topic Re: Restaurant Scam in Community Chat

Restaurant Scam

Kachina624 — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 21:50:41 GMT

Somebody on the local NextDoor app today mentioned that she'd been to a Thai restaurant and later discovered that the tip she'd put on her CC and the total had been increased significantly. Within minutes, several dozen people chimed in with the same complaint, some at the same place and some at others.

Once woman got an inquiry from the fraud department of her bank wondering if she 8ntrended to leave a 122% tip. Another had the tip changed from $17 to $47, very easy to do. One person bought a gift card at Olive Garden which was empty. The waiter who did the transaction had suddenly quit the same night.

The stories went on and on but the moral is to carefully check your receipts against your bank or CC statements. If you see a discrepancy, immediate file a dispute. Everyone reported getting their money refunded.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Nightowlz — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 21:59:37 GMT

We hardly ever go out to eat. When we do we pay cash.

122% tip? That's pretty good.

Re: Restaurant Scam

patbz — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:03:12 GMT

I tip well but I always tip in cash.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Carmie — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:05:42 GMT

@patbz wrote:
I tip well but I always tip in cash.

Me too. Always

Re: Restaurant Scam

sunshine45 — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:06:02 GMT

we almost always leave a CASH tip for our server. i make sure to either X out (XXXXX) or draw a line through (------) the tip area on both copies.....the restaurant copy and my copy so that they are identical.

luckily, have not had this happen to me.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Kachina624 — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:13:18 GMT

@patbz wrote:
I tip well but I always tip in cash.

@patbz. I always put a big X through the tip line in case someone decides to add one. Could easily be done.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Love my grandkids — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:18:18 GMT

On the rare times late DH would pay with a cc (usually we preferred cash) he would also put an X on the receipt as we ALWAYS tipped the server directly in cash.

My son has always done the same.

Re: Restaurant Scam

BlueFinch — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:35:02 GMT

A restaurant scam is not surprising. Two of the top places where I will not use my credit card are gas pumps and restaurants. It's cash only.

I have a good friend who is married to a detective. When she and I go out to dine, she is cash only, too, and at gas stations.

Her husband has shared the amount of card manipulation, or theft that occurs at those locations. It's mind boggling and only getting worse.

So, I'm someone who does not want us to move into a cashless society, although I see this being pushed on us in the future.

Re: Restaurant Scam

KittySoftPaws — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:47:27 GMT

@Nightowlz We rarely go out to eat, but we too always tip in cash especially after hearing about the fact that servers get taxed on their tips if placed on cards. Doesn't seem right, they make so little and really rely on tips. For that to be taxed is insane.

Re: Restaurant Scam

cheriere — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:10:47 GMT

Wow! That is definitely something I'll remember to check. I most always tip in cash though.

A waitress once told me she preferred cash tips for tax purposes.😃

Re: Restaurant Scam

LizzieInSRQ — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:45:58 GMT

@patbz wrote:
I tip well but I always tip in cash.

Whether you tip in cash or nit, if youbuse your CC at a restaurant, i think @Kachina624 s point is to be surevto check your statement. You have a human being literally physically running your card and some have altered the tip. They could add a tip even if you pay tip in cash.

I was offended when some restaurants have tge point of sale at your table where you have to run your own card at a machine on your table but that looks like a good idea to me now. ( if i was going out which im notbthese days).

Re: Restaurant Scam

lynnie61 — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:49:40 GMT

One time at the Cheesecake Factory we were using two gift cards. Server said the one card was empty. I called the manager over (I checked the balance before going). After about 15 minutes she came back, and said they were very sorry, server mistake. I think the server was trying to get an extra tip the value of the card. We always tip very well in cash. Maybe it was an honest mistake. But I was leary. The server never apologized, or said, I had made a mistake on the card. I think the server was embarrassed that he got caught. If it was a few dollars I may not have cared, but the card had $50 on it.

Re: Restaurant Scam

icezeus — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:52:21 GMT

I always Tip in cash.

In the tip line I also write cash.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Kachina624 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:01:48 GMT

@LizzieInSRQ wrote:
@patbz wrote:
I tip well but I always tip in cash.
@@

Whether you tip in cash or nit, if youbuse your CC at a restaurant, i think @Kachina624 s point is to be surevto check your statement. You have a human being literally physically running your card and some have altered the tip. They could add a tip even if you pay tip in cash.

I was offended when some restaurants have tge point of sale at your table where you have to run your own card at a machine on your table but that looks like a good idea to me now. ( if i was going out which im notbthese days).

@LizzieInSRQ. I atecat several restaurants in Canada where they brought the little machine to the table. I didn't like the waiter standing over me when I entered my PIN number.

Re: Restaurant Scam

patbz — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:28:32 GMT

Along the same train of thought: many years ago I purchased $1000 gift card on behalf of my parents to give my brother as an Xmas gift. One week later he went in to cash it and there was a zero balance. I had also given my brother the receipt for card and he was in his Highway Patrol uniform. Amazing how quickly " mistake" was corrected ( bet an emp!oyee lost his job, at least).

Re: Restaurant Scam

Puppy Lips — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 11:37:09 GMT

Last Fall we ate at a restaurant and when done my husband paid the bill with a credit card on an IPad. There were a lot of items ordered and he did not bother to check the items. Me, being me, asked for a printed receipt before we left. The waiter gave it to me and we left. Looking at it later, I saw an employee had put his discounted meal on our tab. It was for $6.00. I called the restaurant multiple times but there was never any answer. I called our credit card company and they credited the difference. I don’t know if the employee did that on purpose or not, tend to think they did.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Carolina925 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 11:46:35 GMT

There are so many scammers out there and we always have to be diligent. When I go out to a restaurant and am having a good time enjoying a great meal, becoming familiar with the server, checking everything twice isn't always on my mind. Nowadays with most people having financial woes, I suppose it's just easy to get over on people. Morals are definitely lacking and it's a darn shame.

Re: Restaurant Scam

Shanus — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:33:26 GMT

The issue with tipping in cash: Unless you hand the tip directly to your wait person the other staff who clean the table, etc. can take it. You just can't stick money under a glass when you leave. The world has changed.

We add the tip to our check on a charge card and always check our statements each week to catch anything suspicious.

Re: Restaurant Scam

cheriere — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:39:36 GMT

@Shanus wrote:
The issue with tipping in cash: Unless you hand the tip directly to your wait person the other staff who clean the table, etc. can take it. You just can't stick money under a glass when you leave. The world has changed.

We add the tip to our check on a charge card and always check our statements each week to catch anything suspicious.

You're exactly right. I always hand it directly to the wait person.🌸

Re: Restaurant Scam

Sunshine Kate — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:50:16 GMT

@lynnie61 wrote:
One time at the Cheesecake Factory we were using two gift cards. Server said the one card was empty. I called the manager over (I checked the balance before going). After about 15 minutes she came back, and said they were very sorry, server mistake. I think the server was trying to get an extra tip the value of the card. We always tip very well in cash. Maybe it was an honest mistake. But I was leary. The server never apologized, or said, I had made a mistake on the card. I think the server was embarrassed that he got caught. If it was a few dollars I may not have cared, but the card had $50 on it.

That happened to me one time also, but the card had $100 on it.