I am a merchant trying to help a consumer.
Consumer MC is a friend of mine and MC was trying to help mutual friend SG who is taking care of dying girlfriend.
MC asked me to charge his Wells Fargo Visa card $1,100.00 and give cash to SG. This is not something I would normally do, but given the circumstances it was the humanitarian thing to do.
I got a call from my credit card processing bank saying they were putting the transaction on hold pending backup. After considerable argument with them they ultimately terminated my merchant account.
I told them to return the money to MC's card and they refused saying that MC needed to initiate a chargeback with Wells Fargo, the bank issuing the card.
MC is serving his country in IRAQ and so his mother (also on the account) is handling these matters while he is away. At MC and SG's request, I contacted MC's mother and conferenced the call with Wells Fargo Bank.
Both "MOM" and I told Wells Fargo the whole story and requested that a charge back be initiated to recover the $1,100.00 from the rogue merchant processing bank that terminated my account. The Wells Fargo rep gave me a fax# and a reference # and told me to write a letter and as soon as they received the letter they would issue a provisional credit and process the chargeback.
It is now more than 15 days later and not only have they not returned the money, but they refuse to process the charge back as required by federal law.
It seems very strange to me that when both the merchant and the consumer contact the bank issuing the card both requesting that the consumer get their money back that Wells Fargo Bank would simply play Nancy Regan and "just say NO!".
I have sent the letter repeatedly by FAX and made numerous telephone calls all to no avail.
I am advising MC to see if he can get assistance from JAG, but that may take some time and they really need to get their money back.
If anyone can be of any help, please feel free to contact me.
Thanks and have a GREAT DAY!
Charley
0 comments