MBNA loves me, la la la la la

I am singing the happy I-got-things-taken-care-of song. A while ago, I was charged for two memberships that shouldn't have been charged, because I used the ShopSafe program. (This is an MBNA feature where you can get a new credit card number that links to your account, with a pre-set expiration date and limit. For any transaction where I just need a credit card number, I would set the expiration date for a month in the future, and the limit to $1.) The idea is that if they do something unauthorized, they a) don't have your real card number, and b) can't charge beyond the limit or it'll bounce, just like if you really did have only $1 left of credit on your card. (Actually, sometimes they let a charge go through anyway, so this is even more effective.)

Well, I signed up for trial memberships and forgot to cancel them, but wasn't too concerned since they wouldn't be able to charge me anyway. Right? Nope, the charges came through loud and clear to the tune of $100. I put in disputes and called people and ranted and raved, but there were two problems. One, the dispute people didn't know anything about ShopSafe. Two, the regular reps couldn't dispute items, because that was the job of the dispute people. So we went round in circles, each rep offering to send me to the other type of rep. And last week I got some papers asking for documentation, even though I said in the dispute that I didn't have any, and my dispute was with MBNA, not the merchant.

Today I logged in to check things like the neurotic that I am, and voila! Two reversals, PLUS 18 cents for finance charges! Woot!

I am very excited. Can you tell? I have had Chase reverse charges for me before (even a couple of times when I didn't recognize my Lingo bill because it didn't say Lingo, it had some other weird company name) but I hadn't used the MBNA card enough to need that service. I'm glad they came through for me.