Is why I always use Amex for online purchases.
There is only one company to deal with so they assume you have a valid point. You will never get stuck with the bill.
Visa & MC all want you to prove it because they have already paid the next person in the chain. Amex goes and researches the problem and covers you anyway.
Actually, thats not entirely correct.
My last job was working for a web based company and did account management and dealt largely with Merchant Services (the go between between the retailer and Visa/MC.) The fact is, Visa sides almost exclusively with the customer, and never the merchant. Visa pays the merchant at the end of the month, so usually you catch them when they haven't paid yet. We actually had cases where we would have merchandise delivered to a customer who would sign for the items then claim they didn't get them, and Visa would side with the customer, no questions asked. Visa values their customer more then the merchant because all Visa has to do is not pay the Merchant. What is the merchant going to do about it? Stop taking Visa?
My point is, if you have been scammed by this company, Visa certainly will protect you. Call and dispute the charge, and Visa gives the merchant 5 business days to reverse the charge. If the merchant fails to do so, Visa does it for them and fines them $20 per transaction. If you know how to deal with Visa, you can easily protect yourself from this. I can't say how Amex does it, since I have never worked with them. The company I worked for did not take Amex because it cost us too much.
