Software Purchase Causes Debit Card Problems

Illustration: Harry Campbell

After buying my daughter an Archos 605 Wi-Fi portable video player online, I tried to purchase the $29.99 Web browser required to access Internet content. In two attempts to enter my debit card's three-digit security code, I got an error message, so I finally purchased the browser using a different debit card from the same bank. A few days later, I saw what looked like two $29.99 charges on the first card and $43.10 on the second card, all from Archos. When I called the company to complain, a customer service rep promised refunds for the extra charges (and explained that the higher price on the second card was because I had wandered to Archos's British site and had been billed in euros). When the refunds didn't materialize after four days, I called my bank to dispute the extra charges. The next day I saw that both $29.99 charges and the $43.10 charge had been refunded--but another $43.10 Archos charge appeared on the second card. When I contacted Archos again, the rep said Archos did not give refunds for add-ons. Can you help straighten this out?

Chris Robertson, Grandfield, Oklahoma

OYS Responds: We contacted Archos, and the company's new Web store manager sent Robertson a check for the difference between the correct price and the remaining $43.10 debit. Apparently, part of the confusion stemmed from the fact that two of the apparent charges weren't charges at all. Robertson inadvertently entered an incorrect security code for the first card, and the bank put holds on both transactions. The holds took a few days to clear, but were not actual charges.

Archos says it is working on a redesign of its site that will redirect purchases made using U.S. debit or credit cards to the U.S. store, which should prevent U.S. customers from inadvertently buying from the company's British Web site.

For online purchases I recommend using credit cards rather than debit cards, since the latter have fewer safeguards against disputed transactions.

Also, if you encounter error messages when purchasing anything online, don't assume that the transaction hasn't gone through. Call the card's customer service number if you're in doubt.

Upgrade Loses Features

When Christopher Hill of Miami downloaded an update to the Western Digital Backup software that came with his Western Digital external hard drive, he was unpleasantly surprised to discover that the new version of the program no longer supported the option to password-protect backups. Western Digital support suggested that he use Windows' options for encrypting files and folders.

After we contacted Western Digital, the company sent Hill a copy of Retrospect Backup (which ships with some of its higher-end MyBook drives) and helped him configure the program's password-protected backup feature. Western Digital says it didn't realize that Archos (the same company mentioned in the previous item), which makes Western Digital Backup, had removed features in the update; Western Digital has made the old version available on its Web site.

If you're happy with the free software supplied with hardware, make sure you have a good reason to upgrade it--and complain loudly if you lose features.