Help!! $1722.50 Internet Charge..........

[mutual]

We got a Visa bill from a Las Vegas hotel that was much higher than we signed for on check out. We called Visa and they gave us an address to send a copy of the bill we signed off on. Visa adjusted the bill to what we signed for on checkout.

 

I assume American Express has a similar procedure.

[3brothersboston]

This reminds me of the old days with AOL when they charged by the hour :|

 

LOL!

 

Our very first internet bill for one month back in 1995? $370 .

 

I hope you get this resolved. Good luck!

[signman]

No matter what, put your complaint in writing to Amex ASAP.

 

As far as final charges showing on your bill, I guess they are not too good about this. On my Zenith cruise ending on 2/11 I turned in my 10 minutes free internet coupon on the 10th before dinner and was assured it would be posted as a $5 credit (even though I only had used 7 minutes at that point @ 50 cents per minute). I had one bar bill shortly after midnight. Neither the late bar bill nor the internet credit were on my bill under the door in the AM. I subsequently used 2 more internet minutes the morning of departure and just yesterday received my credit card bill. The total charged is $1.50 more than I was expecting, which I am guessing is because they only credited me for $3.50 to offset the first 7 minutes of internet, despite the fact that Guest Relations said it was worth $5. Anyway, for a buck and a half I'm not losing any sleep, but if I was onboard I would have asked for an adjustment.

[OPSoccermom]

Better check again with those "Teenagers". I find it a little hard to believe they brought along a laptop and then didn't use it at all, unless they were watching DVD's with it. Then again I don't trust the computers that figure the bills either. Good luck.

I have also heard of situations where kids and teens log into the net from AO and the teen areas, and don't log out for whatever reason (forgetting?), which then keeps the computer logged onto the web for any other kid or teen to access the web on your account.

[Peach Blossom]

You may want to get something started with the Better Business Bureau.

[Treven]

I was thinking the same thing about teenagers and the computer. It wouldnt take my daughter long to rack up a bill like that.

AOL tried that with me, many years ago. Tried to say I was logged into their system on these certain days, from this time to this time.

 

Fortunately I was at work during those hours. As soon as they got a terse letter from my Personnel Officer, AOL started singing a different tune. After that, they didn't bother me any further and I didn't bother them - I terminated my contract with them.

[rjg41]

Besides having possibly set up an account for the laptop they could easily have gone to the internet cafe and used their SeaPass to charge minutes. Either way they would have likely gone through the same e-mail accounts they used at home. I would sign on to those accounts and check for dates and times of received and sent messages. You could also contact your ISP, who the e-mail accounts are with, and as the person paying the bill and that they are minors demand from the ISP, a print out of e-mail account activity.

 

If it were me I would insist on doing this before I risked possibly making a fool of myself with AMEX. Not on same issue, but we raised 4 kids. Not just when they were teenagers "we've been there and done that".

 

By the way if you are going to continue the dispute with AMEX, put it in writing now via registered letter, return receipt, or any other documented letter delivery process.

[rjg41]

Besides having possibly set up an account for the laptop they could easily have gone to the internet cafe and used their SeaPass to charge minutes. Either way they would have likely gone through the same e-mail accounts they used at home. I would sign on to those accounts and check for dates and times of received and sent messages. You could also contact your ISP, who the e-mail accounts are with, and as the person paying the bill and that they are minors demand from the ISP, a print out of e-mail account activity.

 

If it were me I would insist on doing this before I risked possibly making a fool of myself with AMEX. Not on same issue, but we raised 4 kids. Not just when they were teenagers "we've been there and done that".

 

By the way if you are going to continue the dispute with AMEX, put it in writing now via registered letter, return receipt, or any other documented letter delivery process.

[madforcruising]

No matter what, put your complaint in writing to Amex ASAP.

 

As far as final charges showing on your bill, I guess they are not too good about this. On my Zenith cruise ending on 2/11 I turned in my 10 minutes free internet coupon on the 10th before dinner and was assured it would be posted as a $5 credit (even though I only had used 7 minutes at that point @ 50 cents per minute). I had one bar bill shortly after midnight. Neither the late bar bill nor the internet credit were on my bill under the door in the AM. I subsequently used 2 more internet minutes the morning of departure and just yesterday received my credit card bill. The total charged is $1.50 more than I was expecting, which I am guessing is because they only credited me for $3.50 to offset the first 7 minutes of internet, despite the fact that Guest Relations said it was worth $5. Anyway, for a buck and a half I'm not losing any sleep, but if I was onboard I would have asked for an adjustment.

 

You are correct. That´s the way they handle those coupons. The coupon is worth the 5 Dollars but has to be returned in after you used all of the 5 Dollars, otherwise only the so far used time / amount is credited. They don´t follow up with it when you use more time after turning in the voucher.

I have experienced this myself but I was able to recognize while onboard and it was resolved without problems.

 

So keep in mind - like it´s stated on the coupon - first use the internet time and then turn in the voucher!

[cruisin granny]

I now have a hotel dispute with Visa. I was charged for a canceled hotel room post cruise. Visa connected me directly to the dispute department and it was immediately removed form my bill while under dispute. i have the cancellation number so it should not be a problem. Am Ex should be handling this differently. You should be credited that amount until the problem is resolved.

[GMoney]

I now have a hotel dispute with Visa. I was charged for a canceled hotel room post cruise. Visa connected me directly to the dispute department and it was immediately removed form my bill while under dispute. i have the cancellation number so it should not be a problem. Am Ex should be handling this differently. You should be credited that amount until the problem is resolved.

 

Credit card disputes are a highly complex, highly regulated process. Some associations / banks will offer conditional credits; others may not. Most are trying to resolve disputes over the phone; other still require correspondence. The dollar amount and type of dispute (they are divided into lots of sub-categories) are big factors in how they get resolved.

 

My point: there is no "one-size-fits-all" answer. The OP is talking the AmEx and it souds like some progress is being made, and that's the important part.

[Sandycruise]

Please be extremly proactive about this and PLEASE keep us up to date!

Hi Nliedel! Good to "see" you! Hope you are well!

 

To the OP, if it were my situation and I had a paper trail to proove I was right, I'd be on the phone to one of those news reporters that looks into bad business. A church friend of ours had their house saved from an IRS error by calling Tappee Phillips (& on your side). She exposed the error, the IRS said OK, and they are all still in their home years later.

 

Good luck!

[flagger]

Funny how no one mentions the low post count on the OP. Something smells fishy here.

 

However, most of the information in this thread you have received is incorrect. By law under the FCRA, the ONLY legal way to dispute charges (NO MATTER THE POLICY OF THE COMPANY) is to do it in writing within 60 days of the receipt of your bill. I highly recommend doing it with both the credit card company AND RCL in writing and sent it certified, return receipt requested.

 

By LAW, a credit company must not add any finance charges or late fees on any amount under dispute. They may also not report that amount as being late to any credit reporting agency.

 

Calling does nothing for your rights as far as the law is concerned.

[brn2crz]

Flagger...

 

You have had that avatar for a long time now..

 

I just realized the dog winks:o . Cute.

[GMoney]

Calling does nothing for your rights as far as the law is concerned.

 

This is absolutely, unequivocally, false.

[flagger]

This is absolutely, unequivocally, false.

Wrong

 

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcb.htm

 

To take advantage of the law's consumer protections, you must:

• 
  

• write to the creditor at the address given for "billing inquiries," not the address for sending your payments, and include your name, address, account number and a description of the billing error.

  
  

• send your letter so that it reaches the creditor within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you.

  
  

[GMoney]

Wrong

 

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcb.htm

 

I have worked for a credit card issuer for 10 years. Part of that time included supervising 300 dispute associates who work precisely these types of complaints. Your cut and paste comments are generally correct, but your language about the "only" way to do things, and it all having to be in "writing," simply does not reflect the current, complete situation as to how these matters are governed.

 

Again, I reiterate the disputes are highly complex, highly regulated processes. The ins and outs really take years to understand. These boards can be very helpful, but the risk is that well-intentioned folks make incorrect statements believing they are definitive.

 

OP - Sorry for pulling things so far off topic.

[flagger]

Please show your links to the current LEGAL way to protect the consumer rights. Your comments about phone calls protect the CC issuer and not the consumer.

 

Sorry but the ONLY way legally to protect the consumer's rights is to put any disputes in writing.

[GMoney]

Ok Flagger, I guess we are just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. The good part is that the OP is talking with Amex and hopefully on the road to getting this resolved one way or another.

[Host CJSKIDS]

We've had to dispute things from traveling twice over the years with Amex and both times things were handled simply over the phone and wonderfully by them. First time was after charges from renting a car in Italy, sent my final bill in and it got corrected. Second time was this past March and double charges by the Ritz Carlton in Jamaica. Amex put a hold on the charges both times and took care of everything. Dealing with them was easy and they worked hard to get the charges reversed.

[zotzer]

Teenagers - Yes, i travelled with two of them (we were in separate cabins). And yes - they had a laptop computer.

 

Eeeep! I'm thinking they had an open connection that didn't register until they logged off, packed up the laptop, and left the ship. If the connection was still live when they printed out the folio, it probably hadn't registered.

 

The question to ask might be if they would be willing to default to the $100 unlimited use charge. May be a way to settle this mess, if the by-the-minute charges actually prove out to be true.

 

Good luck with this and keep us posted!

Tracy

(note to self....sign up for unlimited internet usage if I ever bring a laptop onboard! Debating whether or not to haul it with me on FOS in June)

[nordic30]

I just had one question, about logging off. I have used the internet on the ships many times and about every 20 minutes I have had to log on again - and you really do have to or else everything disappears. So I do not understand how such an exorbitant charge could result from just not logging off.

[iluvcruzin]

You are correct. That´s the way they handle those coupons. The coupon is worth the 5 Dollars but has to be returned in after you used all of the 5 Dollars, otherwise only the so far used time / amount is credited. They don´t follow up with it when you use more time after turning in the voucher.

I have experienced this myself but I was able to recognize while onboard and it was resolved without problems.

 

So keep in mind - like it´s stated on the coupon - first use the internet time and then turn in the voucher!

 

This is not necessarily true. On the Radiance a few weeks ago we turned in our coupons BEFORE we started using the internet. The first time signing on it showed the $7.50 credit pp. They asked me at the Purser's desk if I had used the service yet and I told them no. That might be a trick for them to add the whole credit on your account versus a partial credit.

[madforcruising]

This is not necessarily true. On the Radiance a few weeks ago we turned in our coupons BEFORE we started using the internet. The first time signing on it showed the $7.50 credit pp. They asked me at the Purser's desk if I had used the service yet and I told them no. That might be a trick for them to add the whole credit on your account versus a partial credit.

 

My response was to signman´s experience and he was on the Zenith.

It´s handled differently on Celebrity than on RCCL !

[critterchick]

My response was to signman´s experience and he was on the Zenith.

It´s handled differently on Celebrity than on RCCL !

 

RCI changed its Internet procedures in 2005. We were on Brilliance in October & received a coupon that stated we were to use our Internet minutes and then turn in the coupon. When we did so, the woman at the purser's desk said that we had to turn in the coupons first, and was pretty obnoxious about it. I told her to READ what the coupon said, please, and when she did so, she then said, well, we have a new system and we can't do anything about it. Now we're talking $10 or $15 between the two of us, but that got me so annoyed that I asked her to speak with her supervisor, who of course gave us the credit.