FRAUD ALERT

Last Tuesday, July 27, Mom and Dad took the boys to shop for back to school shoes and clothing.  They went to an outlet mall about 45 minutes away so they could get some affordable brand name items.  At the second store, the Chase Amazon credit card was DENIED.

I was at home getting Jesse/Kate on track to rebuild their credit.  After reading Clark Howard's blog, he suggested adding them to my credit cards as an authorized user (not just a user as they are now) as it will show up on their credit report.  He also said to get a secured credit card in their own name.  Which I could do via computer as Jesse would text me information.  I used my Amazon card (5% reward) and set it up with $300.  (After six months of paying on time, he can close it and I get most of that money back.)

Apparently, Chase Bank must have thought it was a fraudulent charge and shut down the card.  No phone call to me or text or email.  Luckily I have a Costco CitiBank credit and Kate is a user on it.  The next few purchases they used it (3% rewards).  I used it for a few things from home at the same time, and they were denied when they tried to use it again.  CitiBank sent me an immediate text, asked if the spending was legit and when I said YES, they turned it back on with a note for the store to look and verify, then try the card again.

Of course, Kate was so embarrassed and remembered she had a card on my Alaska Air credit card (remember all those Maui trips??).  After using it for a few purchases, they too thought the spending was suspicious as I only use it for a few monthly bills.  They also sent a text and an email and it was turned back on.

Meanwhile, I tried calling Chase Bank even though the voice said 50 minute wait.  I gave up after 30.  I found a chat box type way to communicate with my new friend in India who was not able to tell me WHY it was denied but I needed to talk to the Fraud Department and he gave me a number.  It too was over an hour wait.  I sent an email via the Chase website.

After about 7 "secured" messages later, an unknown caller tried my phone on Saturday and when I didn't answer, I got a haughty voicemail telling me to call the Fraud Dept at this number.  I did ... 50 minute wait.  Several secured messages later, someone gave me a different number for the Fraud Dept and I got through on the first try!  (Sunday) She couldn't tell me WHY it was denied but said it should be working.

I continued to get secured messages, one from Ms Haughty who told me she tried to reach me so I shouldn't be upset with Chase.... six days without use of the card!  In the meantime, I paid off the balance and will not use it again until I get an apology.

Luckily for me, Chase had a box to tick if I wanted to comment on my service that day.  It went directly to Amazon.  Here's what I received in return: