I stopped a fraudulent charge today.

[iono1]

Jun 20, 2024 15:05:14 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

iono1 can you tell us the company please so we don’t do business with them

I won't name them here because I can't positively say it's them, but I sent you a private message with the story. 

FYI, I bought a new printer at Staples for $170.  

Edit: I contacted one of the companies that accepted a fraudulent charge via their website because I couldn't find a phone number.  This was their response: 
Thank you for your message.

I would like to kindly inform you that in our database there is no account registered to the provided email address.

It is not our web service that charged you this sum of money.

If you have any additional questions, you can contact our Customer Support Centre.

Here was my response: Of course there isn't. They wouldn't be using my real e-mail address. They created a fake one.

Update: The company I contacted was the parent company that was listed on the charge in my checking account.  It turns out that the ones who were defrauded are a subsidiary. The thieves used my name, address & phone # on the bill, but another name, address & e-mail to where it is going-somewhere in Texas. The subsidiary noticed the fraud after the auto parts were sent & called me since they didn't know if I knew about the fraud.  We had a nice conversation.  They are going to try to stop the delivery & get it sent back to them before it is delivered.  The fraudster has called them several times asking when the parts will arrive.  I hope the company can stop the shipment & he's waiting forever. 

Update: The money from the fraudulent transactions was restored to my checking account on Friday 6/21. 

[thyme4change]

So - here is how I am dumb. I had a realization yesterday that there was a difference between a credit card and a charge card. Those seemed to be interchangeable, but they are not.

A credit card offers you a line of credit.

A charge card allows you to charge something, but you can’t carry a balance.

If you can’t get or don’t want a credit card - find a charge card. The protections are similar to credit cards. Stop using debit cards - they are a disaster waiting to happen.

[TheOtherMe]

Jun 27, 2024 11:32:01 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

So - here is how I am dumb. I had a realization yesterday that there was a difference between a credit card and a charge card. Those seemed to be interchangeable, but they are not.

A credit card offers you a line of credit.

A charge card allows you to charge something, but you can’t carry a balance.

If you can’t get or don’t want a credit card - find a charge card. The protections are similar to credit cards. Stop using debit cards - they are a disaster waiting to happen.

[resolution]

Jun 27, 2024 11:32:01 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

So - here is how I am dumb. I had a realization yesterday that there was a difference between a credit card and a charge card. Those seemed to be interchangeable, but they are not.

A credit card offers you a line of credit.

A charge card allows you to charge something, but you can’t carry a balance.

If you can’t get or don’t want a credit card - find a charge card. The protections are similar to credit cards. Stop using debit cards - they are a disaster waiting to happen.

I don't recall hearing the term charge card before, but I believe American Express requires you to pay off the balance every month.

[TheOtherMe]

I have an Amex credit card.  It does not require the balance to be paid off monthly.

Amex also has charge cards that do require the balance to be paid monthly.

[iono1]

Jun 27, 2024 11:32:01 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

So - here is how I am dumb. I had a realization yesterday that there was a difference between a credit card and a charge card. Those seemed to be interchangeable, but they are not.

A credit card offers you a line of credit.

A charge card allows you to charge something, but you can’t carry a balance.

If you can’t get or don’t want a credit card - find a charge card. The protections are similar to credit cards. Stop using debit cards - they are a disaster waiting to happen.

I'm not going to use my debit card for anything from a company I don't do business with regularly again. Unfortunately, I tried to switch my Verizon autopay to my credit card & I got a message that I have to use a debit card or a direct link to my checking account in order to receive my discount for autopay.  I ended up using the new debit card after it linking to my checking account failed.  Some sites don't handle linking to checking accounts without a glitch.  I don't know if it's the site or my credit union that's the problem.  

[thyme4change]

Jun 27, 2024 12:04:56 GMT -5 resolution said:

Jun 27, 2024 11:32:01 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

So - here is how I am dumb. I had a realization yesterday that there was a difference between a credit card and a charge card. Those seemed to be interchangeable, but they are not.

A credit card offers you a line of credit.

A charge card allows you to charge something, but you can’t carry a balance.

If you can’t get or don’t want a credit card - find a charge card. The protections are similar to credit cards. Stop using debit cards - they are a disaster waiting to happen.

I don't recall hearing the term charge card before, but I believe American Express requires you to pay off the balance every month.

I remember it from when I was a kid. Credit cards weren’t really a thing until the 70’s (maybe). Before that, AmEx were charge cards and when credit cards became a thing a lot of people still called them charge cards. Or maybe, they were using the terms properly and I just didn’t know what the hell they were talking about, and assumed they were the same thing. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[busymom]

thyme4change, I had an AmEx card early in my marriage, and they DID require you to pay off your balance each month.  My parents used to refer to all credit cards as "charge cards" when I was growing up.  

[TheOtherMe]

Now that you mention it, my mom called her card a charge card.  She had only one card and it was to the popular department store at the time.  I don't know if it was a charge or credit card.  

Before it close, it was a credit card.  

[thyme4change]

I also remember “old” people calling the electricity bill the ‘light bill’. My FIL did - but growing up, lights may have been the only electric thing they had 🤣