The Actress

[binary_star]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> nobody is disputing what was taken from the card, I presume.

Actually I asked them to clarify this as I couldn't make out their response. I provided a tab number and various financial references to identify the transaction but unfortunately they decided to stop replying to my emails after that :(

[*Bob*]

binary_star Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Are you saying you would tell your card provider

> you *hadn't* left your card behind the bar when

> you had?

I think you're said it best yourself: "I'd have to weigh up the relative balance between what I'd have to gain, how likely it would be that I'd get 'found out' and that weird barometer that nobody cseems to be able to quantify called conscience."

Well there it is. Not so black and white after all !

[JohnL]

I set a limit - and expect to pay that limit - especially if it's a

group of people.

I ask they inform me when the limit is reached.

When they say 'no surplus' then I get suspicious generally if I KNOW

I paid more/was short changed and missed it at the time.

binary_star Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Absolutely Sue, I was probably more annoyed at

> myself than The Actress to be honest. What annoyed

> me later was their email reply: "we didn't have a

> surplus in takings".

>

> I wasn't sure what this meant!? And that was

> literally all the explanation I got.

>

> If their response had been more along the lines of

> : "look love you don't have the receipt I'm really

> sorry but there's not much we can do" then I would

> have found that more acceptable. But what they

> seemed to be implying was that no-one on their

> side had made a mistake and/or I was lying. Which

> I can understand would be their default position

> but I also know that transaction was only meant to

> cost ?25-30. I know that because it was the only

> time we had visited the Actress in months and it

> was specifically for my partner's birthday.

>

> Anyway, all businesses keep a record of

> transactions (for their accountants) and it would

> be relatively easy to trace the transaction given

> that I provided a tab number, transaction ID, bank

> reference and authorisation code.

>

> The fact is either the bar staff entered the wrong

> amount or I paid someone else tab and the Actress

> aren't interested in refunding me because it would

> mean losing around ?30.

>

> Like I said, lesson learned.

[binary_star]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> binary_star Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Are you saying you would tell your card provider

>

> > you *hadn't* left your card behind the bar when

>

> > you had?

>

>

> I think you're said it best yourself: "I'd have to

> weigh up the relative balance between what I'd

> have to gain, how likely it would be that I'd get

> 'found out' and that weird barometer that nobody

> cseems to be able to quantify called conscience."

>

>

>

> Well there it is. Not so black and white after all

> !

That was a direct reply to your analogy regarding insurance fraud not about putting a card behind the bar. As I said above, the analogy doesn't really extend because the pub would just say "yes you did" if it ever went to court (and the penny transaction whatnot would likely verify this wouldn't it?). So there would be no point lying to your card provider because you'd get found out immediately but it's unlikely that a burglar (if caught) would say to the insurers: "oh and she left her windows open!". So it's not black and white. Most things rarely are.

[*Bob*]

I think perhaps you're taking the hypothetical to literal conclusions.

My only point was 'are there any circumstances under which you might not tell your financial provider/insurer everything'? A - Yes, if you don't think it has made a material difference to the outcome but you suspect there's a chance they might shaft your claim on a technicality.

[MrBen]

I've been cloned twice after leaving my card behind bars. I know this from my usage profile and the specific circumstances and it wasn't skimmed at an ATM. Once for ?250 to buy tall womens clothes in Dublin, the other ?3k worth of motorcycle parts. Both times the bank has reimbursed me straight away - no questions asked.

Not sure what the issue is here to be honest. If you set up a tab and then pay it, lose the receipt, realise you've been overcharged much later and then , with little evidence expect a refund, you're unlikely to get one.

[*Bob*]

So we're looking for a tall woman with a broken-down motorcycle?

I'll keep my eyes peeled..

[binary_star]

MrBen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you set up a tab and then pay it, lose the

> receipt, realise you've been overcharged much

> later and then , with little evidence expect a

> refund, you're unlikely to get one.

I wasn't expecting a refund I was expecting them not to overcharge me. I did contact them on the off-chance they would refund me out of goodwill and was disappointed with their response (not that they wouldn't refund me but the implication that I hadn't been overcharged).

[Sue]

binary_star Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Absolutely Sue, I was probably more annoyed at

> myself than The Actress to be honest. What annoyed

> me later was their email reply: "we didn't have a

> surplus in takings".

>

> I wasn't sure what this meant!? And that was

> literally all the explanation I got.

>

> If their response had been more along the lines of

> : "look love you don't have the receipt I'm really

> sorry but there's not much we can do" then I would

> have found that more acceptable. But what they

> seemed to be implying was that no-one on their

> side had made a mistake and/or I was lying. Which

> I can understand would be their default position

> but I also know that transaction was only meant to

> cost ?25-30. I know that because it was the only

> time we had visited the Actress in months and it

> was specifically for my partner's birthday.

>

> Anyway, all businesses keep a record of

> transactions (for their accountants) and it would

> be relatively easy to trace the transaction given

> that I provided a tab number, transaction ID, bank

> reference and authorisation code.

>

> The fact is either the bar staff entered the wrong

> amount or I paid someone else tab and the Actress

> aren't interested in refunding me because it would

> mean losing around ?30.

>

> Like I said, lesson learned.

xxxxxxx

Is it possible that you've forgotten drinks? Or that somebody bought drinks in cash which were also put on the card by mistake?

Because ?25 to ?30 seems a relatively small amount to pay for two meals plus drinks, especially round here!

ETA: And if they didn't have a surplus, I assume that means the receipt totals exactly balanced with cash plus card totals, which implies that you weren't overcharged unless the receipt itself was also incorrect for some reason. Or else (and it would be taking coincidence to extremes) another customer/s were undercharged by ?30.

[binary_star]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is it possible that you've forgotten drinks? Or

> that somebody bought drinks in cash which were

> also put on the card by mistake?

>

> Because ?25 to ?30 seems a relatively small amount

> to pay for two meals plus drinks, especially round

> here!

>

No it's not possible - we had two items form the brunch menu (they are only about ?8 each so that's only ?16 for food) and two coffees each. Then we left.

Here's the menu, it's quite cheap: http://www.theactresseastdulwich.com/media/1593/food_menu_actress.pdf

[Sue]

Oh OK, fair enough.

Maybe The Actress could have been a bit more customer-friendly in their communications to you, but I can see their point of view .....