*UPDATE* FINALLY got it figured out

[Jirel of Joiry]

Well like the title says I was over charged. I have 12 charges from EA and only 6 accounts. my accts came due one on 7/29/2013, three of them on 8/13/13, one on 08/11/13 and one on 8/8/13. So my Amex has one charge on 7/31/13, FOUR charges on 8/02/13, one on 8/11/13, one on 8/12/13 and three on 08/16/13. Plus there are three more PENDING!!! I understand this was a problem in the recent past. Come on EA! Really!?!? Over charge me by $77.94. I am going to audit the rest of my credit card statements and if they've over charged me previously they going to owe me that as well. According the standard accepted accounting practices anything up to one year old I can be reimbursed for; guess my college education is paying off. I will post anything I find, actually hope I don't find anymore.

*UPDATE*

Okay finally talked to someone at EA phone support, they couldn't see where the charges on the 2nd came from, and really had a difficult time linking charges to accts. The reference number on my Amex statement is different from EA's reference number. So I'm sending an email. looks like August is the only month messed up. Now they hard part, unraveling why.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

*UPDATE*

Well it has been 24 hours and NO response from EA. *SIGH* Why am I not surprised? I didn't even get an auto we got your email, email.
It'd be simple if I could talk to someone in billing or with some accounting or bookkeeping knowledge. Heaven forbid EA do something the EASY way....its not as if they're doing it the "Cowboy Way". I think how EA does things is the "No Way Jose, Way". LOL Okay EA `nuff with the California Dreamin' and make with Home Depot style help. Okay folks I'll be here all week, be sure and tip your waiters!!!

 

[Flutter]

My accounts were taken out of my bank (one still pending) at odd times that don't really correspond with my billing dates but I wasn't overcharged.
I was once overcharged for something through Origin and they asked that I wait for the charges to pass before contacting them (from pending).
You may want to email again. You should have at least got a confirmation email.

 

[Speranza]

While banking is a huge issue, 24 hours for a CS department of the size of EA isn't unheard of. Just keep in mind they might not be happy if you have to go through the bank!

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

The two bill deal happens to me every month for each account I have. The way my bank explained it to me (not all banks do it this way) is when EA sends the preautho bill the bank earmarks that money for them and basically sets it to the side as untouchable. 5-7 days later EA hits the account to actually get the $12.99 they are entitled to. But instead of the bank getting the cash that has been earmarked for EA, they give them another $12.99 from the account and then they credit the initial $12.99 that was earmarked and set aside for them. It makes absolutely NO sense for the bank to do that and have raised hell on more than one occasion due to it, but not much you can do with one of the "mega-monster" banks. Hope that was what happened to you and not a glitch in EA's system, which in all honesty would not surprise me. You don't get voted the worst company 2 years straight for no dadgum reason lol

 

[Kayhynn]

I saw a few posts about a similar problem I had below - rejected card even though it billed...here's my current story.

From UOHomeDecor Facebook page where I posted this:

I've had some billing issues. Last month, shortly after I asked about the written tutorials, two of my three accounts billed. One billed to a credit card that was expired (I forgot to change it) and so failed. The second card billed - but was rejected according to EA. According to my credit card company it billed fine. I went round and round with EA till i have from them, verbatim, to contact the credit card company and have the charges reversed because they show it was rejected and would not issue game time.​

​

At this point I was heading out of town and wasn't going to fuss with reactivating my accounts/fixing billing info till I got back in town.​

​

So last week (Sunday, Aug. 11) I went to login to my master account. I am unable to - generic message of username or password is invalid. Now I know my passwords quite well - but still tried my various passwords -nothing worked. Reset password. That had an error and couldn't be completed. Tried again Monday and Tuesday, even contacted support, was told they couldn't help me, contact Origin and reset my account through Origin. That failed.​

​

My third UO account billed Aug. 11 just fine. I have access to that account, everything is on it, so I dont' think the master account has been hacked (and if it had been hacked I wouldnt' get the email to reset the password).​

​

So now it's going on two weeks that I have been unable to access my Master Account or reactivate two of my accounts. I emailed Mesanna Friday and still haven't heard from her.​

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

*UPDATE*

I have heard nothing from EA at all. No acknowledgement of my email, just simply nothing. So I called at 10:00 AM CDT this morning to EA Corporate.
I explained the situation to the receptionist, and ask to whom I should speak. She offered to send an email and said someone should be in touch with me by this afternoon. At 4:00 PM CDT I had heard nothing no email and no phone call. So I called back. When I spoke to receptionist #2 it was 4:12. I told I unfortunately didn't not get receptionist #1's name. She said she knew who it was and connected me with "Julie". I left a polite voicemail. Then I received a call at 4:29 pm from "Milon or Mylan". I had talked with him previously with an issue TWO years ago he was very nice then. Not this time however, he was very "in-your-face" and I was accused of harassing EA employees and threaten with having my accounts "dinged" (his word). He mentioned that apparently Bonnie "Mesanna" Armstrong had either been contacted or would be, I was so upset by that point I am not sure. He wouldn't listen or anything so I just hung up I'm not going to fight with him. So I guess have no option but to close my UO accounts and eat the charges. I am terrified of even trying to talk to anyone at EA. How do I remove my credit card info from the new acct Mgmt. system? I am sitting here just shaking and my stomach is in a knot.

 

[Viper09]

Those extra pending charges always end up disappearing and never go through. Could it likely be that this is simply the first time you actually noticed it? If they can't see where these extra charges are appearing then perhaps the issue is not with EA but with your bank...

 

[Winter]

The two bill deal happens to me every month for each account I have. The way my bank explained it to me (not all banks do it this way) is when EA sends the preautho bill the bank earmarks that money for them and basically sets it to the side as untouchable. 5-7 days later EA hits the account to actually get the $12.99 they are entitled to. But instead of the bank getting the cash that has been earmarked for EA, they give them another $12.99 from the account and then they credit the initial $12.99 that was earmarked and set aside for them. It makes absolutely NO sense for the bank to do that and have raised hell on more than one occasion due to it, but not much you can do with one of the "mega-monster" banks. Hope that was what happened to you and not a glitch in EA's system, which in all honesty would not surprise me. You don't get voted the worst company 2 years straight for no dadgum reason lol

I ran into a gas station while traveling across country whose bank did exactly the same thing... EXCEPT the initial hold charge was $300.00 for each charge!!

There is a scam going around was to put a card skimmer in the CC slot that reads the CC info and stores the info for later retrieval. The old skimmers would cover the slot and look kinda fake, but the newest skimmers fit into the CC slot and are undetectable. I though for sure this is what had happened to me. I called the gas station and then their CC banking center, and got an answer similar to what you wrote. Eventually - about 3 weeks later - the $300 charge was reversed rather than pending. But that also takes $300 out of your CC cap.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

okay, I apologize for not being clearer. the pending charges which there were only 3 of, have dropped off. However my card has been charged 9 times. Actual charges, not pending ones. I believe the dates are in one of my posts. American Express has completely different sections for actual charges and pending charges. I could post screen shots if you'd like. I was told that if you dispute an EA charge with your credit card company they would perma-ban your account. Honestly, I am so shook up I really want no part of EA. I am just so freaked, I mean two lousy calls and I'm supposedly harassing employees. Maybe I should switch majors to Criminal Justice LOL. J/K

 

[Aran]

Close your accounts, never look back.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

Close your accounts, never look back.

Honestly, that's where I am at, Aran.

 

[Lythos-]

Call Am-Ex and explain the situation. They will do a card reversal and go after EA for making fraudulent charges. As big as EA is, Am-Ex is the bigger dog.

As far as closing your accounts, there's a TON of free alternatives to this cesspool. If not you can always buy gametime (one at a time or you'll be giving them even more free money).

 

[BigEv]

Ya I never heard of this. "Dispute EA and perma ban account"......I've heard of this situation u are in though happening to some and people having their banks or cc company go after ea on the extra charges which u will get back if unwarranted and never have their accounts banned.Most it gets fixed for going this route and never happens again but sadly ive heard of it happening along the road again sometimes. Sorry to hear about this and hope it gets resolved. Also if truly an EA rep treated u like that then that is unacceptable and I understand if you would get this resloved and close all accounts. Maybe go to EA human resources and report this behavior? I don't know but goodluck.

 

[Flutter]

Email Mesanna (politely) yourself [email protected]

 

[kelmo]

This is a common practice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_hold

 

[Wenchkin]

I would expect the double charges would be automatically credited back to you if the computers are just checking you have the money and holding it etc. But if your money isn't returned to your account in the next few days, contact your bank and tell them it was an unauthorised payment and that you couldn't resolve the issue with the vendor themselves. They should be able to take the money back if it doesn't correct itself in a few days. In fact you could call them now and tell them what's going on and they'll hopefully sort it out for you.

You can also ask your bank to look at more detailed info about those specific transactions. Sometimes they don't have more details for you, but other times they can tell you more than you'll see on a bank statement about what stage a payment is at and whether it's actually a cleared payment or still pending. You can also ask them to watch for specific transactions happening again too or issue you with a brand new card if you think someone dodgy has your account details, then they haven't got a number that works any more

Wenchy

 

[Airhaun]

I'm having billing issues with Mythic as well. They are charging me an extra$12.99/mo. It's funny, I had no problem getting help with other account issues but have sent 3 emails regarding the billing and haven't received one single email back.

 

[Viper09]

I'm having billing issues with Mythic as well. They are charging me an extra$12.99/mo. It's funny, I had no problem getting help with other account issues but have sent 3 emails regarding the billing and haven't received one single email back.

Is it pending or did both go through?

 

[Zosimus]

Use a pre-paid visa/MC so then issues like this just dont happen. Put so much on near your billing cycle. You can also just buy game-time codes.

 

[Airhaun]

Is it pending or did both go through?

The charges went through, has been happening for a few months now.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

I gave them one more shot, and after TWO WEEKS......NOTHING! A big fat nothing, nada, zip, zero, bupkiss, you get the picture. After being insulted and accused of harassing EA employees, Mylan sent me an email which I nicely answered and provided him with the requested info. I haven't heard a peep from him. I take from reading around here Mesanna isn't reading or answering emails, either. Honestly, I don't have time for EA's total BS. I am back at college and I HAVE to keep my GPA up otherwise they WILL yank my financial aid. I am just simply disgusted at EA's business practices, lack of customer service and apparent lack of ethics. I am not saying every person at EA is this way. I'm talking about EA as a corporation. Honestly and truly as much as I love Ultima Online I HOPE EA ends up in bankruptcy court! They deserve, no, have EARNED it. You don't defecate on you customers and actually expect them to stick around. Sis and I have been toying with closing our accounts since this started, but its hard to say goodbye to longtime in game friends after 12 years. Also we hate to be the catalyst that causes others to leave. I know of at least 5 people that have said if Luc and I go they will go too. I'm really and truly at a loss as to what to do. If I were a male I'd say its like EA is kicking me in the nuts, but I'm a female so I lack the nuts to be kicked in. I just feel beat down and defeated.

 

[Viper09]

If you're in college, an MMO is probably the last thing you'll want to be stealing your time anyhow...

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

Okay as the thread title now states, EA and I now figured it. It has only taken a month. A account specialist called me today. After we looked at the credit card billing dates, EA invoice dates and everything. What we found is that the 4th of July holiday caused a back log in processing the charges. let me break it down for you. Okay the account specialist and I noticed that this happened same time last year. After looking at the calendar this is what we found:

Okay this year 4th of July was on a Thursday, 2012 it was on a Wednesday. So that is Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sun. that no charges were processed. the year before it 5 days nothing processed. So basically it was a holiday backlog that screwed everything up. The account specialist even said if there is going be a billing hiccup its always in July-August. If I had thought about it, it would have hit me. the only thing left to figure out is why they are now billing from the Netherlands. I still wish it hadn't taken a month. EA's customer service still needs a MAJOR overhaul. C'est La vie.

Now I'm off to work on an English paper on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus. Btw, if you haven't seen I recommend the Kenneth Branagh film, which my English Prof. is using as a visual supplement to the novel. It is visually interesting and he stays about 90% faithful to the novel. There are two major diversions from the novel, but a decent film. Anyway wish me well with my writing and I will catch you all down the road.

 

[Ludes]

Use a pre-paid visa/MC so then issues like this just dont happen. Put so much on near your billing cycle. You can also just buy game-time codes.

This what I do.. I only transfer over to the pre-paid card exactly the amount I need to pay my games.

 

[Airhaun]

Over two weeks since Mesanna said she would have this looked into. I haven't received an email or phone call. Just sent my 3rd email to her. It's been over a month since I began requesting assistance resolving this issue.