Need some advice please (financial, travel?)

[Darth_Kitten]

dilemma:

I booked a day tour when I'm in London. My credit card issuer said the payment went through but the place I booked with doesn't have record of it yet (the other day tour went through fine)

So, as far as they are concerned, I'm not booked. They were advised to check their bank, etc, etc. We have been emailing for the last week.

Now they want some copies of my credit card statement for "proof". I advised them to, again, check their bank, and besides, I'm on vacation in a few days so probably won't get the statement by then.

The credit card issuer advised me that it's up to them to check with their bank. Fine. They said that AFTER this event I've booked doesn't come through for me THEN I can take up a dispute with them over the charge. THEN the merchant would have to provide proof I didn't go on the side trip.

I emailed the merchant back and told them as much. I essentially cannot wait forever and please consider me as not going on that side trip, I'll book elsewhere, and AFTER I will take it up with my credit card issuer. (well, they don't have me booked anyway, so I have to move on)

Does this make sense?
Am I doing the right thing?
I don't know what else I can do. The tour company has a good reputation, but I don't think much of their accounting department.

[skygazer]

1. Can you get a copy of the statement online?

I know most of my credit cards have online services and even if something is not yet on the formal statement, it does show up on the "current transactions" page or whatever they call it.

If you could get that and fax it to the company, perhaps you wouldn't have to cancel your day trip?

Just a thought - I've never been in that position.

Good luck and if I don't talk to you before then, have a great time. :hi:

[Kutjara]

2. Do you have an online credit card account?

With my card, I can view my statements and transactions online and print them out. That would be quicker than waiting for your CC company to send a statement. Be sure you blot out all but the last four digits of your credit card information before you fax a copy of the statement, just in case some light fingered employee at the tour company gets any ideas about booking a few holidays of their own.

[Darth_Kitten]

3. I was told they couldn't fax it.........

and if that's true, I'm shit outta luck anyways.

It's being mailed to me.
I'm not going to spend my entire, expensive vacation emailing, faxing, and telephoning just because dumb people exist. Enough.

Why is the onus on me? They can't locate a payment with their own bank? How many times must they be "asked"?

[Kutjara]

4. Do you have any kind of "ticket" or "receipt" for the transaction?

Often, tour companies issue "vouchers" for things like hotels, trips, airport transfers, that you hand over to the merchant when you arrive. The voucher is the proof that you have paid for the service. Did your tour operator give you anything like that? Even a booking reference number would help.

The reason I ask is because some tour companies book a block of seats on a side trip, for example, and keep those seats under the tour company's name. If you book the trip through the tour company, the tour company gives you one of their prebooked seats, but doesn't necessarily tell the trip operator the names of the people who'll be occupying the seats (I had this problem with a hotel in New York once). It's only the recipt or voucher that lets the trip operator, hotel or whatever know that you have a right to one of the tour company's reserved seats etc...

Sorry that was a bit long winded, but I couldn't think of a more succinct way of describing it. :hi:

[Darth_Kitten]

5. No, no voucher for this one.....

they couldn't confirm it by email. They confirmed the other one I booked.

I'm going to dispute this transaction. I don't have my statement yet, so really can't send them any proof. :eyes:

Don't think I'll be booking with them in the future. Sorry, they may be a good company but this hassle is something I don't need right now.

[lizziegrace]

6. I manage my credit cards online

do you have online access to the account? The charge should be sitting out there.

This sounds like a real pain. :(