Credit Card Fraud?

[Katja]

Hello,

My husband purchased a computer from a California company located in Augusta, Georgia and paid $380 of the total price ($425.85) in cash and charged the remaining amount to his credit card.
We found out a few days ago that this company went ahead and charged an additional $380. The salesperson claims he has never received the cash, although my husband remembers him counting the money. In addition, he handed my husband a receipt that day stating that the full purchase price had been received.
They did not even find it necessary to inform us, but simply went ahead and charged our card! What kind of business practices are that?
Our phone calls and complaints to the local manager were futile efforts.
She sides with him and bascially told us that we are lying.

Thank you for any advice you can give us.

P.S. The computer's CD-ROM drive is also defective.

 

[JETX]

Well, this one starts off a little confusing....

How could you purchase from "a California company located in Augusta, Georgia". They are a few thousand miles apart!!

When your husband paid the $380 in cash and the balance ($45.85) to his credit card, what does the credit card slip show as the charge amount???

Did the store do TWO credit slips, one signed for $45.85 and the other unsigned for the $380.00????

In either case, your first step is to read the FCBA (Fair Credit Billing Act) at http://www.ftc.gov

In reading it, you will find your rights to dispute the questionable charge with your credit card provider. This must be in writing (send it certified RRR), and must be within 60 days of being billed. This dispute process is the first (and usually the easiest) step that you can take, but as you see, it has a 'ticking clock'. Do not let the clock expire. Do this NOW!!!

Then, after this dispute process runs its course, if you still have a problem, come back to the forum and we'll see what is next.

As to the CD-ROM problem, you can pretty much kiss the 'warranty' goodby. The merchant will want you to send the entire case back to them and 'hopefully' fix it and then send it back, with you paying shipping/handling all the way. The shipping will far exceed the cost of a replacement CD-ROM. Note to self: The money you save on 'long distance' purchases will be far exceeded by the cost of getting service!!!

 

[Katja]

Thanks for your response. Sorry for sounding confused, but the company is actually headquartered in CA, but has a local office in Augusta.

His credit card slip shows $45.86 and the store receipt says $425.86.

I will immediately send in the dispute form and hopefully we can resolve it that way.

Thanks again.