QUESTION:

My credit card has been repeatedly charged for DVDs that I've collected in a pile in my living room. I never asked for them and want to send them back. The hitch is that it's been several months. My credit card company says not complaining earlier equals consent. Is this true?

ANSWER:

Yes. If you want to dispute a charge, you must notify your credit card company within 60 days after the date of the statement on which the charge appears. If more than 60 has passed since you were charged for the first DVD, then the credit card company is not obligated to investigate or respond to your complaint.

Although it may be too late to get your money back from the credit card company, all is not lost. Any time you receive unsolicited items in the mail, you are entitled to consider them to be gifts and you are under no obligation to pay. Therefore, you should complain about the DVD company to the Attorney General's office in the state in which the company is located to register your complaint.

And do not forget a more obvious contact: Be sure to tell the offending and offensive DVD company that you are not interested in its wares and request a refund.