CC Alert on a job

On 8/11 I did a lunch shop. I was given the cc slip, left a 15% tip, signed it, and got my copy. On 8/13 I got an alert from my CC company asking if I'd meant to leave a $20.00 tip. Not! Called restaurant, they sorted it out, and said they'd send a credit. My question? Do I inform my merchandiser of this?

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I would definitely send them feedback on this.

First of all, way to go, CC company.
Secondly, I would definitely let the MSC know, but realize that you'll never be doing that job again.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

@Hoju wrote:

First of all, way to go, CC company.
Secondly, I would definitely let the MSC know, but realize that you'll never be doing that job again.

I don't see it that way. They may not assign you that location again soon, and the person who you shopped will likely not be working there anyhow after the tip theft is verified not to match from your submitted receipt to what was entered into the cc machine. This is exactly what the customer needs to know.

How many customers let that extra $5 padded on the tip go as too much effort to correct and decided to never eat at that franchise again? How many people just would not notice it?

I would call the MSC and ask to speak with the project coordinator. They can tactfully handle this with the customer with a phone call.

I would have called MSC first. Contacting client is against the ICA isn't it? Dispute with cc company wouldve temporarily reversed charge giving MSC time to fix it.

@scanman1 I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say you don't see it that way.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

@Hoju wrote:

@scanman1 I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say you don't see it that way.

I don't see it as an automatic removal from the shopping program for that client. I would think the client would be grateful to be informed of this employee theft.

I'm sure they would, but MSC's are always very quick to cut shoppers from clients, particularly if there's a chance they've been discovered.
Of course, it all depends on the way in which the MSC and the client handle it, but I doubt keeping the shopper's identity a secret will be kind of a low priority for either.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

@Hoju wrote:

I'm sure they would, but MSC's are always very quick to cut shoppers from clients, particularly if there's a chance they've been discovered.
Of course, it all depends on the way in which the MSC and the client handle it, but I doubt keeping the shopper's identity a secret will be kind of a low priority for either.

It all depends on the company. I have reported some details that locked me to a client and were certainly a firing offense and was not removed from rotation for that client and could have gone back to that location in 3 months.

I personally made my own wait time longer after what happened and shopped that location 5 months later and they screwed up as usual and I was not recognized.

@scanman1 wrote:

It all depends on the company. I have reported some details that locked me to a client and were certainly a firing offense and was not removed from rotation for that client and could have gone back to that location in 3 months.

Yes, it all depends on the company. I am just now finishing 'sitting out' for an extra rotation due to an odd occurrence that might well have made us memorable on a restaurant shop. Nothing that anybody did wrong on either the client or the shopper side. Handled by the location like champs, but best to hold back a little while before returning.

I'm thinking you left $2 tip and he put a zero in front of it to make $20. Good job credit card company catching that

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I'm thinking you left $2 tip and he put a zero in front of it to make $20. Good job credit card company catching that

I could not resist typing what you just said "$2" becomes "$0.20" Sounds like the most stupid thief ever.

I know you meant to say after. "$2" becomes "$20.00"

I'd like to know what bank computer looks at the total of a bill and if the tip is way out of whack will flag it?

Sounds like a good flag to use!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2015 12:44AM by scanman1.

@scanman1 wrote:

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I'm thinking you left $2 tip and he put a zero in front of it to make $20. Good job credit card company catching that

I could not resist typing what you just said "$2" becomes "$0.20" Sounds like the most stupid thief ever.

I know you meant to say after. "$2" becomes "$20.00"

I'd like to know what bank computer looks at the total of a bill and if the tip is way out of whack will flag it?

Sounds like a good flag to use!

Well, if the guy wants 20 cents instead of $2 bucks, okay! lol...

Explain please, how does the shopped company know that the error made here was from a mystery shopper. If I went on my own time and it happened to me and my cc company contacted me why is that any different? I don't think the MSC should see this as an issue, imho. Please explain if I am incorrect.

Incognito

silver certified

Overall I have been reasonably impressed by the balance of the CC companies in their fraud detection. It is not unusual for me to use my card for small amounts at similar stores on the same day--such as 5 $10+ charges at 5 grocery stores in the same chain within 3 hrs. That is shops but somehow does not trigger their fraud system.

On the other hand, July 4 I got a fraud alert because there had been an approximately $70 charge at Walgreens followed promptly by an approximately $70 charge at another Walgreens that was declined. Then there was still another declined approximately $70 at Walgreens and an approximately $5 charge declined at some casino in Arizona. But the card company began declining with the second $70 Walgreens and when I looked at the 'pending' transactions on line I was able to disown the $70 first Walgreens that was not mine. A new card was issued and sent out to me promptly. What amazed me was that I had just recently received a new card on the account with a chip. I thought that was supposed to 'talk to the system' to prevent just this kind of stuff if the card was not physically present (and the card was safely tucked in my wallet).

@incognito wrote:

Explain please, how does the shopped company know that the error made here was from a mystery shopper. If I went on my own time and it happened to me and my cc company contacted me why is that any different? I don't think the MSC should see this as an issue, imho. Please explain if I am incorrect.

I would assume that the cc company would be in contact with their 'responsible person' at the restaurant regarding the issue. For all we know, the server may have been decorating the landscape with an extra 0 here or 1 there and so all receipts were being examined based on other card holder complaints. If that was the situation there would be no need for the MSC to be involved or for it to be noted that there was a mystery shopper who got burned in the scam. Since it was a shop, however, it probably is the better part of wisdom to mention it to the MSC, who can mention it to the client if they see fit.

I had the tip error happen a few years ago on a restaurant shop. The owner of the MSC called me, apologized and put me in touch with the restaurant manager, with my permission. It was all straightened out in the end and I was impressed that the owner of the company, I think it was Mike Green, called me personally to address the issue and to be sure it was corrected. He really cared. Of course I still do not buy the manager's explanation that the server got her receipts mixed up and entered the wrong amount on mine...no, I doubt that, but that's not for me to determine anyway. It's probably a pattern they would be concerned about. If it happened again, I'm sure the server would be gone.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

@Flash wrote:

What amazed me was that I had just recently received a new card on the account with a chip. I thought that was supposed to 'talk to the system' to prevent just this kind of stuff if the card was not physically present (and the card was safely tucked in my wallet).

The only way the "Chip & Pin" system will protect you is when you are only inserting the card in a chip slot. They have moved to this in Europe years ago and some retailers refuse to accept a mag swipe card at all. During the transition period here, as long as your card is still mag stripe capable, then your not safe from card cloning. A new law goes into effect beginning October that the cost of fraud shifts from the bank to the vendor for all fraud that occurs on a card that is a chip card that is used in a fraud transaction with the magnetic swipe of that card.

This means that your going to see a mad rush of CC terminals being replaced to include the slot to insert the card and use the chip instead of the mag swipe. You could even be denied a transaction at a terminal if you swipe the mag strip and it will ask you to insert the card in the chip reader slot. Once the smaller retailers are burned a few times, you will see this change happen very quickly even at the mom 'n' pop stores.

Always use the slot if your at a retailer that has the new CC terminal over a swipe.

More information:
[en.wikipedia.org]

@scanman1 wrote:

I could not resist typing what you just said "$2" becomes "$0.20" Sounds like the most stupid thief ever.

I know you meant to say after. "$2" becomes "$20.00"

I'd like to know what bank computer looks at the total of a bill and if the tip is way out of whack will flag it?

Sounds like a good flag to use!

I believe cards have an initial charge upfront, then a second update for the final total (after tips). The difference can probably initiate a red flag if the tip is close to, or more than your bill total.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

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