Although (in the United States, at least) debit cards don't provide
all the protections that credit cards do, you ARE protected from
unauthorized transactions. Generally, you are required to report them
to your bank within 60 days, although the sooner you do it the better.
Since you haven't received help from the merchant, I suggest you
contact your bank immediately.
A couple of years ago, I had an unauthorized charge on my debit card
from a web site that I had never visited and that apparently sold a
type of product I wouldn't even consider buying (one of those
male-oriented products advertised in spam, enough said). I don't know
how the charge ever ended up on my account, but I told the bank and
signed some sworn statements, and after a brief investigation I was
credited for the amount.
Here are some sites that give information about what you can do with
fraudulent or mistaken debit card charges:
Use Your Debit Card for ...
http://www.bellcu.com/useyourdebitcardfor.htm
Balancing Your Checkbook and Debit Card
http://www.unl.edu/UFP/money5.htm
Debit Cards
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/thriftyliving/tl-debitcards.html
How To Use Debit Cards Wisely
http://www.ivillage.com/money/departments/banking/articles/0,10509,165358_22106,00.html
Again, although you generally have 60 days to report the mistake, you
should get it taken care of as soon as possible, since some banks have
policies that will limit your losses even better than the law requires
if you report immediately.
Best wishes,
mvguy-ga
Google search term: "debit card" mistakes
://www.google.com/search?q=%22debit+card%22+mistakes&sourceid=opera&num=25&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Google search term: "debit card" fraud
://www.google.com/search?q=%22debit+card%22+fraud&sourceid=opera&num=25&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 |
