Audible.com BEWARE

[China_cat]

Last month I found a charge from audible.com on my credit card bill. This is very funny because I cannot hear, do not even bother with the speakers on my computer and would not sign up for anything auditory in the first place.

When I tried to tell them this by email they told me that what I'd have to do is cancel the membership...that I never made in the first place...because to get the credit card company (Amex) involved would be so bad for business and they could handle it this way yadda, yadda, yadda. Ok.

This month I open my credit card bill and there's yet ANOTHER charge from audible.com. An even larger one, this time. For a service I never contracted for nor used.

So I have my husband call them. He explains it all over to them. They say, "we have no record of you contacting us last month, call this other number and cancel and we'll issue a refund". He calls the other number and is told "your account has already been cancelled". When asked why the charge then, he got told that it is the second month of the 2 month committment. Doesn't seem to matter that I never signed up in the first place.

So, it's back to getting Amex involved, although now they're likely to disallow it since I didn't complain and report last month.

Damn I hate ripoff companies.

[lefty_mcduff]

1. No signature, no problem.

You can ask to 'charge back' your card. Just tell AMEX that you never ordered the services, and have demanded that the web site refund your money. If Audible does not have a signature, or any other signed proof (ie: shipping waybill) that you DID order the services, they will lose your money and it will be refunded to your card.

Known as a 'charge back' - happens all the time.

[China_cat]

4. Yes, except that Amex

fines customers who get charge backs. Which was why I didn't go to them in the first place. Not enough places will take Amex as it is and it's the only card I carry.

[amazona]

7. report it to your state attorney general

If Amex fines you for being the victim of a crime, I think you should also be reporting Amex to your state attorney general.

You know I have many, many Visa and MasterCards, and they do not have an annual fee, and they do not charge you for being the victim of fraud.

Get rid of the Amex. You are paying good money for bad service.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[China_cat]

9. You misunderstood

Amex fines the VENDOR for charge backs and I have dealt with some people before who asked me not use a charge back because of it and I've been treated fairly, received a refund, etc. Maybe I've just had good luck with companies I've dealt with.

[AllegroRondo]

5. Correct

Dispute this with your bank (or AMEX). It is up to the vendor (audible.com) to provide proof that you actually ordered this service, otherwise they cannot charge you.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

2. I don't know Amex's policy, but

Visa and MC generally give you 60 days from the time the charge first appears on a statement to dispute. To protect your rights you should do it in writing.

It's up to the company that billed you to prove that you authorized the charge. I have been billed by scammers, and I never contact them. I only contact the card carrier they billed. Good luck getting the charge removed.

[Guaranteed]

3. Yes, you need to deal with it through Amex. This company will continue

to rip you off as long as you don't. They've deliberately running you around.

I've had this happen to me before with phone companies.

[THX1138]

6. A word of warning

You may also want to run a copy of your credit report to see if there's anything unusual on it. I do a lot of online shopping and recently had a credit card "compromised". I am guessing one of the online retailers I use got hacked and my account info was leaked. The only thing that tipped me off was small charges for online services here and there that appeared on my monthly bill. One of the retailers was kind enough to tell me the IP address that was used for one of the transactions and it traced back to somewhere in the Phillipines. It was then I realized I was hosed and I cancelled the card immediately. These folks had all my info: name, address, phone number, they were using it when ordering. Hoping they didn't get my SS# as well. Never found out how the card was compromised.

[Liberal In Texas]

8. AMEX should take this off, no problem.

At the same time, have them issue a new card with a new number. It's free and they'll usually FedEx the thing right away.

That way, this shady company can't keep hitting your account. Which they'll probably do.

I had this problem long ago with a Visa or MC (can't remember which) and had to get the number canceled before the abuse stopped. Phone calls, emails etc. to the offending internet companies do no good.