Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site teldata.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!teltone!teldata!tac From: tac@teldata.UUCP () Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Credit Card (mis)Usage Message-ID: <394@teldata.UUCP> Date: Fri, 15-Jun-84 13:41:18 EDT Article-I.D.: teldata.394 Posted: Fri Jun 15 13:41:18 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 03:00:18 EDT Organization: Teltone Corp., Kirkland, WA Lines: 51 , (sop to the blank line eaters--consider it a religious sacrifice) Tear up your credit cards. Yes, that's right, get rid of them before you are run into debt. If you would like to know why, read on. I received my master charge bill last month with two purchases I had no recollection of. Being a resonable fellow, I called the local company who has responsiblity for my account and requested copies of the slips so I could verify the correctness of the billing. After 25+ days the slips came in. They were both made by TELEPHONE from someplace in California to a business operating in California. [I live in Washington State, and have not been further South than Salem, Oregon in some time.] I have never used my card for telephone purchases, do not use it for mail purchases, and have never lost it. My wife and I still have both of our cards. My state Attorney General's office tells me that they think I will be held responsible for the bill. <** FLAME ON **> SOME @^#%$*@%@ JUST CALLS A BUSINESS OVER THE PHONE, GIVES A NUMBER (WHICH NEITHER HE NOT THE COMPANY HAVE ANY VERIFICATION OF THE VALIDITY OF) AND I RECEIVE A BILL WHICH I AM EXPECTED TO PAY!!!!! IF YOU HAVE A CREDIT CARD WHICH IS ACCEPTED "ALMOST ANYWHERE" IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU ALSO! THIS IS ABSURD! <** FLAME OFF **> (Pretty timid flame wasn't it?) Does anyone out there in net.land know of a remedy for this outside of tearing up the card? I really do not need it and it is obviously becoming less and less handy. I am also looking for advice on how to get the *#&$%^#% for it. He/she has broken several laws, and left a trail even I could follow. [For a phone order they need a shipping address, and while the name might not be right a good detective or law enforcement agency could manage to trace it.] Which law enforcement agency does this complaint go to? Mine as the local of the victim, the area code locality of the number given (assuredly false) as the area where the crime was committed or the locality of the business who took the order (you could contend that the crime was also committed there)? Gee, could I get the &$^#%$%* tried (and maybe convicted) in *EACH* of the areas? OK, legal eagles, do your stuff! From the Poorhouse of Tom Condon {...!uw-beaver!teltone!teldata!tac} A Bill A Day Keeps The Money Away. DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed herein are those of everyone who matters, but not necessarily anyone you know, and most certainly not my employers!