What to do when privacy laws help scammers hide? | Hacker News Reader

What to do when privacy laws help scammers hide?

2 pointsis_true5 comments

Someone bought something in BookDepository using a prepaid card I have from MercadoPago.

I contacted them about the issue and they (MercadoPago) told me they cannot do anything because I usually buy there. Then I contacted BookDepository and they told me they cannot do anything because even though the scammer is using my CC they cannot provide me any info because I don't know email associated with the scammer's account and they would be breaching a data protection law.

This is the quote from the email I got from BD: "Because of the data protection laws we have to follow - can only reply to and action requests from emails sent from the same email address the order was placed under. Alternatively, we need you to confirm the email address used."

MercadoLibre is known for having a shitty customer service and abusing it's sellers, but BookDepository usually has a good customer support. The problem is they think the customer is the guy that made the purchase with my CC.

It would be funny if it wasn't so expensive. My chats with both MP and BD look like a comedy show.

Does this process make any sense? Shouldn't they at least try to verify what I'm saying? Is there any entity that could intervene in this cases?

Keep trying with Mercadopago to reverse the transaction, since it's also a banking entity in every LatAm country it has presence, you can escalate - for example in Chile there's the Consumer Protection from the ABIF (Association of Banks and Financial Institutions) Also do report the fraud to keep a paper trail.

Next time get a credit card from an actual bank, even if your country has banking laws protecting you from fraud with prepaid debit cards, the insurance and reporting procedure with credit cards is much more streamlined worldwide.

> using a prepaid card I have from MercadoPago

Does the "prepaid card" offer any of the dispute options that a normal credit card offers.

If so, file a dispute with "prepaid card ... from MercadoPago".

Hi. Thanks.

They do, but as I usually buy from BookDepository they told me they cannot offer a refund.

It's in spanish but here's the quote: "Sé que desconoces esta operación, pero vimos que es un comercio en el que tienes consumos frecuentes relacionados a continuación: 53215***"

MercadoLibre is a bit shady when it comes to disputes. I had a problem a while ago with another payment from a purchase I cancelled and the seller reverted the payment, and they still have the money because the operation is marked as a chargeback, which takes 45 days to settle.

> BookDepository they told me they cannot offer a refund.

A dispute through the card is not the same as a refund. Making a large number of assumptions (US Laws, standard US credit card) if the bank that provides the card finds in your favor in the dispute process, they simply take back the money from the merchant and reduce the balance in your account. As well, during the time the dispute plays out, you do not have to pay off any of the disputed balance and the bank can't charge you interest on the disputed balance.

> marked as a chargeback, which takes 45 days to settle.

Yes, that's the result of a dispute decided in your favor, and yes, it is sometimes slow to return -- but return it will, which is better than never returning.

Thanks.

The thing is that as I usually buy from BD they closed the dispute as unfavorable (for me, at least) which I don't understand as that's all the evidence they have.

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