Hotels.com - IAN Travel Services fraud, travel, credit card, Francine Zeppa, Fort Myers Florida

I recently found the hotel I wanted to stay at on Hotels.com.  I called the number to book the room for the next night.  I, mistakenly, thought I was calling the hotel.  I booked the room for one night.  At the end of the call was when I was told, "thank you for booking through Hotels.com."  I was surprised but thought oh well, it's done.

I called the number back to cancel due to extenuating circumstances.  I was grateful when I was told the hotel would refund my credit as I was within the 24 hour cancel policy.  I was told that the charges should be reversed within 72 hours.
Two days later I went online to make sure the charge was refunded.  It was but found that at the same time my original transaction was made, so was another charge for $171.90 to IAN Travel Services.  Through further investigation, I found that Francine Zeppa had stayed at a hotel in Santa Barbara, CA on the original night I had made the reservation.  Because the night had passed they could not refund my money.  "So you will just have to make a report with your credit card company for the refund," is what I was told. 

Hotel was in California.  I live in Florida.  The room was rented as I was sitting in my living room making the reservation.  You would think that I had teleportation to be able to get there that fast.

What really bothers me is that I tried to be safe.  I didn't put my credit card information online.  I called them and I didn't use a cell phone or cordless that can be tapped into by a scanner or monitor with high frequency capabilities. 

Needless to say, my credit card company refunded the charges as these thieves knew they would.  Will they search for this culprit?  I don't know.  I hope so.  I would think that they are eating lots of charges for this type of scam.  What does that mean for consumers?  High interest rates.