Mysterious Credit Card Charge

Stephanie Layton is an editorial assistant for PC World. You can send her e-mail at onyourside@pcworld.com.

Somehow Skype, an Internet phone service, charged my credit card $30.75. I had never even heard of Skype until I received my statement. When I sent an e-mail message to the address provided on the company's site, I got only an automated response that was no help. What do I do?

Joseph Benedetto, Cleveland

On Your Side responds: Skype spokesperson Kelly Larabee said that someone illegally acquired Benedetto's credit card number and used it to purchase Skype services. His bank has agreed to reverse the charges.

If you have been a victim of online fraud, immediately contact the financial institution that issued your card. Most banks require that you challenge disputed charges within 60 days. For further protection against fraud, consider upgrading your credit card to one that offers a password system for online purchases. Examples include Verified by Visa and MasterCard's SecureCode.