Overcharge Scam
“Do you take credit cards?”
“Si, signora,” the salesman replied.
“How much is this pepper grinder?”
“€12.90.”
So why was the credit card slip made out for 15.90 euros? Accident? Or was this a little scam the market man thought he could pull on an idiot tourist? On a hurried customer, one who might not examine the credit card slip.
This was in Rome’s bustling outdoor market in Campo de’ Fiori, at the large kitchenware stand right next to a man pressing pomegranate halves as fast as he could and selling €6 cups of juice to an endless line of customers.
When I called him on it, the salesman wordlessly handed me three euros in coins. Not sheepishly. Just wordlessly.
Like a pickpocket who silently drops the stolen wallet on the ground. Not me… there it is… no harm done, right?
I can’t say for sure that this was a systematic overcharge scam used—perhaps vengefully?—on customers who have the audacity to pay with a credit card. But I have my opinion…
What do you think?
3 Comments
Good tip for scammers, Craig. I like the way you think! Thanks!
Perhaps a better “whoops, I typed in the wrong number!” scam would have been to charge you €19.20 — swap the 2 and the 9, which seems more plausible than pressing an incorrect number.
Heck, an extra zero, making it €129.00, would probably fly under the radar for many tourists since they’re unlikely to check their credit card statement until they get home.
The merchant loses a few percent on credit card transactions so by giving you €3 in cash he actually lost money. If it were an honest mistake I would expect him to cancel the transaction and re-do it for €12.90 (if the system allowed it) or attempt to put €3 back on your card (like merchants do when you return something). Since he gave you cash without much thought, I assume he was willing to lose the 3% because he will make up for it on the next tourist who doesn’t notice the scam.