Anyone Ever Disputed a CC Charge?

[maciec]

Looking at my MC bill today I noticed that there were 2 charges on my account to a hotel in Baltimore on the nights that I was staying for and billed for at Dulles. I am afraid that I made reservations over the phone and never cancelled the reservation. I don't have any confirmation numbers or letters - anything from this hotel. I have submitted a dispute request through my cc company, but I don't know what is going to happen.

Has anyone ever done a dispute before, what happens?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I believe that while in dispute--you do not pay those charges until they find whether or not the charges are legitimate. If they are legitimate, then you pay them.

If you did forget a reservation--you are at the mercy of the hotel to credit your account. Your credit card cannot do that.

Filing a dispute will at least verify that the charges were rightfully placed on your card.

 

[Honu]

Actually, if you didn't cancel you will more than likely will have to pay it. Most hotels charge at least one nights stay for no shows. A dispute won't change that.

 

[Free4Life11]

I was in a big dispute with Compaq. CitiBank issued me a "credit" so that I did not have to pay. 6 months later Compaq gave up, but they did try to fight me. CitiBank acted as a mediator -- I was never able to get through Compaq customer service, so I sent a letter to CitiBank requesting they forward it to HP. Good luck!

 

[Aidensmom]

I made a reservation at a hotel a couple of months ago, where they get your cc number for confirmation but do not charge it. Well, a few days later, I checked my account on the web, and there was a large charge at this hotel. Turned out the clerk accidentally still used my cc number for the next transaction after mine. Disputing is a good thing.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I have disputed charges several times:

for airline tickets when Vanquard went under

for merchandise bought on ebay that was never delivered

for hotel charges that I never made


I have always gotten the credit back. As long as you state your reasons clearly, calmly in a letter and have documentation as needed, you should have no problems. Plus the cc company does the work for you.

 

[DebbieB]

I disputed a charge with USAir once. I had screen prints of my reservation showing a certain price. The next day it changed to a higher price, they disallowed a 10% senior citizen discount for my mom and charged the higher amount. I disputed the charge and in the end they would not do anything, saying the dispute was between me and the merchant.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I'm in the middle of one now- pretty embarrassing one! I ordered a worm farm (yes, worms) for composting. It was supposed to come with a container, food, bedding, instructions, etc. PLUS the worms. Well, I got a box with a bag of worms in peat moss in it; no invoice, no instructions, nothing. I called the 800 number- disconnected (since May). I emailed; no responses.

Finally I contacted my credit card company and the fun began! Imagine my conversation (no, worms! Worm farm! W-O-R-M! For composting!). They always want to know if you returned the item (No, they are now dead! I refuse to mail dead worms! Besides, they don't answer the phone or return email.) As it stands now, I will get back the credit unless the company disputes it. And if any of you are at all tempted to order from Karl's Magic Worm Farm in CA, I would advise against it!

 

[gradtchr]

I recently disputed a charge as did my husband. His was for a grocery store in Califorina. We live in Texas and have never been to California. We just got word that they have full credited the money back. Mine was with Amazon I got a charge for an invisible order when I was out of town, the order does not even appear on my order history. They took care of it, I talked to Amazon, credit card everyone and I think it's been handled.

 

[wendyl]

Finally I contacted my credit card company and the fun began! Imagine my conversation (no, worms! Worm farm! W-O-R-M! For composting!). They always want to know if you returned the item (No, they are now dead! I refuse to mail dead worms! Besides, they don't answer the phone or return email.) As it stands now, I will get back the credit unless the company disputes it. And if any of you are at all tempted to order from Karl's Magic Worm Farm in CA, I would advise against it!

Thanks for my first BIG laugh of the day. What a great story!!

 

[Hillbeans]

Years and years ago.....and it was a real mess.

It was at a hotel in England that was already paid for by the party whom I was visiting. The Hotel swiped my CC for "incidentals" and next I knew I had a $1,000 charge on there for the hotel stay.

It took months to clear up, and it taught me a valuable lesson about pre-payment of hotels and what I need to do next time if I stay somewhere on someone else's reservation which supposedly was pre-paid.

 

[RAD]

I've done it a few times and never had a problem with it. But you might loose this one since it sounds like you had a reservation that you guarenteed with a credit card. The hotel in this case I think has every right to make the charge since you didn't cancel and they might have lost having it go to a paying customer. Sorry but you might need to look at this as a learning event.

 

[JerseyJanice]

That worm farm story is funny!

I've disputed charges twice and won both times. On one charge, it took some persistence on my part.

We went to Cancun on our honeymoon ten years ago. A few months after we came home, there was a charge from a store in Mexico for about $120. I knew we had eaten out a few times and paid for it with our credit card, but we didn't buy any merchandise with a CC.

I sent a letter to Citibank stating that I had no idea what that charge could be for. They sent me a copy of the sales slip, and after seeing it, I knew there was no way I'd made that charge. After a series of letters and phone calls--and me saying I'd cut up the card and change CC companies--the charge was finally removed from my bill.

A couple of years ago, I attempted to get satellite TV. I stupidly fell for one telemarketer's pitch, and allowed them to charge about $20 to my card for the shipping and handling of the equipment. The equipment never came, even though the installer did. Then the company said they'd ship it eventually (which they failed to do after a month) and said they couldn't refund my money. What?!?! I disputed that charge and had no problems getting the card company to take it off my bill.

Good luck!

 

[DVC-Don]

Sounds like you owe for the no show. I disputed a charge once. Several years ago someone in Brazil charged serveral hundred $ of auto parts to my card. The card company voided the charge after the Brazilian bank that processed the charges refused requests for the the info, then my card company changed my account number and sent me new cards.