The restaurant warning
Don't get in trouble over a careless mistake.
Restaurants create an unusual scenario for credit card users. In most situations — retail stores, fast-foot places and salons — your credit card never leaves your sight. You hand over the card, watch the employee run it, and it’s returned. There’s no chance of your card getting mixed up with some else’s.
But at restaurants, after you sit down to dinner and then request your bill, the server walks away with your card. It’s out of your sight until the server returns later. It’s not surprising that with all the different cards being shuffled around in restaurants, every once in a while cards get mixed up.
Alfred’s story
I read a story online recently about a family who this actually happened to. A man who went by “Alfred” in a letter reported that he and his family went out to lunch in Maui. It was one of their favorite spots. Just as he’d done many times before, Alfred gave his card to the server, waited patiently for the server’s return, signed the check and put his card back into his wallet.
This man could be considered lucky because he is one of those people who keeps receipts and files them. As he was filing the receipt that night, he noticed an item his family hadn’t ordered on the bill. Upon further scrutiny, he realized the whole check was wrong. He checked in his wallet, and sure enough he not only had someone else’s lunch bill, he had someone else’s credit card.
Tracking down the trouble
Alfred immediately called his credit card company. Ten purchases had been made on his card since that afternoon. The family was able to track down the person who had the card. When Alfred informed the other man that he had his credit card, the man was completely shocked.
This guy had been using someone else’s credit card all afternoon and didn’t even notice. This is not too tough to believe because many credit cards look the same. It is, however, a little bit hard to believe that no one else noticed. I have always thought that the signature on the back of the card or workers asking for ID would keep retailers and other places from letting people use stolen — or in this case just misplaced — credit cards. So whose responsibility is it to make sure you’ve got the right card?
How workers can help
Of course, you are responsible for your credit cards. Ultimately, you will have to pay the bill and you will have to deal with any problems that arise on your account. However, restaurants and other places could get hurt too if charges or cards get canceled.
Many restaurants ask their employees to call the customer by the name on the card. This helps the employee remember who is who, and it raises a red flag for the customer if they’re called by the wrong name. Plus, it’s friendly!
It’s up to you in the end
The most important thing, though, is just to check your card before you stick it back in your wallet. Any time your card goes out of your sight, at a bar, a restaurant, a Jiffy Lube — anywhere — check it before you put it back in your wallet.
