This situation with O’s credit card is giving me an upset stomach.
3 months ago we were woken up before dawn with a phone call. We missed the first call but were able to answer when the phone rang again. It was the credit card provider’s support group, calling to confirm a transaction for plane tickets. O emphatically denied the transaction and asked when it happened. Just a few minutes ago, the caller replied. She was a bit taken aback by O’s denial. She asked again to be sure if the transactions were authorized. O reiterated his denial of the transaction. The credit card provider then informed O that she would cancel his credit card then and there and send a replacement as soon as possible.
We thought that was that. We were thanking our lucky stars that the transaction was flagged as fraudulent immediately after it went through. And the transaction being the purchase of plane tickets, we thought they would’ve informed the airline to void the transaction.
About two weeks after that call, they called again but we were out riding our bike and so did not hear the phone ring. O called them back as soon as we saw the missed call. It seems the credit card provider’s left hand does not know what it’s right hand is doing. O told them that he was returning a call and they had no idea who called us or why. So we took the opportunity to ask about the status of the fraudulent transaction. Well, gee, it seems that the transaction is still on O’s records and now we had to send a dispute form for them to reverse the charges.
In the meantime our statement arrived and the transactions were indeed posted. The bastards maxxed out O’s card with 4 plane tickets on Qatar air chargeable in Saudi Riyal. That was a dead giveaway. To be able to be charged in Riyal meant the transaction occurred in Saudi Arabia and we were in the Philippines.
And so we submitted a dispute form together with all the other documents they requested. Last month, we got the latest statement and saw that the charges had been reversed. I was happy.
And then today O receives an email that the disputed charges can not be processed because the plane tickets had been FLOWN already. What the?
Didn’t they warn the airline that those tickets were purchased fraudulently and that they should be cancelled? I don’t know how these things work.
Anyway, they asked O again in the email if maybe he recognized the passenger names on the tickets, maybe he knew them. O fired off a response denying the transaction and unequivocally stating that he did not know these bastards.
It is not a good feeling in the pit of my stomach. That’s a big amount, I told O. O said he will never pay those charges. And in the meantime he set aside the card.
I feel bad. *Sigh* I hope this matter is settled soon.
Omnia Mea Mecum Porto 
I hope so too. did the first caller asked O’s credit card info?
oh no, the caller was legitimate. she was from the credit card call center and she had all the correct information on hand. No data other than confirmation was asked.
Terrible! I’ve had credit theft, too, also for international plane tickets. The bank told me that this scam is very common around bank holidays, when everything is closed and it could be possible that you are traveling. That was at New Year’s. In fact, my credit was stolen *last* New Year, as well! But it was caught and fixed right away.
Then I had “identity theft” a few months later- where someone had gotten my social security #. I had a hard time getting resolution through the regular customer service channels at the credit bureaus. I complained openly on Twiiter and Facebook to the credit bureau, and some “social media” manager contacted me to resolve it.
I don’t know if your company is US-based. If it is, you can always contact the FTC to file complaints against the company that is not resolving the issue. Businesses do not like complaints filed through the government, and that may speed up your case (it seemed to be the magic words for my theft). It’s such a problem these days!!
It’s a local card but yes, that’s a good idea – reporting to government. I think there is a local counterpart here. But we’ll wait for their next move before we do any reporting though. Thanks.