youqualify24-7

Advantages of Credit Cards

Considering the number of people who own credit cards these days, I would say that most people agree that there is a great advantage in owning at least one card. And there is an advantage to owning a few different kinds, as not all shops and services accept American Express, for example.

 The Advantages of Credit Cards
 by: Christine Breen

There are many evils associated with credit cards, but there are benefits that are hard to ignore. One benefit is having the credit card company act in your behalf to recover funds from a disputed transaction. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act the credit card company has to investigate the dispute and either take the charge off your bill or explain why it is correct. Even better, you don't have to pay the portion of the credit-card bill or related interest charges while the dispute is being investigated.

 The types of billing disputes/errors covered by the Fair Credit Billing Act are: 

  • Charges that list the wrong date or amount. 
     
  • Charges for goods and services you didn't accept or weren't delivered as agreed. 
     
  • Math errors. 
     
  • Failure to post payments and other credits, such as returns. 
     
  • Unauthorized charges.

 

I think that these days there are many fewer mathematical errors, not because we are any better at adding and subtracting, but because the tools are readily available. At most stores, you will see a calculator right by the cash register, in case the cashier needs to total anything before using the cash registry. Typically, we do not use our brains for these calculations, and I suspect that there are many of the younger generation who are incapable of working these things out without the use of a calculator, a sad state of affairs.  ~Site Editor


 Before you dispute any of issues you must first contact the retailer and try to settle the dispute. If they ignore you, or the dispute is not settled then contact the credit card company. Usually you need to have your dispute in writing to the credit card company. The address for billing disputes is different then the address to send payments. The billing dispute address can be found on the back of your monthly statement. If it cannot be found, call the credit card company's customer service for the billing dispute address. You usually only have a certain number of days to dispute the billing error so make sure you mail in your dispute before the deadline. 

If contacting the credit card company doesn't resolve the dispute, you may contact the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's Customer Assistance Group. Their website is www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm and phone number is 800-613-6743.

 

 

Christine Breen is the owner of 1stop-creditcards.com a site helping consumers find a better credit card.
kokopoko2000@yahoo.com