Advice: Weird Charge On My Credit Card

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

OK, so I logged into my credit card's website today for something, and it has a pane with my recent transactions and there's one made Tuesday for $1.50 from "Wash Post Subscription" followed by the phone number for their subscription department. Obviously, I'm not sweating $1.50, but I find it odd since I (a) do not live in or near The District, (b) have never had a subscription to the Washington Post, and (c) find $1.50 to be the bargain of the century for a Washington Post subscription.
 
 I tried calling the number and spoke to their billing department and they have no record of a charge to my name, address, card, etc. What should I do? My concern is maybe my account number has been compromised, but I checked all my other charges (and have no outstanding authorizations) and can't understand why someone would scam me for a buck fifty. Incidentally, my credit limit on that card was raised yesterday without any notice as well.
 
 Forget it or call the credit card company and freak out over 6 bits?

[miss pretentious]

I'd call the credit card company.
 You know never what the next charge may be.

[Frank Gallagher]

I would call the credit card company.....whoever it is may have run the $1.50 through to see if it works, thinking you may not notice a $1.50 charge, then once it's gone through hit your card bigtime.

[beetsnotbeats]

Call. Small charges like that are sometimes used to check if an account is current. Gas stations typically charge a buck at the pump to make sure a card is good before allowing you to fill up. If you check your account after filling up, you see an authorization for that buck. A couple of days later it changes to a charge for the full amount.

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

They're going to send me a form, and they left a note in the account. Apparently the credit limit increase was some automatic thing, no one requested it.
 
 I have a baaaaaaaaad feeling about this though. I suspect next time I log in I'll have a $7500 charge or some crap like that.

[MonkeyPants]

Call your credit card company NOW.
 
 A similar thing happened to me and to one of my friends.
 
 Some credit card thieves working abroad have started just putting together random strings of 16 digits and running them through legitimate businesses for small amounts to see if the numbers work.  Once they hit upon a strong that works, they start charging bigger amounts.  Be happy you caught it now.  
 
 Tell the CC company this $1.50 is not your charge, tell them to cancel your card and issue a new one.

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by MyraEllen:
  Call your credit card company NOW.
 
 A similar thing happened to me and to one of my friends.
 
 Some credit card thieves working abroad have started just putting together random strings of 16 digits and running them through legitimate businesses for small amounts to see if the numbers work.  Once they hit upon a strong that works, they start charging bigger amounts.  Be happy you caught it now.  
 
 Tell the CC company this $1.50 is not your charge, tell them to cancel your card and issue a new one.

Yeah this is exactly the scenario I have in mind.
 
 I don't really have time for this today, but I'm calling back and telling them to change my account number and issue me a new card. Stupid WaMu.

[walkonby]

use cash.  the digital age will kill us all, just like it tried to in die hard 4.

[miss pretentious]

Originally posted by walkonby:
  use cash.  the digital age will kill us all, just like it tried to in die hard 4.

Cash is for poor people.

[vansmack]

I wouldn't do anything.
 
 And then in a few months report back on how hard it is to reclaim your identity.  I love a good story...

[Frank Gallagher]

Credit cards are for poor people who like to think they're rich.

[nkotb]

Or they're for smart people that actually know how to use them.
 
 

Originally posted by 47 YEAR OLD VIRGIN:
  Credit cards are for poor people who like to think they're rich.

[Vas Deferens]

Are you sure it's not $1.50 for 3 day free trial on a porn website?   :eek:

[walkonby]

Originally posted by wanderlust j. marshmallow:
  Are you sure it's not $1.50 for 3 day free trial on a porn website?       give it away.

[Frank Gallagher]

Originally posted by nkotb:
  Or they're for smart people that actually know how to use them.
 
   

Originally posted by 47 YEAR OLD VIRGIN:
  Credit cards are for poor people who like to think they're rich.

[/b]

Everyone knows how to use them...it's how to manage them that's the problem for the vast majority of Americans.