Tag: Credit Card

  • Australian Hotel Bill Extra Charges

    Australia Hotel Charges by Bearman Cartoons

     

    Today is just a small example of some of the funny hotel charges we incurred while in Australia.

    First, I find whether in the States or in Australia, if a hotel charges you for internet access, it will suck.  I almost always have that issue when staying at an Embassy Suites for work.   Don’t nickle and dime me on internet especially if you can’t get some blazing speeds.

    Second, as usual when you eat in a hotel, they always charge you crazy prices.   I have learned how to order ala carte or find a coffee shop near the hotel to save money.  However, my wife had her first encounter with Vegemite and I can be sure there probably won’t be a second.

    GST, or as we in the states like to call sales tax.  But of course where I live it is 6.5%.  There it is 10%.  However, counties and cities in the US add a whole bunch of taxes to hotel stays so as far as overcharging goes, I think we have the Aussies on that.

    Sunday/Holiday upcharge.  OK to be honest this wasn’t at a hotel but rather a restaurant.  See image below:Restaurant-Surcharge-Australia Bearman Cartoons

    I might be able to see a Public Holiday Surcharge but a Sunday one.  Does everyone get paid time and a half on Sundays?   It’s not like they couldn’t have a day off another day of the week.

    Finally the biggest real peeve of mine was the surcharge for using a credit card versus cash or ATM.  I get it at a small retailer but a HOTEL?  This was a first.  I would prefer you surcharge everyone and then tell the people who pay cash, you will give them a discount.  I know it is the same but it seems a bit more honest.

    So any crazy surcharges any of you encountered when traveling?

  • Editorial Cartoon: Credit Card ID

    Editorial Cartoon: Credit Card Identification

    First of all, let me give credit to all you who do recurring characters and multipanels.  This took much longer to do than I anticipated.

    Has anyone else had this conversation with a sales person?  I know everytime I have asked the same question, this is the response I get.  My signature has worn off my credit card due to overuse so I am asked for a photo ID frequently.

    Their response to why they need it never made sense to me as the last panel illustrates.  And guess what, they are wrong.

    According to several sources (see Kiplingers, Consumerist), the reason they ask for a photo ID is because your credit card is not valid unless it is signed.  So the merchant is supposed to compare the signature on your license with the signature on their copy of the receipt.  HOWEVER, they never do that.  They always compare the name (not the signature) on the credit card with the name on the Photo ID. 

    Personally I would be happy if all merchants required photo id and matched the credit card against the ID.  However, funny enough Visa and Mastercard discourage merchants from doing so by saying a Photo ID is not a requirement for purchase as long as the card was signed.

    Sadly, with online purchasing, self-service checkout and even digital signature pads (does anyone’s signature look remotely like their real one on those things), the chances for someone illegally using your credit card is rising.  The good news is you are typically only on the hook for at most $50 assuming you report the fraudulent charges in a timely manner.

    Thoughts?