So I signed up with Amazon Prime in May, and promptly forgot about it.
July 3, 2017 8:21 AM Subscribe
It didn't look like I ever got a bill. I realize paying this is still my responsibility whether I got a bill or not, but I think they counted on me forgetting. Suddenly I have a bill with $179 and phone calls from Synchrony Bank. I believe that equals two late charges of $35 each tacked on to the original $99. So, 60 days behind. Grrrr.
If I grit my teeth and pay this in full (or should I appeal to have them waive the late fees, or part of them), what's the procedure for appealing to the big 3 as Credit Karma advises me my score has gone down 35 points. (Now that got my attention.) Self flagellation in progress, so lectures not necessary.
If I grit my teeth and pay this in full (or should I appeal to have them waive the late fees, or part of them), what's the procedure for appealing to the big 3 as Credit Karma advises me my score has gone down 35 points. (Now that got my attention.) Self flagellation in progress, so lectures not necessary.
So, a) Amazon did not rely on you forgetting, though they may have made a mistake. They don't scam like that, but they also aren't perfect.
b) I'm a little confused by what happened - Prime shouldn't "bill" you, they should charge a credit card on file. Are you saying you had a valid credit card on file but they didn't charge it? Or you didn't have a valid credit card but they didn't deal with that? Or something else?
posted by brainmouse at 8:27 AM on July 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
b) I'm a little confused by what happened - Prime shouldn't "bill" you, they should charge a credit card on file. Are you saying you had a valid credit card on file but they didn't charge it? Or you didn't have a valid credit card but they didn't deal with that? Or something else?
posted by brainmouse at 8:27 AM on July 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: ShooBoo: I think I used it the day I ordered it, for free shipping on one book. Other than that, I have not used it.
brainmouse: And maybe I thought that? I do have a card on file. But it seems like Amazon uses Synchrony bank for an Amazon card.
[Pushes away from the keyboard and promises not to thread-sit.]
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 8:33 AM on July 3, 2017
brainmouse: And maybe I thought that? I do have a card on file. But it seems like Amazon uses Synchrony bank for an Amazon card.
[Pushes away from the keyboard and promises not to thread-sit.]
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 8:33 AM on July 3, 2017
Of all the sleezy companies who rely on you forgetting to cancel something, I don't put Amazon on that list. I assume after your trial was up they billed your default credit card on file. If you have an Amazon credit card as well, they will make that your default card unless you change it. Do you not normally check your default credit card, whatever it is?
Regardless, hit up amazon customer support and cancel prime. They will most likely refund the unused months. If you ask nicely and mentioned you've never used prime since signing up, they may do better than that, possibly. Amazon customer service is pretty good usually.
But yeah, if there's a charge on your credit card, you're responsible for it as you know.
posted by cgg at 8:35 AM on July 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
Regardless, hit up amazon customer support and cancel prime. They will most likely refund the unused months. If you ask nicely and mentioned you've never used prime since signing up, they may do better than that, possibly. Amazon customer service is pretty good usually.
But yeah, if there's a charge on your credit card, you're responsible for it as you know.
posted by cgg at 8:35 AM on July 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
It sounds like you might have signed up for an Amazon credit card at the same time as signing up for Prime, but then didn't check the statements? If so, you are probably stuck with the late fees.
If you didn't sign up for the card, or there is something else that is weird, definitely push to get it fixed. And regardless, if you don't want the Prime account, call and ask for a refund.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:39 AM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you didn't sign up for the card, or there is something else that is weird, definitely push to get it fixed. And regardless, if you don't want the Prime account, call and ask for a refund.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:39 AM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
It sounds like maybe you also signed on for an Amazon-branded visa when you signed on for Amazon Prime?
posted by slkinsey at 8:39 AM on July 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by slkinsey at 8:39 AM on July 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
They should not have opened up a new line of credit for you without you being explicitly aware. You would have had to click through some identity verification, income verification, and an interest rate agreement, if nothing else. You need to contact both Amazon and the lender (in this case Synchrony Bank) and make sure you haven't been the victim of identity theft. You should also pull a credit report (or three) and see if someone has opened up one or more new lines of credit in your name.
The way identity theft seems to work these days, the thieves use stolen personal data to apply online for credit, and then they either use the instant purchase feature on the site where the credit was approved or they capture the new card in the mail and then run it up before you (and the bank's fraud department) can put a stop on the account.
When my identity was stolen recently the first card they opened up was an Amazon Rewards Visa, issued through Chase (and not Synchrony Bank). I already had an account with Chase and they emailed me to welcome me to my new account and let me know the card was in the mail, which was really alarming. I reported it as soon as I saw the email, Chase removed it from my account, and the card showed up a few days later. About a week after that I got a form letter from Chase saying they'd confirmed the activity was fraudulent and that was the last I heard from them. Since then I've gotten two rejection letters (from Synchrony Bank, as a matter of fact) on more fraudulent attempts to open new accounts (store cards at JCPenney and Walmart).
If you have been a victim of identity theft, you'll need to put a lock on your credit report with one of the three credit reporting agencies, which will report it to the other two. You'll also need to file a police report and probably also fill out the FTC identity theft form although I'm not sure that has much effect at this point.
posted by fedward at 9:44 AM on July 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
The way identity theft seems to work these days, the thieves use stolen personal data to apply online for credit, and then they either use the instant purchase feature on the site where the credit was approved or they capture the new card in the mail and then run it up before you (and the bank's fraud department) can put a stop on the account.
When my identity was stolen recently the first card they opened up was an Amazon Rewards Visa, issued through Chase (and not Synchrony Bank). I already had an account with Chase and they emailed me to welcome me to my new account and let me know the card was in the mail, which was really alarming. I reported it as soon as I saw the email, Chase removed it from my account, and the card showed up a few days later. About a week after that I got a form letter from Chase saying they'd confirmed the activity was fraudulent and that was the last I heard from them. Since then I've gotten two rejection letters (from Synchrony Bank, as a matter of fact) on more fraudulent attempts to open new accounts (store cards at JCPenney and Walmart).
If you have been a victim of identity theft, you'll need to put a lock on your credit report with one of the three credit reporting agencies, which will report it to the other two. You'll also need to file a police report and probably also fill out the FTC identity theft form although I'm not sure that has much effect at this point.
posted by fedward at 9:44 AM on July 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
I agree this all sounds funny -- if you somehow managed to open a credit card account, you would have needed to click through multiple screens and then would have received a physical credit card and monthly statements in the mail. I (intentionally) have an Amazon-branded credit card and the process for signing up for it was very similar to every other credit card I've ever had -- it was not something they just snuck in without me being aware of it. I do online billing meaning I don't receive a paper statement, but I had to intentionally opt into paperless statements on their website and I still receive an email every month letting me know my statement is ready and where I can log in to pay it.
So, I would start there -- contact this credit card company, try to figure out who is receiving the bills in the mail (apparently not you if this went on for multiple months?), and cancel everything to make sure no future charges can be made using your name/credit. It also doesn't hurt to contact Amazon and ask about a possible refund -- in my experience, they are actually really customer service-friendly and tend to have a policy of "give people their money back" if there is any question. I remember once I ordered a $50 ice cream maker that never arrived -- still don't know if it was delivered to a dishonest neighbor or a sketchy UPS driver wanted an ice cream machine or what -- but they sent a new one even though the UPS receipt claimed it had been delivered and signed for (obviously not my signature!)
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:18 AM on July 3, 2017
So, I would start there -- contact this credit card company, try to figure out who is receiving the bills in the mail (apparently not you if this went on for multiple months?), and cancel everything to make sure no future charges can be made using your name/credit. It also doesn't hurt to contact Amazon and ask about a possible refund -- in my experience, they are actually really customer service-friendly and tend to have a policy of "give people their money back" if there is any question. I remember once I ordered a $50 ice cream maker that never arrived -- still don't know if it was delivered to a dishonest neighbor or a sketchy UPS driver wanted an ice cream machine or what -- but they sent a new one even though the UPS receipt claimed it had been delivered and signed for (obviously not my signature!)
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:18 AM on July 3, 2017
Best answer: this is why I canceled my partner's Amazon card - there is no link on your Amazon account to pay your Amazon cc bill that I could find - it is a separate website and they didn't tell him that - he assumed payment would be automatic through his Amazon payment options. I was suspicious so I tried to hunt down how to pay the bill and I found the bank but they wouldn't let me pay the bill without his amazon cc account number but we never got a card or bill in the mail! So I called Amazon or bank, can't remember, to get the number, paid the bill and then removed the cc from his default payment on Amazon because you have to watch every time you buy something which cc they will use unless you delete it completely
I do think this is a kind of trickery.
We never got any kind of email or snail mail or notice from Amazon.
posted by cda at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2017
I do think this is a kind of trickery.
We never got any kind of email or snail mail or notice from Amazon.
posted by cda at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2017
also we never got any kind of bill - or anything - in the mail or by email from the bank. or the card. we never got a card in the mail.
posted by cda at 1:17 PM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by cda at 1:17 PM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
It sounds like you might have signed up for an Amazon credit card at the same time as signing up for Prime, but then didn't check the statements? If so, you are probably stuck with the late fees.
You signed up for an amazon credit card, not amazon prime.
Actually I suspect that the OP signed up for an amazon prime store card, which is through Synchrony; this is different from their credit card (which is through Chase as people have noted). Presumably, signing up for the store card would make that your default amazon payment method, and then your prime membership would be billed to that.
posted by advil at 2:01 PM on July 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
You signed up for an amazon credit card, not amazon prime.
Actually I suspect that the OP signed up for an amazon prime store card, which is through Synchrony; this is different from their credit card (which is through Chase as people have noted). Presumably, signing up for the store card would make that your default amazon payment method, and then your prime membership would be billed to that.
posted by advil at 2:01 PM on July 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
Best answer: It looks like you signed up for an Amazon Prime Store Card. That's a Credit product, but unlike a credit card on the Visa/MasterCard/Amex/Discover networks, it's only valid for use with Amazon.
This is different from an Amazon.com Credit Card, which is a Visa card issued by Chase: Amazon Credit Cards.
You could check how Synchrony Bank says you're being billed. Do they send paper statements? Or did you agree to paperless statements? If so, did they send them? If you can prove they failed to notify you as they had agreed, they should absolutely waive your late fee and undo any negative credit reporting they've made.
Even if they did notify you, and you missed it, it's worth asking if they could reverse the late fee charges as a one-time courtesy.
Be sure to figure out who you're dealing with. Amazon Prime (as in, Free 2-day Shipping) is 100% about Amazon.com and Amazon.com customer service via "My Account" or the homepage. But it looks like your Amazon Prime Store Card is totally managed by Synchrony Bank. It's a Synchrony website where you can Manage Your Amazon.com Store Card or Amazon Prime Store Card Account Online.
So Ask Amazon Customer Service for a refund of your Prime subscription if you don't want it - they'll probably help you out. And ask Synchrony Credit for help with the card and associated charges.
posted by reeddavid at 2:05 PM on July 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
This is different from an Amazon.com Credit Card, which is a Visa card issued by Chase: Amazon Credit Cards.
You could check how Synchrony Bank says you're being billed. Do they send paper statements? Or did you agree to paperless statements? If so, did they send them? If you can prove they failed to notify you as they had agreed, they should absolutely waive your late fee and undo any negative credit reporting they've made.
Even if they did notify you, and you missed it, it's worth asking if they could reverse the late fee charges as a one-time courtesy.
Be sure to figure out who you're dealing with. Amazon Prime (as in, Free 2-day Shipping) is 100% about Amazon.com and Amazon.com customer service via "My Account" or the homepage. But it looks like your Amazon Prime Store Card is totally managed by Synchrony Bank. It's a Synchrony website where you can Manage Your Amazon.com Store Card or Amazon Prime Store Card Account Online.
So Ask Amazon Customer Service for a refund of your Prime subscription if you don't want it - they'll probably help you out. And ask Synchrony Credit for help with the card and associated charges.
posted by reeddavid at 2:05 PM on July 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Dispute the charges, dispute the collection agency, dispute dispute dispute. Google how to dispute the collection agency, they might not even "own" the debt after two months, this part may be a scam. Agencies contact you if you are late on credit card payments as if you can pay them, instead.
posted by jbenben at 3:08 PM on July 3, 2017
posted by jbenben at 3:08 PM on July 3, 2017
jbenben it doesn't sound like this is a debt to be disputed with a collection agency. The OP opened a credit account, charged something to it, and hasn't paid it off yet. If they refused to pay indefinitely, Synchrony Bank would surely close their credit account and sell the debt to a collection agency. But from the info provided that hasn't happened yet.
posted by reeddavid at 4:32 PM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by reeddavid at 4:32 PM on July 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: You signed up for an amazon credit card, not amazon prime.
The credit card bill was for the Prime.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 4:42 PM on July 3, 2017
The credit card bill was for the Prime.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 4:42 PM on July 3, 2017
Once you pay this off (if you go this route) you'll likely get back the 35 points you lost off your credit score pretty quickly.
posted by Unsomnambulist at 12:18 AM on July 4, 2017
posted by Unsomnambulist at 12:18 AM on July 4, 2017
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posted by ShooBoo at 8:26 AM on July 3, 2017 [2 favorites]