topic Re: question about someone changing tip value. in Credit Cards

question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 08:54:44 GMT

i meant to post in general questions sorry about that if a mod doesn't mind moving it for me.

technically this is a debit card question but it's pretty much the same.

so me and my girlfriend went out to eat at a mexican resteraunt sunday the 15th of may, the service was horrible and they placed us right next to the entrance where everyone walks in. the meal came out to be 27.86, i gave them my card to swipe and brought it back so i could sign the receipt at this time i'm already pissed off so i just left a .14 cent tip to make it an even 28.00$. on wednesday the 18th of may I go online and see that they charged me 35.86$. I didn't tip 8$ for **bleep**ty service and i know for a fact i put .14 cents. is there a way to get legal compensation? i know 8$ isn't a lot but it's still fraud.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Awesomely — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:08:15 GMT

Go to the restaurant with your bank statement and card and talk to the manager or the owner and ask for the receipt, match the signature and ask for compensation. Somebody should get fired but it still can be an accident. If they give you crap just call the cops and raise hell. Give updates on the situation if you can, people think they are slick with these cards.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

brian2220 — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:26:35 GMT

Is it still pending or has it posted.
I had the same problem when I put gas in a year or 2 ago I wanted to put 30 but they put a hold on 50 but it after it cleared it was 30

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:35:06 GMT

you need your copy to compare with the one they have on file..second if it's altered the server have a big problem and will be fired. now as a long time ex bartender and server i ask why leave .14 ? oh wait i know <shaking head>

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Woolfman — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:27:50 GMT

If you have your copy. Everyones advice is bad.

If you have your copy. Get a copy of the posted charge and call or go to the police. This is theft/fraud it is a criminal offense and the person that commited this should be thrown in jail.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:15:37 GMT

Hate to be like this, but frankly, I can see how they would be so livid after working their ... off all night, being dog tired, and then looking at that receipt to see that they had basically been serving you for free.

That being said, if they did change the amount, that was dumb as hell. I don't know about jail, but they should be fired. And you should stop eating out. Stick to McDonald's.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Smerri1029 — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:18:09 GMT

Can't figure out why people are criticizing for leaving a piss poor tip. If the service sucks then the person doesn't deserve/earn a tip. You don't leave a tip just to leave a tip, you leave one because your server has earned it.

OP: If I were you, I would go to the restuarant as well as the police. Who knows if you are the first person it's happened to.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:42:54 GMT

Could that restaurant have been one of those that automatically include a gratuity? I'm not a big fan of that policy (automatic tips.) It subsidizes poor performance.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

clocktick — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:04:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Could that restaurant have been one of those that automatically include a gratuity? I'm not a big fan of that policy (automatic tips.) It subsidizes poor performance.

If so, that's a seriously generous gratuity!

Edited to add: usually I see that with parties more than 6 or 8

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:10:41 GMT

I think you can call your credit card company and ask that they look into it. I'd also consider filing a police report and calling the manager.

This is not the case here, but I feel it needs to be said:

BTW, as a former server (yes, that's what they're called), I can tell you that there are plenty of times when I've given excellent service and gotten a crappy tip - frequently the most demanding customers are the stingiest, meanest people. Ask any server how they feel about Sundays and if they feel free to talk, they will tell you that Sundays is when people come in after church, treat you like total crap, demand everything under the sun, don't control their kids, act like they're the only people you're waiting on, leave the biggest mess, and leave you a tract (religious literature about how you're going to hell or how you need to find Jesus) for your trouble INSTEAD OF MONEY. Because, really, *you're* the bad person for working on a Sunday and if only you had heard of Jesus, you'd be better. On late shifts, like at Denny's during bar rush, people will leave you a penny after you give them excellent service. Not all customers, but definitely enough that if you aren't resilient, you won't remain a good server for long.

Also, as a server, you have to really eff up or piss me off to get a crappy tip from me.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

clocktick — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:24:00 GMT

We don't all agree with the OP (and OP, you could've asked to have your seat moved), however, the point is OP's credit card has almost $8 more than what they charged/allowed.

I would wait until it's not pending, see what the real total is, then call your credit card company. I don't see much positive happening by going back to the restaurant. They suddenly may not be able to "find" the receipt. I'm sure you'll get a whirlwind of responses on this one. This happened to my friend once at a deli. I admit, I do not scrutinize my statements after going to restaurants and perhaps I should. Businesses can make a lot of money even charging a $1 more per customer.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Noctilum — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:39:19 GMT

This happens A LOT but before you blow it out of epic porportions I would make sure when it posts that it's the correct amount. If it is not, take your receipt and a copy of your statement and head to the restaurant and talk to the manager. This has worked 100% of the time. Don't get pissed off and rude with the manager. Don't demand that the waiter be fired. That's the restaurants business. Just ask for it to be fixed.

By the way, some advice for what I do:

If I pay with credit and leave a cash tip, I write CASH on the tip line.

If I pay with credit and leave no tip, I write NO TIP or ZERO on the line. Don't put something like 14 cents because they can manipulate the numbers.

If I pay with credit and leave a credit tip, I always leave an amount that makes an flat total, for example, $32.00, so it is easy to spot.

The waiters can easily turn 3's into 8's or 7's into 9's, etc.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:04:05 GMT

Just a note, because this does remove one option:

OP said that he paid with a debit card, not a credit card. That removes the option of going through the credit card company.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

llecs — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:42:55 GMT

We weren't in OP's shoes, but even if service was stellar and I gave a stellar tip and they added a few extra just for kicks, I'd be upset too. Bad service and larceny/theft are two different things and should be viewed seperately in an example like this.

If I had that happen, I would see the manager too. Yes $8 is nothing, but imagine that person doing it to everyone. If I didn't get a refund on the spot I would say that a crime was committed and that I have no choice but to file a police report and see what the manager says now. Just make sure you never go there again.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

DI — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:52:24 GMT

The restaurant can say they misread your writing. I honestly think they made a mistake. Or it could be the bank that made the mistake. Filing a police report isn't necessary. This is something that can be handled by the restaurant's manager. An $8.00 typo isn't worth getting a police involved when it can be handled amongst the parties involved. That's what an educated person would do.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:28:18 GMT

I don't think anyone's advocated not doing something - there seems to be some posters who think that's the case.

Debit cards have fraud departments, too - you can still contest a debit card transaction. Waiting for it to post would probably be a good idea.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:32:18 GMT

@llecs wrote:
We weren't in OP's shoes, but even if service was stellar and I gave a stellar tip and they added a few extra just for kicks, I'd be upset too. Bad service and larceny/theft are two different things and should be viewed seperately in an example like this.

If I had that happen, I would see the manager too. Yes $8 is nothing, but imagine that person doing it to everyone. If I didn't get a refund on the spot I would say that a crime was committed and that I have no choice but to file a police report and see what the manager says now. Just make sure you never go there again.

Assuming it isn't just a temporary hold that will be released when the payment clears, it's either a) a mistake that the manager should quickly remedy, or b) fraud/theft, which is a crime that would require a police report. The amount in question is immaterial, if it's a crime. One patron may be out "only" $8 bucks, but a crook, disguised as a server, has more than likely done it to others, and has plans to do it again... until they get caught.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:37:51 GMT

yeah the payment has cleared for 35.86, there is no way they misread my hand writing for and 8$ tip lol. im about to go up to the restaraunt now. i'll keep you guys posted.

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

laz98 — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:10:01 GMT

please keep us posted! i hate people who think they can get away with that sort of thing. i have no idea how they could possibly have turned .14 into 8.00

also, sorry this got turned into a "you're a crappy tipper" thread

Re: question about someone changing tip value.

DI — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:12:30 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
yeah the payment has cleared for 35.86, there is no way they misread my hand writing for and 8$ tip lol. im about to go up to the restaraunt now. i'll keep you guys posted.

Interesting.. Go get'em!! They are wrong and bold to do something like that if it wasn't a mistake.