When you get your monthly credit card statement, you may be surprised to see that it’s much higher than you anticipated. Upon reviewing your transactions, you may be shocked to discover one or more unauthorized charges on your account. It’s important to understand how to proceed if this reflects your circumstances. Keep reading to learn how these charges can make their way to your statement and how to dispute them with the assistance of a San Diego County credit card fraud lawyer.
How Do Unauthorized Credit Card Charges Happen?
Any time you find a charge on your credit card that you did not approve, it is considered unauthorized. There are, unfortunately, several ways that this can happen.
When you purchase with a credit card, your information can be stored on servers by the merchant, whether you shop in person or online. As such, if the company suffers a data breach, your card information can end up in the hands of criminals. They may even sell your information on the dark web for others to use.
You may also be the victim of fraud if you use a credit card skimmer. At banks, gas stations, ATMs, and convenience stores, criminals may equip card terminals with a skimmer device. This steals your credit card information and often includes a camera pointed at the PIN pad. This information is stored on a small chip or sent directly to a device for thieves to use.
If your information has been compromised through fraud, phishing, or data breaches, you can become the victim of an account takeover. This happens when thieves contact your credit card company and pretend to be you. They’ll provide the necessary information, typically obtained through identity theft, to gain access to your account. They can then lock you out of your account and use your card.
What Steps Should I Take if I Find Charges I Didn’t Make?
When you notice unauthorized charges to your account, it’s important to understand that the law is on your side. The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) grants you the right to dispute unauthorized charges. As such, you can dispute unauthorized charges of more than $50, request information regarding unknown transactions, dispute charges for services that were not as advertised, or remedy mistakes in transaction information.
The first thing you should do when you discover an unauthorized charge on your credit card is to contact your company as soon as possible. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, the card issuer will likely provide you with a new credit card to use. However, you’ll still need to dispute the charges to ensure you aren’t held liable for them. As such, you should send a written dispute with additional information and supporting documents, even if you disputed the charges over the phone.
Once the issuer receives the dispute, they have 30 days to acknowledge it and two billing cycles to investigate. If the credit card company determines the charge is fraudulent, they will remove it from your account.
Unfortunately, there are instances in which credit card companies do not fully investigate these matters or issue an incorrect conclusion. You will have 10 days after their decision to file an appeal.
When you are battling your credit card company to have unauthorized charges removed from your account, it’s in your best interest to work with an experienced consumer attorney. At Barthel Legal, our team understands how anxiety-inducing it can be to face liability for charges you never made or approved. That’s why our firm can help you from the moment you discover the fraudulent charges. Contact us today to learn how we can help you during these complicated matters.
