Call Kurtis: Am I Protected From Fraud Overseas?
A world traveler from Davis says she was double charged while out of the country.
When she says her credit card company wouldn't go to bat for her, it was time to call Kurtis.
We tell you all the time, if you use your credit card, you're protected from fraud or bogus charges.
So where was their protection when this brother and sister were overcharged in Vietnam?
"It was just fantastic... the smells, the food, everything about it was just a wonderful experience," says Janis Sites, Davis resident.
But a year after their amazing trip to Vietnam, Janis and her brother are still battling a hotel charge that popped up on his credit card bill.
The hotel in Hanoi swiped his Chase Visa twice but said it wouldn't go through, so they paid cash. This receipt proves they did.
"When we got back, a month later, it turned out that the hotel had charged both swipes on the Visa," says Janis.
Two charges of $241.02.
They disputed the charges but Chase only removed one, thinking the other charge was legit.
The bank eventually reduced the remaining charge by half but Janis says she doesn't owe them anything.
"I'm really dumbfounded that with an original receipt, showing that it's paid in full, why they wouldn't pursue that? I am shocked and it does make it feel very unsafe to use the card outside of the United States," says Janis.
"You are offered a lot more protections when you do use your card," says Beth Mills with the California Bankers Association.
Mills says you should get those same protections when you travel internationally.
"The rules that apply here in the U.S. would apply if you're traveling overseas," says Mills.
So what happened here?
"Honestly, you feel like they're calling you a liar," says Janis.
Chase wouldn't tell us what happened in this case, citing privacy issues.
But in a letter to Janis' brother, Chase explains:
"... the invoice that we received was illegible and did not indicate that you had paid any amount in cash."
After we got involved, Chase wiped out the remaining $120.51charge plus interest and late fees.
"When you hit a brick wall, keep looking. Usually there's a way to resolve," says Janis.
Chase released the following statement to CBS Sacramento: "We have resolved the issue to the customer's satisfaction by offering a full credit."
The California Bankers Association also tells us, it's still best to use your credit when traveling as opposed to cash or debit cards.
As we always tell you, you have more protection and 60 days to dispute a charge versus a debit card, where your money is taken directly out of your account.
