Check those credit card statements carefully!
May 2nd, 2006, 12:34 PM
#41
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Chemgirl, that's exactly why we used our Capital One for this trip. And now that I see how efficiently they seem to have cleared up this duplicate charge problem, I'm doubly glad that we did use it!
One question though, our Capital One is a platinum MC so we also used it for the rental car. I'm guessing yours isn't?
One question though, our Capital One is a platinum MC so we also used it for the rental car. I'm guessing yours isn't?
May 25th, 2006, 06:33 AM
#43
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Just returned from Denmark where hotels and restaurants added 3-4% to the bill if we proposed using a "foreign" credit card. They were upfront about it, but we didn't appreciate it. Were we supposed to have the equivalent of $1000 in Danish kroner currency after a four-day stay?
Jul 14th, 2006, 05:54 PM
#44
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Be careful of another scam - a cafe waiter added a zero to our bill total. 30 francs ended up being 300. My husband questioned it and they explained it away (he doesn't speak much French so was difficult to argue it) and we left. He casually mentioned it again in the car, and I took the bill back and they said, 'ohhhh we forgot and wrote it up on 'old francs' " No apology (why expect it when it was done on purpose) and a lot of laughing from others in the cafe. I bet they have laughed all the way to the bank many times. I kept the first bill, the credit slip and the new bill to be sure the credit card bill was correct (which thankfully it was).
Jul 14th, 2006, 05:59 PM
#45
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Krew, do you mean Euro? France doesn't use francs anymore.
But it is always good to look at the total of the credit card bill before signing it. And always keep all of the receipts until you receive your credit card statement so you can compare your receipts to the amounts charged on your statement. So many people don't.
But it is always good to look at the total of the credit card bill before signing it. And always keep all of the receipts until you receive your credit card statement so you can compare your receipts to the amounts charged on your statement. So many people don't.
Jul 14th, 2006, 06:45 PM
#47
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Hi krewn, I have had some interesting ripoffs at the local small city/towns weekly markets in Italy. I have purchased an item, paid for it and received change. The money I received back was conterfeit. So I no longer would buy anything at a weekly market unless I had the exact amount of money to pay for the purchase. Friends in Italy have had the same experience. Usually it has been their husbands that told them "oh, oh, you got cheated" lol.
Jul 14th, 2006, 07:09 PM
#49
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Boy, that was a <u>long</u> time ago! The franc was revalued in January, 1960.
And adding ONE zero on your bill was an obvious ploy, because the revaluation was at the ratio of 100:1. So the "old and new franc" argument didn't hold water, either.
And adding ONE zero on your bill was an obvious ploy, because the revaluation was at the ratio of 100:1. So the "old and new franc" argument didn't hold water, either.
Jul 14th, 2006, 07:24 PM
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krewn, a sweet story which I think I posted some years back on Fodors.
A couple in Italy, two of my many friends there. They are like family to me and my family. I had brought a hostess present but after about three weeks I wished there was something that I could buy for the husband, just a little thank you present. But I couldn't think of a thing. I of course didn't want to buy anthing to personal, he had a cellar of wine etc.
OK, one day his wife and I went to the Friday morning market. I purchased a few items and received the proper change (I thought). This was in 2001 when the Lira was still being used. OK, I received a 10,000 Lira bill in change.
A few nights later while at their house after we had enjoyed wine on their terrace and a beautiful homecooked dinner we went into their library for an evening of conversation etc. The husband suddenly got up, went into another room and came back with a book. He was a collector of all kinds of Italian money. I had not known. He showed me page after page of no longer in circulation Lira. He had been collecting this currency for decades. He turned to one page, looked at me sadly and indicated in Italian "this is the only Lira bill I have never been able to find or buy..when I find it my book collection will be complete".
I looked at the drawing of the Lira in the book, and thought "impossible!". I went to their entry hall, opened up my shoulder bag, my wallet, took out the ten dollar Lira I had received that day from the vendor at the weekly market. Yes indeed, it looked exactly like the drawing in the book.
I walked back into the libray, looked at the drawing again, asked him to close his eyes and hold out his hand. He did. His wife and I held the Lira I had next to the drawing in the book. We almost passed out lol. I put the Lira in his hand and told him to open his eyes.
I wish I had taken a photo of the look on his face. But the memory will be etched in my mind forever.
The ten dollar Lira I had been given had been out of circulation for ages and was not considered "valid" money.
So the vendor thought he was being clever "cheating" me. But this no longer valid Lira completed the collection Lira book for my fried. I truly was able to give him a very special "thank you" present. A strange but beautiful story I will never forget.
A couple in Italy, two of my many friends there. They are like family to me and my family. I had brought a hostess present but after about three weeks I wished there was something that I could buy for the husband, just a little thank you present. But I couldn't think of a thing. I of course didn't want to buy anthing to personal, he had a cellar of wine etc.
OK, one day his wife and I went to the Friday morning market. I purchased a few items and received the proper change (I thought). This was in 2001 when the Lira was still being used. OK, I received a 10,000 Lira bill in change.
A few nights later while at their house after we had enjoyed wine on their terrace and a beautiful homecooked dinner we went into their library for an evening of conversation etc. The husband suddenly got up, went into another room and came back with a book. He was a collector of all kinds of Italian money. I had not known. He showed me page after page of no longer in circulation Lira. He had been collecting this currency for decades. He turned to one page, looked at me sadly and indicated in Italian "this is the only Lira bill I have never been able to find or buy..when I find it my book collection will be complete".
I looked at the drawing of the Lira in the book, and thought "impossible!". I went to their entry hall, opened up my shoulder bag, my wallet, took out the ten dollar Lira I had received that day from the vendor at the weekly market. Yes indeed, it looked exactly like the drawing in the book.
I walked back into the libray, looked at the drawing again, asked him to close his eyes and hold out his hand. He did. His wife and I held the Lira I had next to the drawing in the book. We almost passed out lol. I put the Lira in his hand and told him to open his eyes.
I wish I had taken a photo of the look on his face. But the memory will be etched in my mind forever.
The ten dollar Lira I had been given had been out of circulation for ages and was not considered "valid" money.
So the vendor thought he was being clever "cheating" me. But this no longer valid Lira completed the collection Lira book for my fried. I truly was able to give him a very special "thank you" present. A strange but beautiful story I will never forget.
Jul 14th, 2006, 07:44 PM
#52
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Ditto Neopolitan. In my experience in Europe I always tip in CASH, never add on to the credit card bill . Many times there is not even space in the credit card slip to add on the tip, so doing so will be very confusing. I been told by many waiters, that tips doesn't go the server, but to the business general income. Besides in most of the restaurants in Europe service is included, so why tip more? If the service has been incredible good, leave the tip in cash. Also very, very, very important. Keep all the receipts & check them when receive the statement.
Jul 15th, 2006, 01:42 AM
#53
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Robespierre - it sure was a ploy! - they treated it like a joke - smiles, laughter all around. Not even the pretense of an apology. I'm sure they all had a drink over it after we left. It definitely put a sour note on the first night of our trip! They probably marked how many times they put one over on a tourist by putting notch on the side of the bar!
LoveItaly - what a wonderful story! Isn't it wonderful how some things are meant to be?
LoveItaly - what a wonderful story! Isn't it wonderful how some things are meant to be?
