As you embark on your holiday shopping expeditions – and afterwards – please pay particular attention to a trend that has been reported by some shoppers. Some people have noticed that additional amounts, ranging from $10 to $40 (at least according to the incidents I have heard about) were included in their final bill as “cash back” they had requested, when in fact they had requested no such money.
Some believe this is part of a new scam whereby unscrupulous employees at some retail chains are taking advantage of busy, unsuspecting shoppers during this hectic time of the year. Others explain these episodes as simply the malfunctioning of the payment processing machines.
Either way, no one should be out by even one cent in this manner – charged for something you did not request, let alone receive. Not to mention that credit card companies usually impose higher interest rates than usual on these types of cash advances.
Yes, it’s easy to get extremely busy, especially during the holiday season – but please, please, please do yourself a huge favor and take a moment to look closely and carefully at those pads, screens, and/or paper receipts before signing them. And also double-check your receipts afterwards just to be sure you paid for exactly what you intended to purchase.
Just remember to move aside while doing this, particularly if there are others in line behind you, because you know what can happen if you hold someone up, right?
Happy shopping, and be safe out there!
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Great tip. To be honest, I don't check my receipt all the time. I will now. Thanks again Sam.
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