Maybe someone has experienced what I am currently going through with priceline.com and can offer a suggestion....
About 1 month ago I was bidding on 2 airline tickets. My highest bid per ticket was $160. I had been rejected so increased my criteria to open alternate airports etc. When I "tried again" it asked me to enter the last 4 digits of my credit card (2026)which I did. I suddenly get a message congratulating me on having my request of $2,026 accepted per ticket. I was in shock! I NEVER bid such a price considering full coach fare was only $220. I had a very difficult time getting a "live" operator. Finally succeeded and she explained that she had just had a similar call with the exact same experience but their systems were down and I'd have to call back in about 1 hour. In the meantime I sent an e-mail warning them that there was a "glitch" in their system etc. I also tried to call back 1 hour later but this time I was NEVER able to get a live person...just went in circles pushing different buttons (it was an automated only system). Two days later I got a response from my email to priceline.com explaining that they would "consider" refunding the price of the tickets but I would still have to pay $75 cancellation fee per ticket plus the $12.50 cost of fed ex. I was furious....why should I have to pay 1 penny for a mistake that was NOT made by me! Now, one month later they have not credited my credit card anything...I have over $4,200 worth of charges from them (tax,fee,fed ex etc.)I have filed a dispute with my credit card company but other than this HERE I SIT.Of course I know that all purchases with priceline.com are non-refundable and I wouldn't have had a problem with this but for them to pick up on my last 4 digits of my credit card and call this a "bid" should not be my problem. I'm so furious, I don't know where else to turn. I have requested that priceline.com check the bid history so they can figure out for themselves where THEY went wrong.....nothing!
At over $4,200 I could have bought first class tickets and still had money left over. Anyone had a similar situation? Tom

I suspect your credit card company will cancel the charge if you can show them that couch fare is only $220.00 or so. Don't worry. Just state it was a computer error.

Yes, your credit card company should take care of it. If Priceline doesn't respond to them, all of the charges will automatically be credited back to your account. Regardless of who's right, if the merchant doesn't repond to the bank that issues the credit card, the cardholder gets his/her money back.

why don't you try posting your problemon the Priceline Bidding bulletin board - www.biddingfortravel.com
The administrator, Sheryl, is very knowledgable, and should be able to give you some advice.

This is really a shame. I would STRONGLY urge you to contact your credit card company again along with a letter to your state's attorney general's office of business practices outlining what has happened and what you have done. I would send a copy of this letter (via fax with a receipt or certified mail) to Priceline corporate HQ as well. Also, make sure that your credit card company does reimburse you for all of the late fees, etc. which they should do since you're disputing the charge anyway. Good luck.

When this becomes resolved one way or the other.....please let us know what happened. Thanks

Thanks for the suggestions. I went to biddingfortravel.com but unfortunately they won't allow any postings which address the problem I'm experiencing. I guess my best bet is to wait it out while American Express does their investigation. Tom

Tom, I believe you only have 60 days to put this matter in dispute, so you must contact your credit card company now. Call them today (if you haven't already). Then (and this is the really important part) follow up today with a letter. They may tell you on the phone that they'll send you a form to make a written dispute. Don't wait for this, as sometimes they forget to do it. Also, keep a copy of your written dispute. As you might gather from my remarks, in my experience, sometimes the people in the credit card dispute department let things slip through the cracks.

Half of your 60 days has already lapsed, so make this a priority.

Good luck!

Tom,

There is an area (near the bottom of the board, under MISCELANEOUS i think) called "Bidding Glitches and Other Problems", this would be an appropriate area to post your situation.

I had the same thing happen last summer. I was bidding on HNL to Lax for $460. I was excited to see I'd won, but realized the confirmation was for tickets from Lax to San Diego that price! I KNOW it said HNL- Lax. Same as you I had to spend hours finding a human. (1-800-priceline)They told me I had a one time amnesty for my mistake...a chance to buy another ticket, same days but the correct cities. I couldn't get one, so I paid $75 to cancel. My visa Card refused to help, saying the online agreement with Priceline doesn't allow stopping charges. I was furious, but had too much going on at that time to fight further. I'll never use them again.
(PS:I posted this here, but got no help)

I'd like to follow up on the idea that the Visa company can refuse to place a matter in dispute because of its own agreement with Priceline.

The credit card company's obligations regarding disputes, I believe, are a matter of federal law. That ought to trump any contrary provisions in the company's deal with Priceline. Am I incorrect about this?

Federal law requires credit card copnies to investigat disputes and not charge interest while they are investigating.

As so as they can prove the charge was valid(which is probably what priceline would tell them)..then the charge would stand.

The policy is meant to protect consumers against undelivered or defective goods or services. It is npot meant to provied consumers with the ability " just to change their mind"

PErsonallly, I think that Tom's situation is so obviouls an error,,..priceline should just correct it and than him for bringing it to their attention

Tom,

American Express is EXCELLENT in settling disputes. Be glad you booked on AMEX instead of Visa or MC. Their dispute process takes months. AMEX stands by their customers. Unfortunately, VIsa and MC stand by the merchants. Good luck!!

Tom,

I guess you have been lucky.

I have found AMEX to be AWFUL in settling disputes. They seem to side much more easily with the vendor. Maybe it's because they charge companies more than VISA that they "pay them back" by helping them to avoid chargebacks,

Just an aside, I find the comments about Visa/MC siding with the merchant over chargebacks to be pretty funny. I work in the Accounting department of a retail/mail order operation. Believe me, we almost never win in the case of a chargeback. What recourse does the merchant have- not to accept Visa or Mastercard in the future- Hah! Like that will ever happen. The bankcard companies screw everybody because they can get away with it! They don't have to even care about fraud because the Merchants eat the charge, at least in the case of "customer not present" sales.

xxx is right. And it doesn't take months to get a claim settled with Visa/MC. I've received chargeback notices for charges that occurred a week ago!

If your credit card company won't cooperate, change credit cards.

Just a follow up on my big priceline.com mess....Monday I received a phone call from priceline.com and ALL charges will be credited back on to my American Express. Obviously, I'm elated since none of this should have happened in the first place. When I was working directly with pricline.com, they were hell-bent on charging me $75. per ticket ($150.) for a cancellation fee to the airlines. American Express agreed with me that this was ridiculous and really went to bat for me and got everything credited.It's too bad that pricline.com and I couldn't resolve this without involving AmEx....but, whatever works. Thanks for all your support.

I have no mercy for you people booking off the internet, that's what you get, call a real professional whom use can trust with your CC

Dinosaur Marci,
Sure! Be glad to! Love paying way too much when bargains are to be had! Travel agents are only good for cruises, and that's only because the cruise industry is way behind getting the whole Internet thang. It's 2001, dear.

As a P'line fan, I found this fascinating...just wanted to share. Glad to hear Tom finally got satisfaction.