Fraudulent Credit Card Charges from SpotifyUSA

[sarahfina88]

I have a free account with Spotify. When I go to check my account it specificly shows that there is no credit card account linked with my Spotify account. Now as of last Friday I have a $10.59 charge from Spotify USA on my credit card. I am quite frustrated that there is no way to contact someone and that I have to address this through e-mails. It is concerning that so many people have this issue. I have filed a dispute with my credit card company.

[Peter__]

Have you ever entered your payment details on Spotify (for a trial)? Spotify support will need to investigate by email since they are the only ones who can handle billing issues. However, if you think someone else has used your card without permission, then that is definitely a case for your card issuers fraud team. 

[MarianaEr]

I just got my credit card receipt and I have 10 dollar charge on a credit card I NEVER used with spotify... I had a premium subscription but i canceled it in may and I was using a completely different card..

[scooterkc]

Unauthorized charge on my credit card. I have notified credit card company since Spotify will not respond to messaages left at the phone number associated with the fraudulent charge. I've had a free account since September 2011 and never had this trouble before.

[ck2]

i have had the same problem, i used spotify for like two days but that was on the free trial and i NEVER put my card information into anything and i have a $10 charge on my credit card. can anyone help?

[scooterkc]

The number on my credit card statement is 646-837-5380, however, it always goes to voice mail. I have left countless messages but none returned. I notified my credit card company and don't expect they will have any issues with removing the charge, but they may issue a new credit card in replacement. Just a pain.

[user-removed]

I had TWO $9.99 charges on my credit card ON THE SAME DATE. I have a free account also and have not linked any credit card to my free Spotify account. I contacted Spotify via email cause there is no way to call a live person to discuss these charges. I finally got a response back from Spotify asking me to email them the following info to remove fraudulent charges:
If you’re not sure of any other username or registration email address, I'll need to track down the payment transaction.

To do so, I need the following information:

1. Exact date and time of the transaction, according to your bank statement.
2a. The Bank Answer Authorization Code. This is also known as the Transaction Authorization Code.
2b. If your card is provided by Chase, we will need your 23 digit reference number for the charge. This you can get from Chase.
3. The country of issue of the payment card used.
4. The last four digits of your payment card.
5. The exact amount you were charged (including tax).

The Bank Answer Authorization Code is a unique 6-digit number that every payment card transaction has. Unfortunately, it’s not visible on your bank statement. Please contact your bank to get it.

Once I get this information, I should be able to find the account for you.

Heck no! I reported to my credit card and they removed and blocked any further Spotify charges. Closing my Spotify account now.

[gfelton]

Same issue today, an unauthorized charge of $9.99 to my free account, no credit card on file.  Spotify, you are a hacker's and identity thief's playground.  Done with you.

[MattSuda]

@gfelton 

I suggest you contact support so they can help you

https://www.spotify.com/about-us/contact/contact-spotify-support/

If you get an automated reply email telling you to check the help section or the community, you need to reply back to it.

Support usually replies within 24-48 hours.

[gfelton]

Support at Spotify is not super easy to find.  Once I found them (here, by Google searching "Spotify+fraudulent charges") and reported the problem, they were not able to explain how it happened, and requested additonal personal information which I am reluctant to share.  My bank's credit security tream expressed an opiniion that the problem results from Spotify's business practice of not verifying much information, or sending email confirmation, when a charge request is made.  Someone can request a charge be made to an incorrect credit card account, or a randomly selected account, and Spotify apparently goes ahead and processes the charge.  My bank siad they see a lot of these disputed charges from Spotify.

[gfelton]

I'm curious why Spotify does not have a "contact us" link on their
homepage. Why do users have to dig for customer support and in many cases
rely on the "user community" for answers to questions?

[MattSuda]

@gfelton 

Spotify support usually replies within 48 hours and can help with pretty much anything. Spotify also provides support on Twitter @SpotifyCares 

This community exists so that users can help each other. Most basic questions and problems posted here are answered within 3-4 hours and can be resolved pretty quickly if it is something that doesn't require contact with customer support.

The community is also a fallback. If someone is not getting help from support in rare instances, they can post here and one of the community moderators can also look into their support case and help.

[user-removed]

The same thing just happened to me!

[MattSuda]

@user-removed

If you suspect fraud,

I suggest you contact support so they can help you

https://www.spotify.com/about-us/contact/contact-spotify-support/

If you get an automated reply email telling you to check the help section or the community, you need to reply back to it, even if it's from a no-reply address.

Support usually replies within 24-48 hours.

[goodnessinc]

I suspect a charge from "SPOTIFY USA" with that phone number (646-837-5380) is not a legitimate Spotify charge, and is instead from a scammer.  Call your bank and dispute it.

It happened to me with a credit card I never gave to Spotify, and it does not look the same as legitimate charges I've received from Spoitify on another credit card.

[hpladdd9s]

Nonsense Spotify support is horrific!

[lblader]

Peter,

Have you ever gone to Spotify's website?  Perhaps you have never needed to get in touch with them.  Their website is designed for you not to reach them (or perhaps it was created by a hopelessly clueless egghead who meant well).  Regardless, it doesn't take a brilliant web developer to create a user friendly website; one which clearly gives the user an option to cancel their subscription at anytime, as they claim upon signing up for a 30 day free trial!  Enough said.

[corinnabarrient]

I have just discovered that I have been being billed by Spotify since February of this year for an account I never opened. I just had to open one so I could access this community and attempt to try and find a way to contact someone there to get a refund of all these fraudulent billings but there is no way to contact anyone. How do I go about getting a refund from a company that has no way to contact them?

[MargieMontilla]

My account statement showed that Spotify has been charging me w/ $10.50 for a monthly premium services but everytime i use Spotify, I applied for premium to be free of hearing ads in betweem & so that i can choose songs i only like to listen to, but how come i can hear those pesty Ads? Pls give your preferential attention & do something about this or you might as well credit back all the money that you have been charging to me... Thank you...pls email to me the status to margie_montilla@ yahoo.com

[dzaczyk]

I have the same problem and have received no response from Spotify. I looked back in my bank statements and I have been charged $9.99 monthly for over two years! I had tested the premium and then canceled, also with a different card. HOW DO WE MAKE THIS STOP??