Pissed At Amazon

[classiclincoln]

OK, so last week I got a bunch of emails from Amazon.uk about purchases made. Don't use Amazon much, so I then check my credit card. See 2 pending purchases for like $1.56 from Amazon.uk and call my credit card to report the fraud. Then call Amazon and there is no one in their fraud department: "someone will get back to you" is the response I get. I then get an email telling me their sorry about what happened and someone will get back to me in 1 to 2 days. That was on September 26. Still waiting for them to contact me.

I'm gonna cancel my account.

 

[SMHarman]

Why are you so pissed. Do you call Macy's or Apple or Exxon when your card is fraudulently used at their stores.
The card issuer deals with their merchant.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[DeniseM]

If you disputed it with your credit card, you really don't need to hear back from Amazon. The credit card will take care of it.

This probably is not Amazon's fault - they can't help it when a scammer gets your credit card number. The scammer was just checking to see if the credit card would work when they made those small charges, hoping you wouldn't notice them.

There is really nothing Amazon can do to prevent this from happening, and your credit card will take care of the refund.

 

[Ken555]

This is the very definition of overreacting.


Sent from my iPad

 

[Talent312]

IMHO, a better idea is to contact your CC's fraud dept to ask them for a new card #.
If your current card # is compromised, other fraudulent charges could pop up elsewhere.

The problem with online merchants anywhere is that no card is presented, so if the identifying information provided checks out, they assume the card # is legit. In a more perfect world they'd contact you to verify that you made the purchase b4 running the card. My pharmacy sends me a text msg to confirm I want a scheduled refill before they prepare it, so why can't merchants do the same with online purchases?

Amazon is not gonn'a change their ordering system or chase after a fraudulent card user.
At most, they'll block your card # -- hence, the need for a new one.
.

 

[Phydeaux]

OK, so last week I got a bunch of emails from Amazon.uk about purchases made. Don't use Amazon much, so I then check my credit card. See 2 pending purchases for like $1.56 from Amazon.uk and call my credit card to report the fraud. Then call Amazon and there is no one in their fraud department: "someone will get back to you" is the response I get. I then get an email telling me their sorry about what happened and someone will get back to me in 1 to 2 days. That was on September 26. Still waiting for them to contact me.

I'm gonna cancel my account.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[taterhed]

x2 on all the above.
I have experience on this (unfortunately).

Never call the merchant unless specifically requested; they don't have your best interest first (necessarily)
Always call the credit card company direct and report the fraud immediately--noting when you discovered it and (if possible) giving a short and clear reason why you didn't place the charge. Don't embellish.
Look backward (at least 2 cycles) and forwards (pending charges and watching future statements). Specifically look for tiny charges ($1 or .99c etc...) and big/international charges: these are test charges to see if the card is good.

Credit card companies deal with this all the time, they won't be shocked. Keep in mind, they are aware of the tactics of the criminals and may already have traces on certain card activities/charges. They will NOT tell you much about it usually--security protocols. Also, don't be embarrassed or surprised if one of the test charges is for a phone ring tone/app or movie/porn charge or infomercial item or auction etc... Many of these items are small and unnoticeable to most people. I was personally pretty sure that I didn't buy a Suzanne Summers weight loss video but you never know!!

Also, consider turning on your accounts alerts for 1> international charges 2> card not present charges 3>charge/balance exceeds amount specified. These alerts will send you a call/text/email when something unusual happens with your card. Easy-peasy.

Sorry for your troubles--don't blame the merchant, it's not their gig.
And, of course, my advice is worth exactly what you paid for it. Nada.

 

[geekette]

OK, so last week I got a bunch of emails from Amazon.uk about purchases made. Don't use Amazon much, so I then check my credit card. See 2 pending purchases for like $1.56 from Amazon.uk and call my credit card to report the fraud. Then call Amazon and there is no one in their fraud department: "someone will get back to you" is the response I get. I then get an email telling me their sorry about what happened and someone will get back to me in 1 to 2 days. That was on September 26. Still waiting for them to contact me.

I'm gonna cancel my account.

Great info given below. My only question is why would you sit around getting steamed at no callback FOR DAYS? You caused your own stress doing that. In the future if someone doesn't do what they say they will, contact them again vs waiting around getting angry, or move on. Life is too short to create new grudges to hold.

 

[classiclincoln]

I'm pissed because #1 they hacked into my Amazon account, where my credit card was stored, #2 because Amazon's fraud department wasn't around and #3 they never got back to me.

As a business owner, when I tell someone I'm gonna do something, I do it. I don't tell people that I'm gonna do something and then not do it.

I guess most people accept that.

 

[DeniseM]

How do you know they hacked your Amazon account - don't you use the same credit card other places?

This is a very common thing with scammers: They get your credit card number at a restaurant, shopping in a store, at a gas station, etc. Then they try a small purchase on a major website that most people use, just as a test - to see if the card is still active.

They choose Amazon because most people who shop online use Amazon, and they are hoping that you will not notice the small charge.

So the chances are excellent that your Amazon Acct. is perfectly fine.

 

[Talent312]

I'm pissed because #1 they hacked into my Amazon account, where my credit card was stored...

It sounds like they found a back-door into your account to place an order.
That doesn't mean they have your card or that they got it from Amazon.
To access your account, they need your-mail address... found anywhere.
and to guess your password, which is what robots do.

IMHO, you should prolly change and upgrade your password.
Use more than 8 characters, include some CAPS and [symbols].
I just had to do that with my Yahoo! account.
.

 

[VacationForever]

It is likely that OP's device is compromised/infected with a keylogger. Which means passwords are captured for accounts whenever the device is used. If so there is a greater issue. Bank account info are stolen and funds can disappear in the future.

 

[DeniseM]

It is likely that OP's device is compromised/infected with a keylogger.

Why do you think it's likely? if it's only one card, and only Amazon, I think it's more likely that one card number has been stolen.

 

[taterhed]

Funny enough.... on one of our 'hacks' the security department told me they saw a 'pattern' in the unauthorized activity on my account that they were aware of and that they would 'handle it immediately. (which they did) When I queried her about the 'pattern,' she indicated that sometimes, they run a series of card numbers based on info they have bought/stolen. Then they get a few positive hits (test charges) and go from there. Maybe she was blowing smoke, but that's what they said.

No other items were compromised with that incident, just the one card and the associated 2 or 3 bad charges.

 

[ace2000]

Seems to be a lot of tangents on this thread. According to the OP, their Amazon account was "hacked" and someone placed orders from their account. Nothing indicates that the OP's card number has been compromised or stolen.

 

[dioxide45]

Seems to be a lot of tangents on this thread. According to the OP, their Amazon account was "hacked" and someone placed orders from their account. Nothing indicates that the OP's card number has been compromised or stolen.

The purchases were made through the Amazon UK site, the OP is in the US. I think it is more likely that the CC was compromised, not an Amazon account.

 

[ace2000]

The purchases were made through the Amazon UK site, the OP is in the US. I think it is more likely that the CC was compromised, not an Amazon account.

LOL - nothing the OP said indicates the card was compromised. Your Amazon ID and password work on both the US and the UK site. Check it out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/

 

[DeniseM]

LOL - nothing the OP said indicates the card was compromised. Your Amazon ID and password work on both the US and the UK site. Check it out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/

Just because someone made a credit card charge, does not mean the Acct. has been hacked. It's much more likely that his CC number was stolen.

 

[dioxide45]

LOL - nothing the OP said indicates the card was compromised. Your Amazon ID and password work on both the US and the UK site. Check it out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/

Makes sense now, given that they got emails from Amazon on the purchases, it does lead one to the conclusion that their Amazon account was compromised. So this seems to be on Amazon, though disputing through their credit card is the right first move.

 

[dioxide45]

Just because someone made a credit card charge, does not mean the Acct. has been hacked. It's much more likely that his CC number was stolen.

And they used the OPs email address too to make those purchases? I think Ace is right, the Amazon account was compromised, the credit card just happened to be on file at Amazon.

 

[ace2000]

OK, so last week I got a bunch of emails from Amazon.uk about purchases made.

Just because someone made a credit card charge, does not mean the Acct. has been hacked. It's much more likely that his CC number was stolen.

Read the OP's initial post. You don't get emails from Amazon about purchases made if it wasn't your account. As the OP mentioned, the account was "hacked".

 

[DeniseM]

We don't know that the culprit used his email address - Amazon may have connected the purchase with the Acct., because they had the CC on file.

 

[ace2000]

We don't know that the culprit used his email address - Amazon may have connected the purchase with the Acct., because they had the CC on file.

You get confirmation emails sent to your email account when you place orders from your Amazon account. It really is that simple. Your credit card info is stored on Amazon, but only the last four of the account number is visible to anyone logged in.

 

[presley]

It sounds like his log in info was breached. If it was only his credit card info being used, why would he get all the confirmation emails about the purchases? It sounds like someone used his account and bought stuff. The shipping address should show up in his account.

At any rate, cancel the account if you don't trust them. You should scan your computer to make sure you don't have a key logger installed as suggested above. It's very suspicious that someone was able to use your Amazon account and not just the credit card. Credit cards get stolen all day every day. An Amazon account - not so much. Hopefully, you use unique log ins for all your accounts everywhere.

P.S. And set up credit freezes before you get into a lot more trouble.

 

[VacationForever]

Why do you think it's likely? if it's only one card, and only Amazon, I think it's more likely that one card number has been stolen.

Syndicates don't act on all stolen accounts immediately. They can time it 6 months or a year later.