Careful when you give computers away

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

Good thing I was checking my credit card accounts online today. I noticed a $208. charge on a card I hardly ever use. It was dated this morning. I called Capital One immediately and informed them that "Trend Micro" had charged my card (I assume for renewal) and that I had not authorized it. I told them I had given the computer away and to please remove the charge immediately.

What a rigmarole I had to go through to get this done . . . and it won't be really done for another five days. First they wanted me to contact Trend Micro and I advised them that I no longer had their information, as I no longer have the computer. Then I had to give them practically the history of my life to make sure I was the owner of the card. I was switched back and forth and put on hold several times.

I also had to verify a $250 charge from October, 2014, again to prove I was the owner of the card. This was difficult to do online (which is why I think we are better off with paper statements).

Finally they advised they were cancelling the card and giving me a new one with a new account number and it was up to me to check every day for five days to make sure that the charge was removed from my account, which I will of course do. They almost make you feel like it's your fault. Plus needless to say, I could hardly understand the woman's dialect.

I write this as a warning that if you do give a computer to someone, try to make sure there are no programs, such as a virus program like Trend Micro, that are going to automatically charge your account when renewal time comes up. I will warn the person who now has the computer that his Trend Micro program is not going to work for him, as it has to be renewed, or he has to buy another virus program when it stops working. I have no idea how he will take this, but it's the only thing I can do.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

glb613 · ‎03-09-2010

You didn't wipe the drive before giving it away?

Buck-i-Nana · ‎09-28-2010

After I make any purchase that insists on setting to auto-renew, I always go back a few weeks later and edit my payment options and remove the card and mark it to not auto-renew. I don't want anything that's going to charge me a year or more down the road. They can send me an e-mail advising that my subscription is going to expire and I will decide if I want to continue or not.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

On 3/6/2015 glb613 said: You didn't wipe the drive before giving it away?

Of course I did. Totally and completely right down to the factory settings!! How would that stop a credit card company from charging me a renewal fee for the program? They had my credit card number, they didn't need my computer.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

On 3/6/2015 Buck-i-Nana said:
After I make any purchase that insists on setting to auto-renew, I always go back a few weeks later and edit my payment options and remove the card and mark it to not auto-renew. I don't want anything that's going to charge me a year or more down the road. They can send me an e-mail advising that my subscription is going to expire and I will decide if I want to continue or not.

Of course that makes sense, Buck, I just didn't think of it.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

glb613 · ‎03-09-2010

You didn't stop the auto renewal before gving it away?

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

On 3/6/2015 glb613 said: You didn't stop the auto renewal before gving it away?

See my answer to Buck-I-Nana.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

Buck-i-Nana · ‎09-28-2010

On 3/6/2015 Ford1224 said:
On 3/6/2015 Buck-i-Nana said:
After I make any purchase that insists on setting to auto-renew, I always go back a few weeks later and edit my payment options and remove the card and mark it to not auto-renew. I don't want anything that's going to charge me a year or more down the road. They can send me an e-mail advising that my subscription is going to expire and I will decide if I want to continue or not.

Of course that makes sense, Buck, I just didn't think of it.

It's just so easy to forget about the renew.

Thank you for bringing this subject up, it actually is something I think many people have gotten burned with, and more tedious when you no longer have the account info available.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

On 3/6/2015 Buck-i-Nana said:
On 3/6/2015 Ford1224 said:
On 3/6/2015 Buck-i-Nana said:
After I make any purchase that insists on setting to auto-renew, I always go back a few weeks later and edit my payment options and remove the card and mark it to not auto-renew. I don't want anything that's going to charge me a year or more down the road. They can send me an e-mail advising that my subscription is going to expire and I will decide if I want to continue or not.

Of course that makes sense, Buck, I just didn't think of it.

It's just so easy to forget about the renew.

Thank you for bringing this subject up, it actually is something I think many people have gotten burned with, and more tedious when you no longer have the account info available.

Yes . . . fortunately I caught it right away! Thanks again. Smile

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986