OT: Home Protect $39.99 charged on my credit card, Beware!

[Phisherman]

Recently, I had a $39.99 charge on my VISA card dated 10-21-2004. At first I thought my card # was stolen. I called Bank of America (where I got my card) and they said "Home Protect" charged my card. She set up a 3-way call and called this company. This company explained that I had signed an agreement at Home Depot for their services. I shop at HD, but never used my VISA card there. The entry on my credit card showed

BAC HOMPROTEC 39.99

They agreed to back out the charge. And I asked Bank of America to cancel my credit card. I think this was a case if fraud. Since then, I had not been able to find the company that charged my credit card on the Internet. Anyone know anything about this? Or perhaps how anyone got my card number? I have not used my VISA card in 10 months.

Also, I'd like to give everyone a "heads up" on credit card fraud, to protect your #, and to carefully check your statements.

[Rick Shaw]

Do you have some sort of overdraft protection?... a saved bounced check can cause this with the overdraft protection.

Also, and this buggz me dearly, there are times when a billing cycle will come in with a filler or even a tabbed extension on the envelope that states "you must send this ........... before such and such a date or you will be billed....." I had some doodaa credit protectin plan inacted on my account for $42.00 and it took days of searching until I finally found this dubious mail in scheme was the culprit. I hate all the laws on the books these daze but there should be a law to prevent this "you must deny this service by mail or else" ripoff...

Dennis

[I-zheet M'drurz]

Why??? What did THEY do wrong? It sounds like they did everything RIGHT to help you remediate the situation, how can you possibly hold them responsible for this?

"Never" is a big word when it comes to remembering/knowing 100% of your credit card usage. Is there a 2nd card for your spouse, have you ever shopped on-line with HD, have you registered as a user of their website and possibly given a number? Not saying that any of those are true but fact is that there has to be a connection somewhere. If anything, go after this "Home Protect" outfit with their state's Attorney General's office, but I don't see taking it out on the folks who issued your credit card.

[Phisherman]

Well, in this case I know I have not given out my VISA #. I do not have a spouse nor partner. I have not signed an agreement of any kind regarding Home Protect, although another poster pointed out about in some cases you have "to take action to stop charges." Personally, I have to agree that situation is unfair. Another possibility is that someone stole B-of-A's credit card database or that my US mail was stolen. If anyone else has had a "BAC HOMPROTEC" charge against their credit card account I'd appreciate any information.

[willshak]

He didn't say he changed banks. Just that he cancelled the card, in case it was compromised. Perhaps it was a bank debit card for his checking account. Just get another with a different card #.

[mark]

I think he just meant that he canceled it to prevent any more possible fraud.

[Art]

You think that is a rip off? I got one for you. I see a charge for Radio Shack on my card a while back. Hadn't been there in years. So I complain to the credit card company. They say it is an old charge that Radio Shack never put thru. So I go thru my old bills and I find the same amount a year and a half earlier and this is putting it thru for a second time. I was steamed and it was removed from my bill. Legally consumers have only 60 days to find billing errors but apparently vendors can incorrectly bill people a second time for stuff a year and a half later. Pretty cute. Write your congressman.

[Tim Keating]

Bankof America is big into offshoring, hiring H-1B's, and hiring consulting firm(EDS) which abuses foriegn work visa's.

some links FYI..

(India) (EDS)

and..

"Offshore Outsourcing of Data Services by Insured Institutions and Associated Consumer Privacy Risks"

"Direct Third Party - In the direct third-party form, institutions outsource operations to a third-party vendor located offshore. Institutions such as Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch have established direct third-party arrangements with vendors in India. Because financial institutions have no ownership authority in this form, their controls over this working arrangement are limited to the contract terms agreed to with the third-party vendor, thereby making this form potentially more risky than either the captive or joint venture forms."

[JerryMouse]

Bravo. Keeps costs down, productivity up, and the economy thriving.

Adam Smith sorted this all out over 300 years ago. It's amazing there are still people who haven't gotten the message.

[Minnie Bannister]

How does the economy thrive if the only people with jobs are people in other countries? Who is going to buy these cheap goods with no income? I guess the corporations' only customers will be their obscenely over-compensated CEOs and other top-level executives.

MB

Why is paying money to the poeple that produce the goods or services bad but paying money to the top executives and shareholders good? In bothe cases, it's money that's not available for research, purchase of new equipment, etc.

On 10/24/04 08:40 am JerryMouse put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:

[Minnie Bannister]

How does the economy thrive if the only people with jobs are people in other countries? Who is going to buy these cheap goods with no income? I guess the corporations' only customers will be their obscenely over-compensated CEOs and other top-level executives.

MB

Why is paying money to the poeple that produce the goods or services bad but paying money to the top executives and shareholders good? In both cases, it's money that's not available for research, purchase of new equipment, etc.

On 10/24/04 08:40 am JerryMouse put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace: