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To start with, my back hurts, and it's been this way for two weeks now, ever since I pulled a muscle during a not particularly violent sneeze. I've been applying a heating pad to it and that's been helping a lot, but it's still limiting how much I can do, and how long I can sit at the computer to write.
We had to take one of the dogs, Angel, to the vet for surgery last week, because he had a 7cm lump on his right hip. The lab report came in and it's malignant. He's fine for now, but it's going to come back. Fortunately his well being doesn't depend on me, because I couldn't have afforded to take him to the vet in the first place. We've been told to keep an eye on it, and bring him back in at the first sign that it's returning, so they can try to treat it.
And then I got a letter in the mail from the credit union informing me my account is overdrawn, and has been for 30 days. Apparently they sent a previous notice but I never saw it, and since I haven't used my debit card in months I was quite confused. It turns out that when I signed up for a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, Amazon tried to authorize the card and it was declined. I looked through the books they had to offer for about twenty minutes and didn't see anything that interested me, so I never tried to download anything and didn't realize something was amiss. That would have been fine, except they kept trying to authorize the card, almost every day, and the bank charges a dollar every time a debit card is declined.
Now my back still hurts, I'm probably going to be saying goodbye to a sweet, furry friend in the near future, and I'm out $23 that I can't afford. All in all, I feel like crap.
Comments
So sorry for you, Breanna.
We lost two cats to age and disease this year.
Never an easy thing.
As to Amazon... YIKES!
I work for a stock -- IE regular -- bank, used to be a mutual. And we don't charge for failed attempts.
I realize it costs something to process even electronic debits but that fee surprises me.
We offer lots of free online services, as to many other institutions, as they save us MONEY. And offer our depositors conveniences. Win Win as the saying goes.
Now insufficient funds fees, out of network ATM, depositing a bad check, wire transfer fees, fees for making money orders, bank checks... I can see those because those actions cost the bank in one or more ways.
Fees on card transactions, in my limited experience, are mostly when you get money from an ATM that is not in your*network*. And sometimes when you replace a lost or damaged card.
And the debit card providers/processors do charge something for their services. IE Merchants do not get the full 100 cents on the dollar for card transactions.
I thought Credit Unions have generally lower fees than many banks. Guess yours is making up for lower fees somewhere else.
It could also have to do with HOW Amazon is sending the request for payment. Is it credit mode, IE signature based or debit, IE PIN based? Debit mode usually carries fees. Credit does not.
As far as I know this is fairly common as my sister works at a different institution and their cards work in a similar fashion. Much of it is controlled by your institutions data service provider and even the card companies themselves.
I would contact Amazon, note down names, extensions etc, and make sure you have canceled their service. MIGHT even get them to refund the fees they cost you IF you protest politely.
If that fails talk with your credit union and maybe they can refund some of your fees. Worth a try.
Mind you these are generic suggestions. Your institution has its own rules that may vary from my experience.
Hope it gets better.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
sending you big huggles, hon
Huggles!
You have to write to Amazon support.
Explain how you have a problem becauze of their bug.
And you have to complain to your bank as it was not your actions that caused overdraft.
And for companies like amazon or your bank it is usually cheaper to compensate you than to spend money on support person salary...