Just wanted to give you a heads up that if you've been to this restaurant be sure to check your credit card statements carefully.

We visited Glasgow last September and we recently were notified by our bank that they had noticed some fraudulent activity on our card and were investigating. Sure enough we received our statement this week and there has been a charge by TGIF of $27GBP.

Between that and several instances over the past couple of years of having our debit cards compromised makes me think we should revert to using cash only!

Did you go to TGIF in Glasgow last Sept?? If not I can't see this has anything to do w/ Friday's. Probably someone got your number some other way and then used it in Friday's.

I'm trying to figure out how one charges something to a card in a restaurant without having the actual card with him / her... unless an employee at the restaurant is in collusion.

One precaution would be to save your debit card for ATM use only (or other transactions that require a PIN.) Otherwise, use your credit card. At least then any fraudulent activity wouldn't clean out your bank account.

trophywife - it may be that the restaurant staff is colluding, or it may be that the account number was stolen and used on a counterfeit card.

Thanks, Seamus. I had forgotten that there is an industry dealing in stolen numbers - making new cards. I was thinking of something on a smaller level - that the server who copies a card number would use it to buy off the internet, etc.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, but yes, while in Glasgow last September we ate at TGI Fridays. Our credit card was charged at the time; now 6 months later another charge of 27GBP appears on our statement. In my opinion, it would seem to point to restaurant staff but who knows?

How much was the first charge? If it was also 27GBP it could just have been some sort of mix up/glitch.

If it was a totally different amount - there could be something shady going on.

Some people just ask to be conned (not you).

I've just had a client who tried to pay me by credit cardthrough paypal but it wouldn't go through. He has sent me a cheque instead. To prove that he did attempt to pay by card he has sent me screen prints of his transaction details - with full name and address and all credit card details including the 3 digit security code on the back of the card.

I'll be shredding it of course and sending him an email with a little advice!

While I don't remember the amount of the original charge, it would have been more than 27GBP. It was our bank who initially notified us of the fraudulent activity on our card which they have now cancelled and issued a replacement.