This morning I received an email from a company called Reservation Rewards stating that they were going to bill my membership fee to my AMEX and they had the last four digits of my account. This is not a program I signed up for so I called AMEX. They checked my account and told me that it was initiated through Orbitz and that this was a common problem. Apparently (probably buried deep in a disclaimer) they are able to share your information with this company.

AMEX told me that they are working to remedy the situation. So in the meantime, if you purchase anything through Orbitz (I bought an airline ticket to Spain through them last month) you may be authorizing them to share your credit card information with other companies.

Did you click to get a bonus/special offer on the Orbitz site? I've used Orbitz several times and never had a billing from any other company but I avoid those extra offers that always have fees of some sort.

I avoid those too Janis. I'll click on them to see what they're about, but I never agree to pay for rewards.

I'm confused - how does "sharing information" become being billed for a membership fee for Reservation Rewards?

Lots of companies give your name and address to affinity credit cards. I have to always go out of my way to get them to stop mailing.

This sounds like you clicked on something to allow that billing, Orbitz cannot automatically bill you for something you did not accept. I've seen that Reservations Rewards thing on lots of websites, and you have to click on it to agree. It claims to give you some free $10 off on something (or something like that), and so lots of people click to get that, but it signs you up for something, and I know because I've read it, it does say that if you read all the details.

yep - that is what I posted on Jayne's other thread. It is tempting to click on that $10 bonus/discount -- but that actually signs one up for another program.

I've used Orbitz several times and never been billed by some third party - because I've let them keep their $10 . . . . .

This happened to a friend recently. She booked a hotel on Orbitz and shortly thereafter was being charged for some rewards program.

She *thinks* it was a box that was pre-checked and she didn't see it to uncheck it.

Pretty nasty way to drum up business.

That's exactly what happened. I clicked to see what the offer was about and when I saw that you had to pay did not sign up. AMEX told me that just by clicking they sign you up and they are trying to put a stop to it. What a scam.

Priceline has the same thing. I have two recurring payments of $12 each since March and it was because I didn't read the fine print on Orbitz and on Priceline. You know the expression "Fool me twice. . ." Well, that's me. I am an experienced internet user and feel really stupid.

The two companies that are billing me are GreatFun and the other is Shoppers Advantage. Do a Google search on either one and you will see that there have been many consumer complaints.

But if you go to the Priceline page (as I just did) you will see that if you check the 10% box you have a free 30 day membership. If you don't cancel within that time, there is a $11.99 recurring fee.

Anyway, I've canceled both memberships.

Same thing happened to DH. Don't remember how, but saw this strange charge on our credit card bill and found out what it was. Cancelled it but still cost us $20 before I noticed.

Not to change the subject, but... One of these programs worked well for me. I booked 4 tickets round trip London - Tokyo - Beijing - overland to Shanghai - Shanghai to London. Total cost was about $8000. When I was done, it said to click something to save 10%. I clicked an djoined Great Fun and got a check for about $800 back! I was skeptical that they would honor the deal, but they did. Soon after, I cancelled the service and the monthly fee.

I had the same problem, but with a different charge card. I disputed the claim (it was for $10), and that was the end of that.

Good warning, thanks for posting.