Credit Card Purchase Protections-Don't get Ripped Off.

There's nothing quite as infuriating as getting ripped off. I've been ripped off a time or two in my life and after each, if I had been a dog, the animal control people would have put me to sleep and sent my head to the lab for tests.

I talk with a lot of drivers who use their credit card for on-line purchases and I've been surprised that many just feel if they make a credit card purchase and don't get their stuff-well they just learned a lesson. Don't do that. If you use a credit card to buy something and don't get what you ordered, dispute the charge. The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) and the Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule offer protections and procedures so you don't have to pay for merchandise ordered but never received. Here are the procedures from the Federal Trade Commission.

To dispute a billing error on your credit card, you must:

• Write to the credit card issuer at the address for "billing inquiries," not the address for sending your payments (the address for billing inquiries is often found on the back of your most recent monthly statement); include your name, address, account number and a description of the billing error.
  (I have actually called the card issuer and done a verbal dispute. They immediately took the disputed amount off what I owed.)
• Send your letter so that it reaches the credit card issuer within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you.
• Send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you have proof of what the credit card issuer received. Include copies (not originals) of sales slips or other documents that support your position. Keep a copy of your dispute letter.
• It is important to send the letter to the correct company. In the case of Visa and MasterCard, you should send it to the bank that issued the card.

(Again, I'll mention that I have called and accomplished the same thing by phone. Maybe I was lucky)

The credit card issuer must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days after receiving it, unless the problem has already been resolved. And the credit card issuer must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days) after receiving your letter.

What if you used a debit card to pay for the merchandise? The consumer protections for a debit card fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and may differ from protections for a credit card under the FCBA. So you may not be able to dispute a debit and get a refund for non-delivery or late delivery. Still, some debit card issuers voluntarily offer protections and solutions to problems like the failure to receive merchandise bought with a debit card. Contact your debit card issuer for more information about particular policies and protections.

Tips for Shopping by Phone, Mail or Online

• Consider your experience with the company or its general reputation before you order. If you've never heard of the seller, check on its physical location and reputation with the local Better Business Bureau or the state Attorney General's office.
• Ask about the company's refund and return policies, the product's availability and the total cost of your order before you place your order.
• Get a shipment date.
• Keep records of your order, such as the ad or catalog from which you ordered; the company's name, address and phone number; any shipment representation the company made to you and when it made it; the date of your order; a copy of the order form you sent to the company or, if you're ordering by phone, a list of the items and their stock codes and the order confirmation code; your canceled check or the charge or debit statement showing the charge for your order; and any communications to or from the company.
• Track your purchases. When you order online, keep printouts of the web pages with the details of the transaction, including the merchant's return policies, in case you're not satisfied.