Dad is the first person to tell me about the Horizon Direct charge on his credit card. He told me about the monthly charge of $39.99 from them. When I researched this and the company and called their number Horizon Direct, I came to know that it is a company that offers up to 60% discount on restaurants. Dad didn’t buy any of their services, but he was automatically enrolled after a purchase from a third-party seller, of some kind of cleaning spray online. I explained to them that Dad was not aware of that enrollment, and they canceled all future transactions and returned the money.
The story doesn’t end here, there are about 8 merchants/companies/services with the name of Horizon Direct. Reddit and Quora are flooded with user comments, where they received an SMS or email late at night from their credit card company about the Horizon Direct charge. This raises a red flag and prompted me to research in-depth, and all I have come to know is contained in this post.
This guide I hope will help you to ascertain the origin of Horizon Direct charge on credit card in your respective cases. I have explained about the charges and what could be possible scenarios in which they could show on your credit card. Read thoroughly and understand.
Know The Horizon Direct Charge
The online users’ reports and my personal research clearly suggest that Horizon Direct charges on your credit card are most likely to be highly suspicious and unauthorized. A legitimate company, with the name Horizon Direct exists, but they only focus on business-to-business sales and don’t do any consumer transactions and they don’t charge individual credit cards.
I researched through the documented cases (recorded by the BBB Scam Tracker, Horizon Credit Union) of “Horizon Direct” appearing as a deceptive charge on credit card statements of many card holders, often associated with several unwanted subscriptions or services.
What Does Horizon Direct Charge On Credit Cards Mean?
A charge mentioned as “Horizon Direct” on your credit card statement must be associated with a specific company or service that uses this name. Scammers use such tricks where they place small, unauthorized charges on numerous credit cards, in anticipation that cardholders won’t notice or dispute such small amounts. If you look closely, these charges often have generic or complicated and misleading descriptions like “Horizon Direct” to avoid detection.
Why Is Horizon Direct Is Charging You? Explanation Of The Charge
Below I have explained some of the highly possible scenarios by which the Horizon Direct charge could show on your credit card. Check, understand, and look for the similarities and patterns in your bank statement;
- Horizon Direct is a private bank that offers an online savings account that attracts a higher interest rate than a normal savings account. They also offer some high-limit credit cards known as Horizon cards. Check if you have subscribed to their services.
- Horizon Direct is a subscription program for a discounted marketplace that offers services ranging from free food to cheap vacations. This program entitles you to exclusive free and discounted deals at many stores you shop from. Offers include lower-cost travel and free food with 50,000 dedicated companies. Did this ring any bell, that in any case, you have subscribed to them?
- Horizon Direct Access is also an Insurance company that provides members referral-free access to several healthcare services and programs. They have one of the largest national doctor networks which gives their members greater flexibility and easy access when choosing doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for medical care. Check your subscriptions and also verify with all those who have access to your credit card.
- Horizon Direct is a sister company of Horizon Designs which is a Graphic designer in Ireland. They offer personalized gifts and homeware. Did you renovate your home sometime back and have used their services, check.
- Horizon Direct is also a Marketing and Design firm, which is located in the US, and offers product development, design, packaging, and marketing services. Check thoroughly and try to recall the chances.
- Now, come to the improvised and innovative scenario where Scammers using all the information from the above mentionined set up fake subscription services under their name “Horizon Direct,” and promise to offer free trials that require your credit card information. After accessing your details, they will keep on charging you for a service that doesn’t exist or is difficult to cancel, and you will keep on wondering about the services mentioned above and where you have spent the money.
How Does Horizon Direct Charge Appear On Credit Card Statements?
Charges from Horizon Direct on your credit card statement might appear in several different formats.
- CHKCARDHORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- CHECKCARD HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- POS Debit HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- POS PUR HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- POS PURCH HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- POS PURCHASE HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- POS REFUND HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- PRE-AUTH HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- PENDING HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- Visa Check Card HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA MC
- Misc. Debit HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- CHKCARD HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- Horizon Car Wash Rockwall TX
- HORIZON DIRECT 2400 KETTNER BLVD
- HORIZON DIRECT 8775956382 CA
- HORIZON DIRECT SAN DIEGO CA
- HORIZON DISTR.-H997 CHANDLER
- HORIZON DISTRIBUTOR-22
- HORIZON DISTRIBUTOR-41 LITTLETON, CO
I have mentioned some other formats for Horizon Direct. If you look closely, you will understand that descriptions mentioned usually include the merchant’s name and in some cases the location, website, or other transaction details. Check for any similar descriptions on your credit card statement and refer to your recent purchases. If the charge is unfamiliar, quickly verify it with your purchase history. (Process mentioned below)
What To Do If The Charge Is Unauthorized?
Credit card scams are causing trouble to many cardholders, with many incidents occurring every other day. Many like my Dad who are inexperienced cardholders fall victim to scams, often lured by fake services or attractive offers. In a relatable scenario, where many people while surfing the internet see malicious ads disguised as download buttons and when they click on them, it would unknowingly subscribe to some service by making a small purchase, and then it will keep on recurring.
Horizon Direct charge on credit cards is one among the many examples, where many people are reporting credit card charges that are not authorized by them. In case you suspect fraud below are some steps that you can undertake further;
Contacting The Horizon Direct
I hope the process above has been able to help you understand the nature of the Horizon Direct charge on your credit card. If you are satisfied it is good, and if you are still unsure, follow the steps further
Here’s how to contact Horizon Direct:
- Visit the official website of Horizon Direct (different services mentioned above, try contacting all) and find their contact details. Make sure that in such cases contact details must only be trusted from official sources.
- You must also meanwhile connect to your friends or family with whom you believe the credit card access is, check with them if they have used your card somewhere at Horizon Direct stores online or offline.
- When you contact Horizon Direct, make sure that whatever the situation is you don’t provide any bank details, and take your time to understand the issue briefly.
Contacting Your Credit Card Company
Another important step is to immediately call your credit card issuing bank and report the incident. Follow the process below;
- Ask them to block your credit card immediately without any delay to avoid any further fraudulent transactions.
- Make sure you only look for customer support numbers on the card involved in the transaction card or the issuer’s website and shall not trust any other sources.
- Mention your concern and provide any requested documents, such as receipts or billing statements, and remember not to provide any details like card number, OTP or PIN of your card.
- You shall get rid of the card involved ask for a replacement card and be cautious in the future.
Conclusion
Social media and community platforms are filled up with millions of reports, and it’s not something good to look at where people are losing their hard-earned money. We at ChargeDecoder have set up a dedicated team to skim such information from the internet and then address it in our posts like this. We hope we help some to get their money back and apply the best practices to stop such happenings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Fake Credit Cards?
Fake credit cards are dummy credentials that are intended to appear valid to a payment system even though they aren’t connected to a funding source. They typically have expiration dates, CVV values, zip codes, cardholder names, and billing addresses.
Can Credit Cards Be Scammed?
Credit card fraud is the most reported and common type of identity theft. With an estimated 1.5 billion credit cards in the U.S. alone, it’s no surprise that millions of people fall victim every year. The most effective way to protect yourself from credit card fraud is by taking preventative measures and staying alert.
Can Someone Charge Your Credit Card Without Your Permission?
A legitimate business can’t charge your card without your permission. It would need to get your authorization first. This holds true whether you’re paying with your smartphone or for any other online card-not-present transaction. However, if your card is compromised then there could be many such scenarios of unauthorized charges.
Also Read – What is 702 SW 8th St Charge On Credit Card
