Dear Abby Reminds Us to Check Our Credit Cards

Dear Abby recently highlighted two problems to be on the lookout for when using your credit card (these happened in restaurants, but they could happen in other places I suppose -- anytime your card is taken out of your sight) as follows:

• Always be sure you get your card back. In this case, the reader had another card given to him while his card went to another person who charged 10 other purchases on it.

• Always look closely at the check. Abby and her husband were charged $2,230 for a meal costing $22.30 because the bill had been rung up incorrectly. (They didn't pay it, they caught it in time.)

These are good reminders IMO. I am often rushed and/or distracted when paying for a meal (I'm trying to calculate a tip while someone is usually talking to me), so I can see how this would happen. Luckily, the person who made the extra charges above did so on accident (he didn't look at his card either), but he could have easily tried to take advantage of the situation (I'm not sure how exactly since the author had his card.) In Abby's case, it's not clear if the restaurant was trying to pull a fast one or not, but if they were, they could have been a bit more discreet, couldn't they?

Anyway, pay attention when you are handing your card back and forth since you never know when an "accident" can occur. One minute of letting your guard down can cost you big-time if it goes the wrong way.

Comments

[David R.]

Absolutely. In early April, I ordered a chicken fingers basket and a beer at a local bar. Paid with my credit card. About a week later when I was updating my net worth chart, I saw my credit card balance was about $30 than it should have been.

The bartender had punched in $45.60 instead of $15.60!! Thankfully I caught it and went back to the bar, where I showed the mistake to the bartender and the manager. They checked their receipts and saw I had indeed signed for just $15.60. I think it was a legitimate mistake; the man had hit the 4 instead of the 1 on the keypad when entering my total. They cheerfully reversed the extra $30, and the bartender offered me a free drink the next time I stopped in.

[Christy]

Same for me. Meal $20.86 was charged $28.86. I didn't keep the receipt, but noticed the amount on my statement did not match what I recorded in my register. I challenged with the credit card company and was refunded the $8.00. Now that's not much, but get this one: I went in for an oil change and they charged me $7,420.15 (I think that's even more than my credit limit on that card). Good thing I noticed right away - the number was the INVOICE number of the oil change form, instead of the price!! They reversed it immediately, but could have been some serious problems if I hadn't reviewed the slip before I left.

[Miss J]

Also check you receipt at the "pay at the pump" gas stations where you swipe your card outside. I was charged $730.46 for a purchase of about $17.xx. They said the battery was low for the machine in the pump, and that produced an erroneous charge. Fortuneately I noticed before I drove away, but still it took a week to get the charge reversed becasue they needed to get a manager involved who wasn't there that day.
So ALWAYS check your receipt before you leave.

[Gary Anderson]

My goal is to pay with cash or a debit card which I can track from a bank account. Although some have said debit cards are not the way to go. I will just try to use cash. I believe young people should make this lifestyle change as well.