Bordering on Fraud!?!?!?

[JHEM]

I've purchased a lot of parts from IBM over the past month for some systems I'm refurbishing, something I've been doing for years with nary a problem.

I have always used my AMEX card to pay for the parts. However, last week I received several invoices totalling approx. $500 for my recent purchases.

These aren't the usual follow-ups to the purchase, showing the items, their prices and the method of payment, but real live invoices showing amounts due and threatening various legal remedies available to IBM to collect the monies owed and charge interest should the amounts owing not be paid by XX date.

Thinking I might have suffered a brain-fart when I placed the orders, I checked my AMEX statement for the past month online and, sure enough, there's all the purchases.

The sweet but vacuous YL who answered the accounts support phone when I rang them could offer no explanation for this attempt at double-dipping beyond the fact that they're using a "new" system.

Am I the only one who sees a problem here?

Regards,

James

[benz]

Let me get something clear...so you're getting billed for stuff you didn't (intend to) buy? What do they say when you explain that you're getting charged repeatedly for one item?

If this is the case, then something is VERY wrong and I'd act immediately. Get in touch with someone higher up in the accounting dept. Sounds like you're a pretty loyal customer, so let them know that and see what they can do.

[JHEM]

Let me get something clear...so you're getting billed for stuff you didn't (intend to) buy?

No, no. I wanted the stuff, ordered and paid for it online with my AMEX card and now I'm being billed AGAIN for these items that I've already received and paid for.

The rep I spoke to had no thoughts to offer on the matter and says that my account shows as being fully paid. I wonder how many small businesses will double pay for parts as a result of this "new" system.

Regards,

James

[benz]

[censored], they need to get that straightened out....those kinds of errors might go unnoticed in a small business if their account keeping isnt so careful.

As far as you getting double-charged for your purchases, IBM is committing fraud, whether its a "new system" or they are just getting slack in that dept. Whatever it is, I'd take action as soon as possile, so your issue doesn't get quietly swept under the rug.

If this becomes a battle for you, I'm sorry to hear that a company that makes such excellent products has succumbed to sloppy accounting, in the future I will be VERY careful with any purchases from them.

[DavidNZ]

I'm no lawyer, but to commit fraud I always thought you had to demonstrate intent.

I've had this happen to me several times, but in a different industry (go to an academic conference, buy a few books there, give them credit card number on the spot, charge goes through a few weeks later, I pay the credit card off, still get an invoice a month later).

It's hardly fraud, just an inept accounts receivable division of a company. A quick phone call usually clears it up.

[karn]

IT IS ILLEGAL

And most legal advice would tell you so, they would first try to set the record straight with the offending coorporation and ask them to fix the erroneous charges that were sent to you and, that If this happened again, then the Dept of Fair Trading would be called and possible legal action may be taken against their company for "UNREASONABLE" amount of accounting mistakes.

BTW: More than 69% of North American companies are double billed in any given day, and 47% of these companies pay these invoices without clarification or notice...(Sad isn't it)



ps

@ David, With regards to "INTENT" this usually relates more so to criminal law cases, not normally civil law cases, ( Tort )