Being threatened with jail for a legitimate CC dispute?

[Supersega8]

What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state?- New Jersey

Hello. I know that this has happened to quite a few people on the web, but I wanted to know updates of how things turned out or if I should be worried?

I used an adult cam service over a few months. I only used my credit cards in my name and all the charges were legitimate except 5.00 which I did not authorize so I challenged with my CC company. Now the payment processor, ECHST, claimed this was "fraud" and claimed would "refund" everything. Here is the email:



Details Outstanding Balance

We have been notified by our billing company that they have processed a dispute from your card for $677.34. We have logged your IP address, the chat logs, and all other information in regards to your use of XXX. This information will be submitted to the local law enforcement officials at the location of the IP address that we have verified with the Computer Crimes Department and if this proves to be you, you will be charged for felony credit card fraud and identity theft. As a result of this fraud claim, this card has been blocked from being accepted at XXX and all other websites our billing provider handles. Your account has also been closed and cannot be accessed. We hope this was only a misunderstanding of the XXX terms of use, and we would prefer to avoid formalizing this process with your local law enforcement agency. Again, your credit card is charged only when you access the pay areas of our site. The charges are a per minute charge and are clearly stated before you enter any pay areas. On Account #(removed), you currently have $677.34 in outstanding charges. Make cashier's check or money order for $677.34 in US funds payable to: (name and reference number removed) PERSONAL CHECKS OR CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please mail your cashier's check or money order in US funds to settle your account and avoid a police investigation: (company, payment address and state removed)

Today I saw they partially refunded me about $100.

I don't feel comfortable paying them back for charges I did not dispute. Is this a big scam? Should I be worried? Thanks.

 

[quincy]

Your post was reported to edit out the adult cam service web address The site's web name and address were mentioned several times in your post.

 

[Supersega8]

Your post was reported to edit out the adult cam service web address The site's web name and address were mentioned several times in your post.

Sorry and thanks for that. I edited out the names

 

[quincy]

Sorry and thanks for that. I edited out the names

Thanks. The moderator will look at your post and you can expect responses to the questions you asked once the review is completed.

 

[quincy]

Do you or do you not owe $677.34?

 

[Supersega8]

I do not owe $677.34

 

[Supersega8]

I paid all my purchases with my credit card for which I pay in full every month. Now they are saying they will refund me my legitimate purchases and try to get me to pay them back. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

I paid all my purchases with my credit card for which I pay in full every month. Now they (the credit card company are saying they will refund me my legitimate purchases and try to get me to pay them back. Makes no sense to me.

The credit card company is saying that the credit card company will refund your legitimate purchases.

The website is trying to get you to pay the money that you owe to the website.

If I found myself in that situation, I'd contact the credit card company and explain that I was only disputing $5, not $677.

 

[Supersega8]

The credit card company is saying that the credit card company will refund your legitimate purchases.

The website is trying to get you to pay the money that you owe to the website.

If I found myself in that situation, I'd contact the credit card company and explain that I was only disputing $5, not $677.

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. So I used a few different credit cards and had probably about 60 transactions over the last 4 months. I let all of them know of the situation. They stand behind me 100% in all my transactions. I am fairly sure this is a scam effort on the company's end from what I've seen and I repeatedly emailed and called the merchant that I do NOT want a refund and that all the charges except the one disputed are mine and I've paid for them. They never replied to my emails and when I called, all they said was "follow the instructions in the first email." I already submitted an FTC complaint about them. Should I ignore them?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. So I used a few different credit cards and had probably about 60 transactions over the last 4 months. I let all of them know of the situation. They stand behind me 100% in all my transactions. I am fairly sure this is a scam effort on the company's end from what I've seen and I repeatedly emailed and called the merchant that I do NOT want a refund and that all the charges except the one disputed are mine and I've paid for them. They never replied to my emails and when I called, all they said was "follow the instructions in the first email." I already submitted an FTC complaint about them. Should I ignore them?

You should understand that if the CC does a chargeback it isn't the merchant that you need to be telling you don't want money back. It is the CC company.

ETA: It is really nuts to give out a CC # to a shady site. Use a prepaid card next time.

 

[Supersega8]

You should understand that if the CC does a chargeback it isn't the merchant that you need to be telling you don't want money back. It is the CC company.

ETA: It is really nuts to give out a CC # to a shady site. Use a prepaid card next time.

Hey,

Thank you. Yes, I will never give out my CC like that again and will order new cards. But my question is, I only disputed the 5.00, so they were refunding me for stuff I didn't dispute. What do I do with that?

 

[Zigner]

Hey,

Thank you. Yes, I will never give out my CC like that again and will order new cards. But my question is, I only disputed the 5.00, so they were refunding me for stuff I didn't dispute. What do I do with that?

1: Did they actually refund you?
2: Tell your credit card company that you only want the $5 back, not the full amount.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Hey,

Thank you. Yes, I will never give out my CC like that again and will order new cards. But my question is, I only disputed the 5.00, so they were refunding me for stuff I didn't dispute. What do I do with that?

It was likely an error on the part of your CC company. If you have online access to your accounts (and you should) go look and see what you have been credited.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

ETA: It is really nuts to give out a CC # to a shady site. Use a prepaid card next time.

Gotta disagree with you on this one. You have much more protection with a credit card. If they make $500 in fraudulent charges in a prepaid card, you end up fighting to get back YOUR money. If they do it on a credit card, you keep your money while you dispute the charge.