--> Snipped From http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/f/AP-Y2K-Credit-Cards.html

Y2K Glitch Hits Some Credit Cards

Filed at 3:51 p.m. EST

By The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) -- Buyers beware: Your credit card might get charged more than
once because some merchants failed to update their computer software for the
Year 2000. 

Visa and Mastercard said Friday they have checks in place to catch duplicate
charges, but they suggest that customers review their credit card statements
anyhow. A vast majority of transactions are going through without problems,
they added. 

The problem is being caused by outdated IC Verify software from CyberCash,
which makes electronic transaction processing software. The company offered
free fixes last year, but some merchants didn't get them. 

As a result, merchants using IC Verify are charging customers daily for the
same purchase. For example, a customer's credit card gets charged $400 Monday
for a new color TV purchased that day. The card is again charged $400 on
Tuesday, another $400 on Wednesday, and so on, until the software is fixed. 

About 100,000 merchants use IC Verify. CyberCash spokeswoman Sydney Rubin said
``a significant number'' made the proper upgrades before the new year, though
CyberCash received a flood of calls late this week from merchants still needing
updates. 

The problem came to light late Wednesday when credit card processors began
noticing unusual charges. 

Jack Gribben, a spokesman for President Clinton's Y2K advisory council, said
problems appear to affect mostly smaller retail merchants, because major chains
generally use their own software. 

Smaller businesses were among the least prepared for Y2K. The National
Federation of Independent Business had estimated that up to 1.5 million small
employers did no Y2K preparation. 

Linda Locke, a Mastercard spokeswoman, said duplicate transactions ``crop up
>from  time to time, and in nearly all cases banks are able to catch them ahead
of time and reverse them.'' 

If customers notice any problems, she said, they should contact the bank that
issued the credit card. 

Visa spokeswoman Rosetta Jones said the number of duplicate charges were in the
thousands, out of 100 million transactions each day. 

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