state level regarding warrantees and refunds,” he says. ” (via cnn.com ) by Christopher Elliott
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