An ASE Communications charge on your bank or credit card statement is a billing descriptor linked to ASE Communications, Inc., a Florida corporation registered in Miami since May 2000.1Florida Division of Corporations. ASE Communications, Inc. – Detail by Entity Name If you or another authorized user on the account didn’t buy anything from this merchant, treat it as a potentially unauthorized charge and dispute it with your card issuer under the deadlines explained below.
Who ASE Communications Is
The company’s principal address is 14306 SW 142nd Avenue in Miami, Florida, and its status with the Florida Division of Corporations is active.1Florida Division of Corporations. ASE Communications, Inc. – Detail by Entity Name The Better Business Bureau lists it at the same address under the “Communication” category, with an A+ rating but no accreditation, and a file opened in January 2023.2Better Business Bureau. ASE Communications, Inc. Neither the state filing nor the BBB profile describes what the company actually sells, which is part of why the charge is hard to recognize.
One note on name overlap: a separate, unrelated company called ASE Communications, Inc. operates in Kannapolis, North Carolina as A S E Police Vehicles and sells emergency vehicle equipment.3Better Business Bureau. ASE Communications, Inc. – Kannapolis, NC If the merchant on your statement is in Florida, it’s not that company.
Check Before You Dispute
A few minutes of checking can save a dispute you don’t need to file. Call the number on the back of your card and ask for the full merchant name, location, and merchant category code tied to the transaction. The category code identifies the type of business and can sometimes jog a memory.4Experian. What Are Merchant Category Codes Then ask anyone else authorized on the account whether they recognize it, and search your email for a receipt or confirmation around the date the charge posted.
Billing descriptors routinely differ from the brand name a customer saw at checkout. Visa’s merchant data rules say the descriptor should match the merchant’s “Doing Business As” name, but descriptors are often truncated or use a parent company’s name instead, so legitimate purchases can look unfamiliar.5Visa. Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual A free trial that converted to a paid subscription is another common explanation.
If none of that pans out, treat it as potentially unauthorized. Fraudsters routinely run small transactions through obscure merchant names to confirm that a stolen card is active before trying larger purchases, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency specifically lists small-dollar authorizations as a fraud indicator.6Stripe. What Is Card Testing Fraud7Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Credit Card and Debit Card Fraud
Disputing a Credit Card Charge
Credit card disputes fall under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Send a written dispute to your card issuer within 60 days of the date the first statement containing the charge was sent to you.8FTC. Disputing Credit Card Charges Include your name, account number, the charge amount, the posting date, and why you believe it’s an error. Use certified mail to the billing-inquiries address the issuer designates. Filing through the issuer’s app or website is often faster, but a written notice preserves your legal rights.
The issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days, or two billing cycles, whichever comes first. While it investigates, it cannot try to collect the disputed amount, charge interest on it, or report it as delinquent.9Investopedia. Fair Credit Billing Act Your maximum liability for an unauthorized credit card charge is $50 under federal law, and most major issuers waive even that under zero-liability policies.
Disputing a Debit Card Charge
Debit card transactions are governed by the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E, and the liability caps depend on how quickly you report:
- Report within two business days of learning of the loss or unauthorized use, and your liability is capped at $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers before you notified the bank, whichever is less.10Cornell Law Institute. 15 U.S. Code § 1693g – Consumer Liability
- Report after two business days but within 60 days of the statement, and liability can reach $500.
- Report after 60 days, and you may face unlimited liability for unauthorized transfers that occur after the 60-day window if the bank can show timely reporting would have prevented them.11CFPB. Regulation E – § 1005.6 Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
Notice to the bank can be oral or written. If the investigation takes more than 10 business days, the bank must provisionally credit your account for the disputed amount while it continues, up to a total of 45 calendar days, or 90 days for point-of-sale transactions, foreign transfers, or new accounts.12CFPB. Regulation E – § 1005.11 Procedures for Resolving Errors The bank cannot require you to file a police report or contact the merchant yourself as a condition of opening the investigation.13CFPB. Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs
If the Bank Won’t Fix It
If your issuer or bank denies the dispute or stalls, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau online or by calling (855) 411-2372. The CFPB forwards complaints to the company, which is generally expected to respond within 15 days.14CFPB. Submit a Complaint You can also report the matter to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and if you believe your card details were stolen through an online scheme, to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.7Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Credit Card and Debit Card Fraud While the dispute is pending, ask the issuer to freeze or replace the card so the same number can’t be charged again.