Small charges clobber credit card

Mike L · 10-30-2009, 10:37 AM

Just came across this interesting article: Maybe Amazon and Visa should talk?.

In summary, the writer had his credit card declined because of numerous very small charges appearing on it. The charges werethe fifteen-cents fees imposed by Amazon for PDF and DOC conversions for his Kindle. The credit card company were suspicious, and suspended the card.

Yet another little hassle to keep us on our toes.

kennyc · 10-30-2009, 10:41 AM

Great.....

KlondikeGeoff · 10-30-2009, 01:34 PM

I can feel his pain.

For a long time, Amazon never did charge for these, but when they started, I just gave up transferring by Whispernet, and used the free email system. Takes a few minutes longer, but avoids the aggrivation of all those little charges on my statement.

RobbieClarken · 10-30-2009, 02:24 PM

About 30 seconds after I turned my Kindle on for the first time I got a phone call from my bank asking whether I had authorised a $2 transaction lately. I was a little confused until I realised it was the wireless fee for an Amazon book that had automatically been downloaded to my Kindle.

Pushka · 10-30-2009, 07:23 PM

This is happening a lot as mentioned on the Amazon forum too - buy yourself a gift card - it saves the hassle of the small charges. We must be driving the banks crazy at the moment!

slm · 10-30-2009, 09:01 PM

of course, it Amazon had any sense, they would copy Apple. ITunes would have the same problem, but Apple often doesn't charge through until it gets a reasonable sized transaction.

(I'm told that, typically, the Visa fee for a $.15 transaction will eliminate payment itself.)

Mike L · 11-01-2009, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slm

of course, it Amazon had any sense, they would copy Apple.

The writer of the article (James Fallows) made the same point.

By the way, I emailed Mr Fallows to suggest he use the gift certificate route (although I wasn't certain that the 15-cent charges would be applied to the gift cert rather than the credit card). He wrote back to say that several people had made the same suggestion, and he would give it a try.

10-30-2009, 10:37 AM	#1
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Small charges clobber credit card Just came across this interesting article: Maybe Amazon and Visa should talk?. In summary, the writer had his credit card declined because of numerous very small charges appearing on it. The charges werethe fifteen-cents fees imposed by Amazon for PDF and DOC conversions for his Kindle. The credit card company were suspicious, and suspended the card. Yet another little hassle to keep us on our toes.

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10-30-2009, 10:41 AM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Great.....

10-30-2009, 01:34 PM	#3
KlondikeGeoff Wombat Aficionado Posts: 481 Karma: 733 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Arizona Device: Fire, Kindle1, Sony PRS-500 Reader, Rocket 1100 eBook	I can feel his pain. For a long time, Amazon never did charge for these, but when they started, I just gave up transferring by Whispernet, and used the free email system. Takes a few minutes longer, but avoids the aggrivation of all those little charges on my statement.

10-30-2009, 02:24 PM	#4
RobbieClarken Addict Posts: 371 Karma: 1002274 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Device: Kindle	About 30 seconds after I turned my Kindle on for the first time I got a phone call from my bank asking whether I had authorised a $2 transaction lately. I was a little confused until I realised it was the wireless fee for an Amazon book that had automatically been downloaded to my Kindle.

10-30-2009, 07:23 PM	#5
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	This is happening a lot as mentioned on the Amazon forum too - buy yourself a gift card - it saves the hassle of the small charges. We must be driving the banks crazy at the moment!

10-30-2009, 09:01 PM	#6
slm Fool Posts: 377 Karma: 3557934 Join Date: Feb 2003 Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle PW1, Kobo Glo HD, Nook Glowlight Plus ...	of course, it Amazon had any sense, they would copy Apple. ITunes would have the same problem, but Apple often doesn't charge through until it gets a reasonable sized transaction. (I'm told that, typically, the Visa fee for a $.15 transaction will eliminate payment itself.)

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