Budget Car Rental / Amex charged me 100x the correct amount. What should I do next?
Hi everyone, looking for some advice from anyone who has dealt with something similar.
I recently rented a car through Budget Car Rental at Adelaide Airport, South Australia. The final invoice closed at $222.54, which I clearly remember seeing at the time of payment, and the invoice also confirms this amount.
However, last night I noticed a charge on my Amex card for $22,254.25 which is obviously 100 times the correct amount. This has now pushed my Amex account well over the credit limit and the account is showing as a negative/outstanding balance because of this incorrect charge.
I contacted Amex last night as soon as I noticed it. They advised me to contact Budget first and see whether they would resolve it. They also said that if Budget does not resolve it, Amex can dispute the charge.
This morning I called Budget Car Rental, and they acknowledged that this is not only affecting me, but also a few other customers from around the same time period. Apparently those customers were also charged 100x the original amount. Budget blamed it on an Amex issue, but the incorrect charge is still sitting on my card nearly 24 hours later.
My questions are:
Could this affect my credit score or credit file, given that the incorrect charge has pushed my card over the limit?
What happens to the extra/fake Qantas points that may have been generated from this incorrect Amex charge?
If Amex disputes/reverses the charge, will they also reverse any related fees, over-limit issues, interest, or other consequences?
Should I wait for Budget/Amex to fix this, or should I escalate this formally now?
Would this be worth lodging a complaint with AFCA, especially if the issue is not corrected quickly?
Is there anything else I should be doing in writing to protect myself, such as requesting written confirmation from Budget and Amex that this was an error?
I have the original Budget invoice showing $222.54, and I also have a screenshot of the Amex transaction showing $22,254.25.
Keen to hear from anyone who has dealt with a major incorrect credit card charge, especially with Amex, Budget/Avis, or AFCA in Australia.