Credit Card Overcharges

Credit and debit cards are a normal way of life. We use them for everything from large purchases to very small purchases like coffee. The benefits of credit card use are numerous - no need to carry cash, a way to keep track of purchases, even bonus miles. As a result, over the past 20 years credit card use has skyrocketed.

Fraud

An unfortunate result of the explosion in credit and debit card use the potential for fraud. 20 years ago the average credit card holder might make, at best, a handful of credit card purchases in any given month. And even then, the old credit card receipts (remember them?) where paper slips with carbon sheets between them that were filled out by hand and copies sent back to you with the statements each month.

Almost all credit card transactions now are electronic - you don’t get to see your actual receipt, just the numbers reported to the bank, and the average person might charge 5 to 10 transactions a day on their credit cards - which calculates to hundreds of charges a month! Few people take the time to balance their checkbooks each month, or compare credit card receipts to amounts actually charged!

Overcharging Common For "Tip" Transactions

Credit and debit card overcharges are common with credit card transactions involving tips. For instance, if you ate at a restaurant and the bill came to $44.24, you might leave a tip of $9.00, making the total $53.24. You would fill out both copies, sign the receipt, keep your copy and leave the restaurant’s copy there.

Some unscrupulous employees will add an additional tip for themselves on top of your already generous tip. When inputting the credit card charges into their computer terminal, an unscrupulous employee might add an extra couple dollars - say another $3. Now your total is $56.24. Few people save receipts, and few would notice the extra $3 charge added onto their account when they look at their monthly statements.

Fraud, Theft And Stealing

Although only a few dollars per transaction, this behavior is illegal! It is stealing, it is fraudulent, and it is illegal. Unfortunately it happens all too often at restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hair salons, pizza delivery businesses, and many other places that accept tips. Why? Because it’s easy to do, and almost nobody ever misses that extra couple dollars. But it’s illegal!

You Have Rights!

If you are the victim of this overcharging behavior, contact the experienced consumer protection attorneys at the Byrne Law Group today by calling 813-413-6565. Florida law provides remedies - including in instances of civil theft, the right to recover a minimum of $200! Discuss your situation today.