Charlotte Airport Taxi Scam (Davidson: credit card, limo, home)

[explorer123]

I had to take a taxi from Charlotte airport to Davidson last month. Up on arrival at my destination, I expressed my intension to pay the fare using my credit card. The drivers took my credit card and slide it in one those handy things they use. He put $73.50 as total fare and again put $73.50 in the Tips line, which is just above the total line. I thought, he put total amount in tips row by mistake since tips row is just above the total row in the receipt. And the guy can hardly speak English. So I paid him few bucks cash as tips, and signed the receipt with the impression that my CC will be charged for $73.50. Later up on looking at my credit card statement, I found out that the actual charge was $81.

Here what I thought the driver did, he charge the tips to $7.50 from $73.50 and filled-up line below as total to $81.00 (73.50 + 7.50).

I disputed the charge with the CC Company. Hope you guys would learn from my mistake and be careful when use your CC.

[Bramca]

I guess you can look at it as you were lucky that he didn't charge you an additional 73.50 for the tip!!! Which is what I thought you were going to say. Or, that the cabbie didn't have one of those hand swipers that actually steal the numbers from your card and copy your signature so they can later fraudualntly use your account.

I am surprised it costs that much for a one way to Davidson. I can relate to your outrage though. I have so many crappy stories with airport cabbies, including one who left us on the side of the road halfway to our home because he wouldn't stop at an ATM to get cash when we found he didn't take credit or debit cards. He still had the nerve to charge us and was yelling at us on what a wasted trip it was for him. We just wanted to get home. We now order a driver from a limo service who usually brings a town car to transport us to and from the airport. The cost isn't much different and it is worth not having the hassle.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by Bramca

I guess you can look at it as you were lucky that he didn't charge you an additional 73.50 for the tip!!! Which is what I thought you were going to say. Or, that the cabbie didn't have one of those hand swipers that actually steal the numbers from your card and copy your signature so they can later fraudualntly use your account.

I am surprised it costs that much for a one way to Davidson. I can relate to your outrage though. I have so many crappy stories with airport cabbies, including one who left us on the side of the road halfway to our home because he wouldn't stop at an ATM to get cash when we found he didn't take credit or debit cards. He still had the nerve to charge us and was yelling at us on what a wasted trip it was for him. We just wanted to get home. We now order a driver from a limo service who usually brings a town car to transport us to and from the airport. The cost isn't much different and it is worth not having the hassle.

That doesnt seem to far out stretch on price since in the 90's when gas was 1.10 it was about half of that . So double in gas price and the loss of business due to high gas price cab fares it seem about route for today's economic woes. I concur I would apply for a new card for just peace and mind. Good luck with the dispute of charge. Im sure when the C.C company realizes they cannot converse with cab company they will side on your side unless the card company caller happens to speak whatever language that may have been spoken.