Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

We received a bill from FedEx a couple days ago for an envelope we sent recently to a Realtor® in Chicago. The envelope contained a set of four keys and nothing else. It was a standard FedEx issue envelope too, usually reserved for items of half a pound or less. I believe the keys met the criteria.

But the bill that arrived was for $300, something that made Earl’s eyebrows rise in shock. Made my temperature boil too. The explanation on the bill was that the contents of the envelope weighed 300 pounds, and Earl was charged accordingly.

So I spent part of today on the telephone with FedEx, informing the particular associate who fielded my call that I had no intention of paying this bill and that I expected a full study of the discrepancy. I described the situation and the keys in great detail; and, in the end, our account was credited for over $290. It seems that someone tampered with our Airbill along the way, resulting in the extra charges and the extra work for me.

I’m happy with the outcome of the problem, but it reminds me of how vigilant consumers must be these days. And how the burden of proof seems to fall on them, even when it is not their fault.

This is only the latest in reminders. A month or so ago, someone used my VISA fraudulently to purchase penile implants and charge me for the pleasure. I argued and argued with my credit card company about this; after all, why would a middle-aged woman like myself purchase penile implants? In the end, it turned out that the person who had used my credit card without authorization had done so over the Internet and her IP address was not the same as mine. Therein lay the solution to the problem, and I was eventually credited the money that was originally debited against me.

All these situations take time to resolve. And usually it is the time of the unsuspecting victim that is at stake. I value my time and resent having to spend it unraveling the Gordian knots that accompany today’s credit card and charge card society. At the same time, I am resolved to becoming a vigilante force of one in these situations. And maybe I can write the time off at my hourly consultant rate on my next tax return. In terms of lost time and income, it’s worth a try.