Strange charge on my credit card from Florida.

There is a charge (hold)  on one of my credit cards for $6.93 from a company called Amerstore.net in Orange Park, Florida.  I've already sent an email to my bank questioning the charge as I have never heard of this company.  It appears to be a photo refinishing store of some type.  I've also left an email at the net site asking them who they are.

Not a lot of information I can find on the internet who this company is other than their website.  If you call their phone number they simply refer you to the website.

I'm really curious as to how this company obtained my credit card as it's never out of my site even in restaurants and when used on the internet I know exactly who I'm dealing with.

At any rate I'll have to wait until my bank responds on Monday.  May have to cancel the card if we can't figure out who they are and have them issue another.

I did receive an email from them this morning saying they would reverse the charge but they needed some more information (real name, address, etc).  They said they could not find any charges listed under "Robert Doe".  I sent them back a reply telling them they could search under "Bobby Doe" as Robert is not my name.  I told them I wasn't willing to give them any other information unless they could explain to me how they had my credit card number.

The charge has settled this morning.  And my bank is aware of the charge. 

I have a pretty good virus and malware detector on my PC so I'm not overly concerned on that one.  Also the phone number on the charge to the bank does match their website.  Plus the website is responding to my inquiries. 

Unless the firm can tell me how they obtained my CC number I'll be having the bank reverse the charge and issue a new credit card Monday.

I'm also doing that as we type.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger 

Your card may be compromised.  This is how thieves start using it.  A couple of small test charges, then if those are OK they'll take it to the limit.

 

You should probably do a security sweep on your computer to see if it's been infected.

Final update:  The email from the amer support requesting information in order to "help" me is worded correctly but on the lines of European/British English rather than U.S.  I have blocked the card and will pick up a new one Monday.   When calling their Orange Park, Florida phone number, the recording is heavily accented English.  I'll just get my bank to reverse the charge.

It's starting to get comical now.  I received an email about 30 minutes that they have refunded 100% of the charge to my account and I should see the refund within two days.  Right.  I'm comfortable that I did the right thing blocking the card.  I suspect rather than a refund they may try putting a charge through.  I'm thinking this amerstore.net is a front for testing stolen CC numbers.  After I talk to my bank Monday I may file a complaint with the Florida AG's office on this firm.  Or maybe FB can go over and ask the "store" what the deal is, although I don't see a physical address for the store. 

Tigger - nothing came up on my computer.

I forgot all about ordering that.  Now I'll have to confess my sins to the CC company.

The reason I love my bank (it's a credit union)  is I already have the new credit card and they reversed the charges immediately back into my account this morning. 

They actually do have 24/7 customer service but after being on hold for 5 minutes I ran out of patience and since probably the only thing they could really do is the same I did online which was to block the card I chose that route instead.

The only strange question they asked me was if I knew anyone from Purdue down there?

The credit union issued me a new card;  The store did issue a credit to my account even before I requested the new card whether because I was asking them to identify who or not I'm not sure.  But I'm very suspicious of the store itself.

I suspect there may be a lot more people.  Many people will ignore such a small charge on their credit card.  I actually look at mine 3 to 5 times weekly online.  A little paranoia perhaps but I caught this charge.

Whether or not the company itself is involved in something a little under the table I can't say.   As long as they made me whole I'm happy.