O/T: I'm a bit flummoxed about something I received in the mail ...

[Toba]

I don't really know what to do about this ...

Last week, we received two DHL notices on our door that there was a package that they couldn't deliver because we weren't home. We were both a bit curious WTH it could be because neither of us had ordered anything that hadn't already arrived (we shop online frequently). I finally signed the slip giving them permission to leave the package at the door the next day. The night before it arrived, I looked up the tracking number on DHL's website and it had my full correct name, my full address and one of my email addresses (one that I very, very rarely use, and haven't used for quite some time). What concerned us most was that the package was coming from Vietnam. I shop a lot, but I am very frugal when it comes to shipping/handling charges because it just bugs me so I'm always looking for free shipping codes, etc.

Anyway, the package finally arrived on Monday and it was a box. I was a little afraid to open it, but curiosity got the better of me. It was a set of three CHEESY plates (big, medium and small) with some kind of Oriental or Japanese or Chinese (I'm totally unsure) painting on each of them. This is not something I would EVER buy. The packing slip enclosed stated that the item was some $35 and the shipping was $32+ ... and in the payment method spot, it said something like, "on Visa." I called DH and he searched through all our accounts that have a Visa logo and nothing was charged on there for that amount. I investigated further and found their website, which consisted of pretty much more of the same cheesy stuff I received. DH wanted me to call the police, but I knew there was nothing they could do since no money had been charged. Mind you, we have not used our credit cards in about two years (master plan is to pay them off by this summer) and only use our debit cards which carry the Visa logo.

Today, DH emailed me that a charge showed up today on our main checking account (we have more than one) for the exact figure on the invoice and with their name on it. I have emailed them several times today and got no response. There is a phone number, but I really don't want to call and waste more money (because I'm figuring I'm screwed out of this one) and because their website was in broken English, so I'm not even sure we would understand each other. DH wants me to go get a new debit card tomorrow. And he still wants me to call the police. And MIL wants me to call the BBB. I'm going to get a new card tomorrow and I'm going to ask what they can do about a fraudulent charge on my card ... but I have no idea how they got so much of my information along with my credit card number. If someone stole my credit information, why would they buy something and have it shipped to my house?? I am POSITIVE that I've never been on this company's website until I went and had to research it. I am POSITIVE that I would NEVER order anything like that, ever. I haven't even used my debit card online since before Christmas (and I purchase things from well known sites as a rule). DH used his a few days before we got the first notice to buy school books online, but his number is completely different than mine.

Any suggestions? I just have no idea how this ended up at my house and on my credit card.

[DebbieJ]

Call your bank. They will credit you. And definitely get a new debit card #.

[SpaceGal]

Something odd like this happened to my mom. A laptop from Best Buy showed up at her door charged to her credit card as if she had ordered it. Very very very strange. She ended up taking the laptop back to Best Buy and talking to her credit card company and getting a new card and what not. Very very odd. It also happened to her another time...this time some military company billed her for like $400 or 500 worth of goods...she never received. She called and said that she would not have been able to order without a SSN (which is odd to me). The company said they would reverse the charge and she also disputed it with her CC company. Very odd ball stuff. She was lucky both charges were dropped and no real harm done.

Goes to show you to be viligant and watch those bank statements for charges.

And as the PP stated...call your bank...it should fall under something suspicious since it came from Vietnam and is not one of the "normal" places you would use your card at.

[bubbaray]

Call your CC company (bank?) and report the fraudulent transaction. Clearly, your account has been compromised.

You may also want/need to report it to the police in your jurisdiction.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Call your CC company (bank?) and report the fraudulent transaction. Clearly, your account has been compromised.

You may also want/need to report it to the police in your jurisdiction.

:yeahthat:

You want a paper trail. Get the names of everyone you speak to regarding this. :hug: What a PITA!

[sariana]

You haven't been taking Ambien, have you? Sleep-shopping?

In all seriousness, I agree with PPs that you need to take action with your bank as quickly as possible.

What I don't understand is why the invoice showed it billed to your VISA, but the money came straight out of your checking account. Does your VISA bill get paid automatically?

If you use the VISA card to shop online, you may have an account that "stores" your information, such as your address. That could be why the package shipped to you. Someone could have made a mistake entering a number, and that mistake made the number match yours. Who knows? That still doesn't explain the draw from the checking account, though.

Since you have emailed them "several times" today, you may want to consider getting a new email address, as well. You don't want to be getting junk mail from them now that they have verification of a valid email account.

[veronica]

Definitely agree with pp's and change everything.

I find it totally bizarre that they would ship you goods first and bill your card later......strange for a scam to "give" you something and then take your money.

good luck, and hope it all works out. you CC will likelyside with you and take care of it.

I'd also google the name of the company followed by the word "scam" and you never know what you'll find!

[o_mom]

What I don't understand is why the invoice showed it billed to your VISA, but the money came straight out of your checking account. Does your VISA bill get paid automatically?



The charges were on her debit card, which is VISA branded.

Agreeing with everyone, though, don't even bother with the sender, just go straight to the CC company and tell them you received goods you did not order and were charged for them. Don't let the company try to tell you that you are responsible for them at all because you accepted the package - that's part of the scam.

[MontrealMum]

Agreeing with all PP.

As an aside, wasn't something like this the subject of a TV show in the past few months? My brain is mush these days, but one of the L&O ones maybe?

[Reyadawnbringer]

Definitely agree with pp's and change everything.

I find it totally bizarre that they would ship you goods first and bill your card later......strange for a scam to "give" you something and then take your money.



I am not surprised that the charge showed up AFTER the package arrived. She said that it was billed to her debit card with a visa logo on it. When DH and I order something online with our visa debit our bank is S L O W to show the charges. Often times it lingers there for a few days and the only reflection that there is even a charge is the difference in balance and available balance. Then right before it posts, it drops off completely. If I am not in the habit of checking the account several times a week then I wouldn't notice something like that until after it posted,, which could actually be up to a week after I initially purchased the item.

To the OP, definitely call the bank and get a new debit card (or even new account as it sounds like all your information has been compromised). FILE A POLICE REPORT! I cannot stress this enough- this leaves a paper trail in case anything like this happens again.

Good luck!

[czekit7]

As others have said, tell your bank, cancel your card and fill out the bank paperwork. My husband just had about $800 worth of charges in Florida on his main card, but we live in Oklahoma. The bank refunded the charges, and figures that a waitress/waiter took the number to FL with them. Bank said that they "see it often now". Would DEFINITELY get it taken care of with the bank immediately, and keep an eye on your acct for the next 30 days.

[ThreeofUs]

Call your CC company (bank?) and report the fraudulent transaction. Clearly, your account has been compromised.

You may also want/need to report it to the police in your jurisdiction.


:yeahthat: If it showed up on your checking account, then someone, somewhere has your info. I'd vote to close the account and re-open a new one.