Debit card issues.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

So I went out to dinner at Ruth Chris on Monday. I paid my bill with part cash and $45 on my debit card. And no, I didn't lose my card, it's sitting right next to me.

Yesterday I look at my debit card balance sheet and it's about $450 lower than it should've been. I check the list and the transactions haven't been posted yet. So I called my bank, Wachovia, and they read off all the pending authorizations and they found 3 charges from Ruth Chris, one for the right amount, another for about $35, and another for $386. So I pulled out the number for Ruth Chris and got the manager on a three way call with my bank. The manager looked through his receipts and saw only one charge, the one that was valid for $45. So the hold for the other two charges was taken off my account and everyone's happy, right?

Well I checked my account again today, just to make sure, and there it is, posted, a charge for Ruth Chris for $333.23, which isn't even the same amount as it had been the day before. So I called Wachovia again, furious of course, because the issue had just been resolved yesterday. They said all they could do this time was file a dispute or I could call Ruth Chris and get them to refund my money. I obviously informed them that someone from their bank just talked to the manager there yesterday and the issue was resolved. Of course, no notes were taken by the person at the bank, and the only record was the fact that a hold was taken off of my account.

As it stands now, $333.23 is being held hostage for 5-7 days while a dispute claim goes through my account and I'm waiting for the manager at Ruth Chris to call me back after he looks into the matter. Anyone have any other advice here?

[amazona]

1. be sure to file your dispute in writing

Send copies of your complaint certified mail to Wachovia.

Your rights are not protected if you only complain by phone.

Sounds like you got charged for someone else's big night out. It has taken me way more than 5-7 days to clear up similar complaints so I hope you have better luck than I did. Document everything in writing. You will get your money but it isn't always a quick process.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. I suppose they don't care that I need that money for rent, huh?

[miss_kitty]

3. No they don't care about you in the least. It's your money they care for.

and I can't tell you how important it is to write your bank, within 60 days, as the first poster said. If you don't, you can lose your money.

Start a little notebook. Verify everyone with whom you speak and write it down.

Be polite to the steak house, tell them how shitty this is, and how you feel that you can't trust them to do a transaction correctly, and you won't be back, and you'll tell all your friends. They'll probably give you a Gift certificate for your trouble. If they don't, don't go back and tell all your friends. You made a good start here.

[silverlib]

4. This should not be so much of a chore for the

bank to clear up. I would go to the restaurant personally, and yes, let them know it is a shame that you have to depend on them to clear this up twice, instead of your bank doing their job after speaking with the manager. This is a very reputable restaurant and I'd explain to the bank that you wised they were as reputable! I would change banks over this. I never mind a mistake, but I do mind an institution that doesn't correct their mistakes promptly.

Oops, there's my rant!

[warrens]

5. Is this a Visa or MC branded card?

If so, call THEM and complain. And get back to Ruth's Chris and kick their butt. Someone there put through a charge wrongly, and that is a criminal act.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. Yeah, it's Visa branded.

I didn't even know I could do that. Thanks!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. They may have a dishonest employee who is skimming off debit cards

As a fairly expensive restaurant, Ruth's Chris probably gets a lot of customers who wouldn't notice an extra couple of hundred here and there.

The fact that you have received not one but three unauthorized charges from the same restaurant strongly suggests that they need to take a harsh look at how their employees are using customers' cards.

Definitely go complain to them, and if they balk, be sure to tell them that you will warn everyone you know against going there, because you don't want your friends being bilked.

[skygazer]

7. I would speak to the bank again

I had the same issue once when I was wrongly charged twice for an airline ticket. The bank deposited the amount I was disputing in my account to cover things for me while the dispute was in progress. I would ask if that's an option, and I would ask in a way that would tell the bank it damn well better be! You spoke to the bank immediately and SOMEONE there knows it. Tell them this is causing you financial distress, particularly as it's right before the holidays. If you have to, talk to a supervisor or manager. Be firm.

Whenever you have a dispute with anyone, take down the name of the person you speak to as well as the time and date. It's a bit of a pain but saves hassle when (inevitably) you have to call back and go through it again.

Good luck! :hi:

[ernstbass]

9. Sean Hannity advertises for Ruth Chris - YUK

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. figures.

Crooks work together.

[paula777]

11. Oh & 5-7 days means 5 to 7 business days. Been there, done that, it SUCKS