Consumer complaint received 2019-11-17
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: DISCOVER BANK (NJ)

I recently applied for and received a Discover card. 

I used it once for a purchase - without incident. 

On Wednesday evening ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I went online to make two purchases. One with XXXX and the other with XXXX I completed the first purchase with XXXX - without incident. 

I started the second purchase with XXXX. 

Whilst I was busy with the second purchase, my phone rang and an automated system asked me to verify whether or not it was I who made the first purchase. 

I completed the automated system advising that it was myself who made the first purchase and continued with the second purchase. 

The second purchase was declined. 

I thought I might have entered the card number erroneously and reentered it. Again - declined. 

I called Discover Card and got a live representative - explained the situation and was told ( for the first time ) that the FIRST purchase had been declined. 

Neither Discover nor the merchant had advised me electronically which immediately erased my positive thoughts about receiving an automated phone call to verify whether or not it was I who was making the purchases. 

I asked the representative to approve the first purchase since ( by now ) I had completed the automated phone verification, responded to their text message regarding the same issue and now, I was confirming ( live ) that it was my purchase. 

No, she said. I would have to start the purchase from scratch for they were NOT able to approve the charge. 

I was annoyed as you can well imagine. 

I asked her to remain on the line whilst I completed the second purchase to be sure that it was approved. She did - and it was approved. 

Then I asked for a supervisor ( hoping to have the first purchase approved ). 

Well - the supervisor was not about to listen to my tale of woe. I was told that I had to make the purchase again from scratch. Clearly I had no choice - I was going to HAVE TO start again. I told the supervisor ( who was unable to assist me with anything ) that I was of good mind to close my account. 

Suddenly he was able to help me. He asked if I would like him to close to the account immediately. I found that to be very unprofessional indeed. All the while this is going on, a friend ( who is a representative of XXXX ) was hearing what was going on and mentioned that is a XXXX representative was arrogant enough to ask a client if he/she could assist in closing the account immediately, that person would be brought to task. 

I told the supervisor that I would close the account when it suited me. He said he was only trying to help. I find that inappropriate. 

You would think that this is the end of my beef with Discover. 

But Wait! 

I took care of the first purchase again from scratch and it was approved this time. 

On Thursday, I now have two messages from the vendor. Guess What! BOTH purchases are now approved and en route to me. So - I have spent double my initial budget. I am going to receive the order twice. When I do, it will be up to me to dispute one of the charges with Discover. Then I am going to have to wait for them to clarify the refund with the vendor which they will not get approved until I, at MY expense, return the items that have been duplicated. 

So tell me - why am I in any way shape or form responsible for all of this nonsense? Who is at fault in this case? Me - the customer / The Vendor / Discover? I did not create this drama and yet, I am the one that has to unravel the drama. 

On Friday night XX/XX/XXXX, I communicated with Discover one more and was advised that I could Not dispute the charge and that I should contact XXXX. 

I did on the telephone number provided. The problem is that the voice mail box is full and one can not get through. I tried to dispute the charge online only to learn that 'since I did not cancel the order 8-hours after placing it - I could not get a refund '. 

Why would I have cancelled the order 8-hours after placing it? I was advised on more than one occasion that the charge had been declined and I would have to replace the order. 

So as I write to you, I have 2 orders winging their way to me from XXXX ( I believe ) and it is up to me to unravel the situation. I did call Discover again and found someone who would listen to me and take action - I believe that the charge will be disputed although even as I write to you this Sunday morning, BOTH charges still reflect on my account. 

Be that as it may, even IF the charge is disputed in my favor, it appears that I am still going to receive the goods twice and when I do, who is responsible for returning those not wanted ( for it is a 100 % double order ) and WHO pays the shipping cost? Not Me! I did not order them twice. and after following explicit instructions from Discover, I refuse to waste my time going to the post office and more so, for paying for shipping items I did not order.