Drunkula
Premium
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX
 ·Verizon FIOS
|  Strange CC charge - disputed
I happened to notice a charge for $8.95 on one of my credit cards. It is for "ambservices salem, or". There is no contact info. I can't find any info on this company. The only AMBSERVICES I can find on the net is a "This page being built" placeholder for somebody in the UK, not Salem, Oregon. Other searches appear to be just as irrellevant.
Anyhow I called the credit card company and they will credit me that amount and told me to watch for a recurring charge. The only additional info they had was that it's a "computer data services company". I would not have used that particular card for such a transaction.
Does this company sound familiar to anybody here? It sure sounds like one of those "drive-by charges" that show up from time to time hoping to go unnoticed because of the small amount.
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Sarbanes-Oxley sucks! |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
1 edit | There's one in an old DOJ report at »64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:Lv···em&hl=en
Strangely, just Googling on "A M B services" yields "ORegon Ambulance Service & Licensing" as the top hit.
Also, apparently it's a common acronym for "Access Maintenance and Billing".
There's an "AMB Services
6016 Northeast Bothell Way, Kenmore, WA 98028" -- they do MAILBOX RENTALS.
That's all I've got; sorry, and good luck fighting the apparent scam.
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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stormbow
Freedom isn't FREE
Premium
join:2002-07-31
Simi Valley, CA
clubs: | reply to Drunkula
sounds remarkably like »Pluto Data Credit Card Charge |
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Just Basics
join:2003-06-08
Painter, VA
3 edits | reply to Drunkula
Try ambservices.us
More here:
»www.whois.sc/ambservices.us |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
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Way to go, Just Basics  !
Contact AMB Internet Services
AMB Internet Services.
4676 Commercial Street SE, # 354
Salem OR 97302
USA
Phone/Fax: (800) 878-2636 -- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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Drunkula
Premium
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to Just Basics
Hmmm? Forgot about the .us domain. It could be them since they are in Salem. But then why would a hosting company I never heard of charge me $8.95 out of the blue. I have no hosted sites and my domain is registered with a different company. I will just keep my eye on the billing activity to see if it happens again.
At least the CC company already credited that amount back to me.
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Sarbanes-Oxley sucks! |
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Keizer
I'M Your Huckleberry
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-20 | reply to Drunkula
I would call the credit card company, cancel the account, and have them create a new account, with a new number. Just to be safe.
Keizer |
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Libra
Premium
join:2003-08-06
USA | reply to Drunkula
I agree with Keizer, get a new card issued.
Sincerely, Libra |
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penguins4evr
Premium
join:2002-01-17
The Colony
clubs:
| reply to Drunkula
A couple of years ago a strange billing kept coming to my place of business from what I think was an internet webhosting service. If I recall correctly the amount was about 10 dollars. It turned out a telemarketer had hooked someone into unintentionally approving of an account, hence the repeated billing. The billing wasn't settled until we called them up and cancelled. Don't know if it relates to your situation or not.
Also, when I purchase software over the internet sometimes the name on the credit card is some billing service and not the name of the software, which has caused me at times to wonder what was going on. Fortunately, it has always been legitimate (so far).
Just some suggestions. Hope all is well with you.
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"When you've done things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." (Futurama - "Godfellas") |
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purpitcher20
join:2005-04-09
Albany, NY
| reply to Drunkula
a few years ago, I brought services from a web host company for a few months. I canceled and they stopped billing me. A few months later that company was brought out by another firm. The new firm began billing my credit card. I had to filed a dispute with my CC company and I had to contact the new firm. It took a long time but they finally credited my cc. This is a very common practice of online startups... Bill in small amounts and hope the card holders won't notice... Purpitcher. |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| reply to Libra
What Keizer said. I'm sorry I didn't say so earlier.
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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Sir Raleigh
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-31
Raleigh, NC
| reply to Drunkula
I've started using a virtual credit card, one where the number changes each time you use it. Also, I can put an upper limit close to the actual charge, an expiration date just a month or so away, and once the number is used, only additional charges to the original purchase location can add to it. I'm hoping this will help prevent anyone using it elsewhere.
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I used to know all this stuff! |
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spooler0
Premium
join:2004-11-17
| Did you happen to click "yes" or "I agree" to an online user agreement in connection with the use of the underlying virtual credit card account?
If so, does that online agreement create unlimited liability on your part for any misuse of the "virtual card" or the "virtual card account"?
And, if so, is that potential liability greater than the maximum $50 fraud liability you would otherwise have with a regular credit card? |
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Sir Raleigh
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-31
Raleigh, NC
| Actually, it's just a regular VISA credit card from MBNA I got through my local bank, Wachovia, so I have in my possession a regular VISA credit card.
Along with the card was included a web feature called ShopSafe which is where I go to get the virtual number whenever I need one.
To get the card, I just filled out a normal credit card application, agreeing to all of the terms and conditions.
The liability for misuse is as for any other credit card, whether it's VISA, MasterCard, or most others.
The fraud liability is $50, again just like any other CC.
In my case, I pay off all charges when the statement comes due, so I incur no interest, and, the interest DOES NOT start for at least 30 days after purchase.
Actually, this isn't any special type of card, it's just the web feature ShopSafe that allows you to get different numbers when you shop, generally on-line that's different than most other CCs.
Check with your CC company if you already have a CC and see if they already offer the virtual CC feature. More and more are.
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I used to know all this stuff! |
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Drunkula
Premium
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX | reply to Drunkula
I know some of my credit cards have virtual account #'s but I forgot which ones. I think they are a great idea though!
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Sarbanes-Oxley sucks! |
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rideboarder
welcome to the social
Premium
join:2003-07-28
Snohomish, WA
clubs: | Citibank lets you create virtual numbers too |
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B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| Amex introduced the practice, but then they stopped. (I guess $120 a year for a lousy charge card wasn't enough for them.)
Discover and MBNA also do it. Good article at »www.cardratings.com/feb01new.html
-- B
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In a realm outside causality and function |
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Name Game
Premium
join:2002-07-07
North Myrtle Beach, SC
1 edit | reply to Drunkula
so who is this guy??
»www.whaddup.com/
»www.whois.sc/whaddup.com |
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Drunkula
Premium
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX | From Oregon to Virginia? Possible. But I will still keep my open for additional charges from them to be sure!
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Sarbanes-Oxley sucks! |
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Tekkanano
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Alexandria, VA
| reply to Drunkula
A few years ago I was charged by a online music service that looks to be a unknown service. It was $5.95. I talked to the bank, they said to call them first; if I couldn't get them to refund me, they said I would have to fill out a form. I gave them a call, from listening to the voicemail, seems to be a resident voicemail, but left the message anyways. No call back. I was too lazy to fill out form. So, every once in a while, I would take a look at my statements for recurring charges, never happened.
So, I dunno, maybe they got scared and never charged again. Never had any strange charges since then. That was my frist and last one.
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Cox gave me the speed I wanted, so no more dreaming of DSL. |
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