I am a merchant who accepts credit cards. On this end it's pretty cut and dry. I get a notice of a chargeback and I must produce my copy of the credit card receipt with their signature on it. It must be either imprinted or through a terminal. With online sales I must produce the hard copy of the order. I have 5 business days to either send or fax my copy proving the charge, or the money is automatically deducted from my bank. Plus a $25 fee. I get chargebacks because I'm an artist who does art and craft fairs throughout the northeast and there are times people in say, New Jersey see a charge from a company they never heard of in Vermont. "I've never been to Vermont!" So they challenge. I produce the receipt and a note they made a purchase at such and such craft fair, and it's done. Go to your credit Union in person and talk to someone who can actually help you. Have someone with some authority help you. You're finding out phone tag doesn't work. Go up the chain of command at the CU to get things done. You have 24 months from the date of the alleged charge to challenge it. The merchant has 5 business days to answer.

Many of our vacations are on cruise ships and therefore we belong to some Facebook groups for the cruise lines. The arguments about tipping on those groups is legendary. Basically it boils down to folks from non US countries, where they pay their people more than we do here, do not at all understand our tipping culture. And they get angry that they are expected to tip workers on the ship. My feeling is I wish we were more like other countries and servers' income is not based on the generosity of the paying public. But until that happens, I will happily tip. And because I was a waitress during college and am thankful everyday that I didn't have do that once I graduated, I'm a big tipper. At first the tips for counter service annoyed me. I do not think those people are paid less than minimum wage and expect tips to make up the difference? But it's been going on so long, I'm over it and I just tip. In the grand scheme of things, it's not very much money to me and maybe I'm helping one of the workers pay for college. Very infrequently we've had a surcharge added at a restaurant when using a credit card. It's slightly annoying, but I do not want to have to carry large amounts of cash all the time so I just pay it. I tell myself that my AmEx points make up for the surcharge since I haven't paid actual cash money for an airline ticket in I can't remember how long. I'm probably wrong about that, but shush, I will continue to tell myself that.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Guess I will switch to virtual, like I need another nuisance in my life. Its been a while since Ive had a fraudulent charge. My card always removes the charge if I report it, but it bugs the heck out of me that someone gets a free purchase. The biggest problem I had was when someone stole all my cards from my bag at work. They really had chutzpah because my office was not easily accessible and there was only one way in and out. The first charge was hair accessories at Bloomingdales and they worked their way up to orcering laptops online in the few hours before i discovered the theft. Actually, I think my card company called me to ask if Id made that charge. Grrr.