Bewa Waiters Adding Tip to Your Credit Card Tab

I recently had dinner at San Francisco restaurant and the total bill for 4
people amounted to about $160 including tips, which I put on my credit
card. I'm pretty sure of this amount though I can't find my copy of the CC
receipt. When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged was $180
instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had been tranformed to an
"8". I then talked to several people about this and one, who has worked at
a restaurant for years, says that this practice is NOT uncommon. He said
that he had done this on a few rare occasions. Basically, a party leaves
either NO tip or a paltry amound and he proceeded to "doctor" the
"written-in" tip amount on the merchant copy.

I have been advised that I should go back to the resto and ask to see the
merchant copy and check if it had been altered but for $20, I'm not sure if
it's worth the time and effort, though I am tempted to this just based on
principle.

This whole incident has me bothered because I begin to wonder how many times
in the past that unauthorized amounts have been added to my restaurant bill
without my knowing. it, especially since I've been told by people who have
worked in restaurants that this is fairly common practice.

My question is: has this happened to anyone? For people who have worked in
restaurants, would you say this practice is NOT that rare?

Personally, I have learned my lesson. From now on, I will my copy of the CC
receipt and write in the amount of the tip and the total.

Any and all comments welcome.

Cesar Neri wrote:
I recently had dinner at San Francisco restaurant and the total bill for 4
people amounted to about $160 including tips, which I put on my credit
card. I'm pretty sure of this amount though I can't find my copy of the CC
receipt. When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged was $180
instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had been tranformed to an
"8". I then talked to several people about this and one, who has worked at
a restaurant for years, says that this practice is NOT uncommon. He said
that he had done this on a few rare occasions. Basically, a party leaves
either NO tip or a paltry amound and he proceeded to "doctor" the
"written-in" tip amount on the merchant copy.

I have been advised that I should go back to the resto and ask to see the
merchant copy and check if it had been altered but for $20, I'm not sure if
it's worth the time and effort, though I am tempted to this just based on
principle.

This whole incident has me bothered because I begin to wonder how many times
in the past that unauthorized amounts have been added to my restaurant bill
without my knowing. it, especially since I've been told by people who have
worked in restaurants that this is fairly common practice.

My question is: has this happened to anyone? For people who have worked in
restaurants, would you say this practice is NOT that rare?

Personally, I have learned my lesson. From now on, I will my copy of the CC
receipt and write in the amount of the tip and the total.

Any and all comments welcome.

Call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

"Cesar Neri" wrote:
When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged was
$180 instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had
been tranformed to an "8." snip

This happened to me once, about 15 years ago. Luckily, I had
kept my original receipt and the CC issuer corrected the charge.
But altered charge slips are small change when it comes to fraud.

Over the years, I've disputed charges for a car rental I never
made, a pizza delivery I never ordered, a cell-phone I never
had, and a couple of purchases at stores I never went to. The
CC folks were fairly promptl in reversing the charges.. =R=

"Rog'" wrote in message
...
"Cesar Neri" wrote:
When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged was
$180 instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had
been tranformed to an "8." snip

This happened to me once, about 15 years ago. Luckily, I had
kept my original receipt and the CC issuer corrected the charge.
But altered charge slips are small change when it comes to fraud.

Over the years, I've disputed charges for a car rental I never
made, a pizza delivery I never ordered, a cell-phone I never
had, and a couple of purchases at stores I never went to. The
CC folks were fairly promptl in reversing the charges.. =R=
Honest things can confuse, too. A few years ago I got a Visa bill with a
restaurant charge from a place in a different town that I'd never heard of.
I protested, and it was over a month before I heard, but a restaurant we did
eat at had just been bought by that other one, and they began operations
under the other name until they could open new accounts, etc.

Calling does no good! You must write to your credit card company to
complain and challenge a fraudulent charge.

I just did it because a Days Inn motel charged me for one night on
the day I made my reservation in addition to the two nights that I
stayed there.

The manager did not return my call when I complained to the motel. I
then wrote to the credit card company and they reversed the charge.

On 1 Sep 2006 16:07:05 -0700, "PeterL" wrote:

Call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

In message "Cesar Neri"
wrote:

I recently had dinner at San Francisco restaurant and the total bill for 4
people amounted to about $160 including tips, which I put on my credit
card. I'm pretty sure of this amount though I can't find my copy of the CC
receipt. When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged was $180
instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had been tranformed to an
"8". I then talked to several people about this and one, who has worked at
a restaurant for years, says that this practice is NOT uncommon. He said
that he had done this on a few rare occasions. Basically, a party leaves
either NO tip or a paltry amound and he proceeded to "doctor" the
"written-in" tip amount on the merchant copy.

I have been advised that I should go back to the resto and ask to see the
merchant copy and check if it had been altered but for $20, I'm not sure if
it's worth the time and effort, though I am tempted to this just based on
principle.

Stupid advice. If you go to the restaurant they'll likely give you the
tip back. If you contact your credit card company and dispute the
charge, you'll end up with the whole thing.

At that point the restaurant can sue you or go after you for theft of
services, but since you only canceled a fraudulent charge, you've done
nothing wrong -- It's not your fault the restaurant failed to put
through the authorized charge, although you would be obligated to pay
them back IF they follow up. Most won't.

--
The Dalai Lama visited the White House and told the president that
he could teach him to find a higher state of consciousness.

Then after talking to Bush for a few minutes, he said,
"You know what? Let's just grab lunch."

-- Bill Maher

"Cesar Neri" wrote in message
...

I have been advised that I should go back to the resto and ask to see the
merchant copy and check if it had been altered but for $20, I'm not sure
if it's worth the time and effort, though I am tempted to this just based
on principle.

No, what you should do is to make sure that you don't lose
your copy until it has appeared on your statement.

You will have difficulty disputing the charge without it.

tim

On 2006-09-02 01:50:46 -0400, DevilsPGD said:

In message "Cesar Neri"
wrote:

I recently had dinner at San Francisco restaurant and the total bill
for 4 people amounted to about $160 including tips, which I put on my
credit card. I'm pretty sure of this amount though I can't find my copy
of the CC receipt. When I got my next CC statement, the amount charged
was $180 instead of $160. It's almost seemed like the "6" had been
tranformed to an "8". I then talked to several people about this and
one, who has worked at a restaurant for years, says that this practice
is NOT uncommon. He said that he had done this on a few rare occasions.
Basically, a party leaves either NO tip or a paltry amound and he
proceeded to "doctor" the "written-in" tip amount on the merchant copy.

I have been advised that I should go back to the resto and ask to see
the merchant copy and check if it had been altered but for $20, I'm not
sure if it's worth the time and effort, though I am tempted to this
just based on principle.

Stupid advice. If you go to the restaurant they'll likely give you the
tip back. If you contact your credit card company and dispute the
charge, you'll end up with the whole thing.

At that point the restaurant can sue you or go after you for theft of
services, but since you only canceled a fraudulent charge, you've done
nothing wrong -- It's not your fault the restaurant failed to put
through the authorized charge, although you would be obligated to pay
them back IF they follow up. Most won't.

There is such a thing as disputing the AMOUNT of a charge, without
disputing that some amount is due.

Stupid advice. If you go to the restaurant they'll likely give you the
tip back. If you contact your credit card company and dispute the
charge, you'll end up with the whole thing.

At that point the restaurant can sue you or go after you for theft of
services, but since you only canceled a fraudulent charge, you've done
nothing wrong -- It's not your fault the restaurant failed to put
through the authorized charge, although you would be obligated to pay
them back IF they follow up. Most won't.


Stupid advice? Man you have got to one of the dumbest people I have
ever read advice from in a newsgroup......

so lets see, for the sake of a 20 dollar tip, you are going to get
hauled into court, have to repay the resturaunt, plus court fees and
legal bills?

the resturaunt has no obligation to refund any portion fo the bill
beyond the tip amount, and if you have the credit card company reverse
the charge, you have committed a crime. It is not civil, it is
criminal. Most likeley the resturaunt will not press a charge, but
they are certainly going to sue you. And they will win.

I recently(the court action was recent) had a customer reverse charges
on a 250 dollar computer repair bill. Claimed an overcharge of 25
dollars for a power supply. Long story short, he paid 500 bucks to my
lawyer, just under 100 in fees, the origininal 250 dollar bill, plus
interest.

He had to shell out 600 bucks, just for being a cock, which is what
your advice to the original poster is. Yeah, good thing you are here
to point out the "stupid adivce" by providing what can only be called
severely retarded advice.

Chuck

wrote in message
oups.com...

Stupid advice. If you go to the restaurant they'll likely give you the
tip back. If you contact your credit card company and dispute the
charge, you'll end up with the whole thing.

At that point the restaurant can sue you or go after you for theft of
services, but since you only canceled a fraudulent charge, you've done
nothing wrong -- It's not your fault the restaurant failed to put
through the authorized charge, although you would be obligated to pay
them back IF they follow up. Most won't.


Stupid advice? Man you have got to one of the dumbest people I have
ever read advice from in a newsgroup......

so lets see, for the sake of a 20 dollar tip, you are going to get
hauled into court, have to repay the resturaunt, plus court fees and
legal bills?

the resturaunt has no obligation to refund any portion fo the bill
beyond the tip amount, and if you have the credit card company reverse
the charge, you have committed a crime. It is not civil, it is
criminal. Most likeley the resturaunt will not press a charge, but
they are certainly going to sue you. And they will win.

I recently(the court action was recent) had a customer reverse charges
on a 250 dollar computer repair bill. Claimed an overcharge of 25
dollars for a power supply. Long story short, he paid 500 bucks to my
lawyer, just under 100 in fees, the origininal 250 dollar bill, plus
interest.

He had to shell out 600 bucks, just for being a cock, which is what
your advice to the original poster is. Yeah, good thing you are here
to point out the "stupid adivce" by providing what can only be called
severely retarded advice.

Chuck


Different with the dinner check. If you prove the charge was modified after
you signed the tab and you sue, you are going to get your lawyers fees paid,
your dinner paid for and maybe enough money to buy a BMW M5 and the gas to
fuel it to go to dinners that the restaurant will pay for maybe a year.