Credit Card Scams are an all too commonplace issue. The frequency of this doesn't always stem from anyone's laziness or incompetency with safeguarding their stuff. While you may be putting forth your best efforts; there are cracks, loopholes, and technicalities, that can leave you exposed to being exploited by even the most amateur of scammers.
I didn't realize how easily information can be stolen until an incident happened that hit home. While I was reeling from the loss of a colleague, who was my direct report, my friends and I decided to head out to dinner on a Saturday night to lift my spirits a bit. We went to a boathouse in West Orange, NJ and overall we had a great night.
So imagine my surprise when my friend alerted me, six days later that someone at that restaurant had "skimmed" his card information and decided to purchase $8,000 dollars worth of Versace merchandise. I saw the screenshots and was appalled. I immediately went into warrior mode and threatened to sue the establishment.
I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and anger, as I was the one who picked the place. It was all our first time there and I loved the ambiance and the view of the lake. So for that memory to be tarnished like this, didn't sit right with me.
I visited the restaurant the next day and spoke with the manager on shift about the incident. They were very understanding and concerned and I explained the issue while taking care not to directly place blame on our waiter that night, as we really have no proof that it was them.
The manager understood the necessity of addressing this issue and putting this complaint on file.
If the perpetrator gets away with doing this and isn't put on notice it will become a pattern and damage the restaurant's reputation, if this news gets out. I exchanged the contact information for both the on-shift manager and the regional manager with my own as well as my friends'.
