Bad end to a vacation at All Star Sports (long)

[manning]

As a seasoned business traveler, lemme tell ya, once you walk away from the counter getting billing errors fixed is very, very difficult. But if the person at the counter is not fixing the problem right away, your first call (before you talk to the first of many members of management) is to your credit card company and tell them you are disputing the charges, you WILL follow this up with a letter. Do this while standing at the counter. Take copious notes, document the name(s) of every one you deal with, and note the gist of the conversation. Escalate quickly and efficiently, the opening salvo with what ever manager you deal with first is, "who is your supervisor and how do I reach them, I know that you are going to resolve the issue and I want to be able to tell them how you handled this problem so well"

If satisfaction is not quick, write letters, write lots and lots of letters. For a situation like this send everything certified receipt return so that you know they got it and who signed for it (for a $500 loss, the investment in $10 of receipt return mail is minor). Write every level in the offending organization and every level in lateral organizations(these organizations have staff meetings and let’s face it everyone likes to gossip, you increase your odds of being heard if a the offending organization’s rival has a good story to tell at cocktail parties)... and provide a cc list at the end of your letter. In this case, the hotel manager(s) of all the values, VP of resort operations, customer service, and operations for WDW and DL. BBB, FTC, the FL state agency that oversees rides and attractions which I believe is part of agriculture. Throw in the FL attorney general. Tell them the story, as you would tell it here, or to a friend. Include as much detail as possible, and outline what steps were taken to resolve the problem so far, and how this is not yet satisfactory. Include all your contact information, and give a date that you expect to hear from them on this matter before you will escalate the situation further. A deadline, and further embarrassment can be a powerful motivator.

The one thing I will caution you on, it harping on the security tape. The folks you talked to probably don't have access to that level of security, as those cameras are usually more to prevent employee theft then robbery, etc. Once the letters and complaints get to the right level, either they will review the cameras or use other means to determine what really happened. And be consistent, and persistent but above all else polite.

Oh and part of the home work is already done...

http://allearsnet.com/pl/contact.htm

a letter to everyone on that list is a good start.

Fraud Hotline
1-866-966-7226

Office of Attorney General
State of Florida
The Capitol PL-01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050

To contact Attorney General Bill McCollum please email:
ag.mccollum@myfloridalegal.com

http://www.orlando.bbb.org/index.html

I like your style and agree completely.

Don't hesitate and think about it, start doing it...NOW .

 

[manning]

I
And I would have never left the resort without this being resolved.

If you have a flight to catch you may have no choice but to leave.

 

[manning]

I just spoke with my credit card company - they advised it will be difficult to fight as there is no cash receipt. She did indicate that she has requested all of the info from Disney already. They (VISA) can not have the security tapes pulled, she advised that she thought only law enforcement can do that. She did suggest that I contact the Florida Attorney General and the BBB.

Thanks for all your suggestions - I'll keep you updated. And please always remember to get a CORRECT receipt. This may turn out to be an expensive lesson for us.

Is it a Disney Visa card? Someone a few months ago got the same garbage from their CC company. It was a Disney card. It was the same situation.

It came down to Disney couldn't produce a signed receipt and ended up refunding the money.

Did you file the police report yet???

 

[TammiMcMan]

I just spoke with my credit card company - they advised it will be difficult to fight as there is no cash receipt.

You may not have a cash receipt, but Disney doesn't have a signed credit card receipt to produce either. I'd advise keeping your room keys stating "not valid for charging" in a safe place. Just in case you need to produce them. By the way, were you carrying that much cash around with you, or did you happen to use travellers checks? That would certainly have been easier to prove as well.

 

[wen8jr]

She says in another post on here that the paper they gave her was proof of her tickets, not a receipt. She thought it was a receipt all along.

Other than the protection a CC company can offer to you for disputes...it seems to me from the posts on here, people have way more trouble with invalid charges on CC's or DC's than with cash transactions. Most of the time nothing was ever signed. I don't think a signature has to be in place to make the CC charge at hotels, it is only proof they file for their records. I make purchases over the phone to hotels, catalog orders, etc. and they never get my signature but bill my card. Disney has had a big chunk of my money for months and I haven't signed a thing so far.

To me the CC was the problem here, not the cash. If she didn't have the CC for the room, the CM wouldn't ever had the CC number to even use. If she were purchasing tickets at the park gate with cash, she would have handed over cash and got the tickets in hand knowing she paid for what she got. She thought she had that when she walked away from the hotel desk. Why would she have even considered they would charge her CC? I wouldn't have. The whole problem is that there is way too much room for error at these places.

I've always used cash for dining, etc. at parks and only paid for my hotel bill with a CC. I wouldn't even do that if I didn't have to reserve a room with the CC. When vacationing, I stop by a bank or ATM each day and carry small amt of cash in my fanny pack, say $100 or use travelers checks if more. I'm just as scared of identity theft as I am an invalid charge. With cash, they don't get that opportunity.

I guess I'm old school. My co-workers laugh because I don't use debit cards at all. I don't own one. BUT just today one of them had five $31 overdraft charges on their bank account because they were $14 under. He had five Debit Card swipes of $5 or less for cigarettes, McD combo, etc., leading to five overdraft charges before he even caught it. Talk about a sad day... I'll just keep my cash.


GOOD LUCK OP - I hope you get your money back.

 

[G8r4evr]

SueEllen.. once when I was at Pop, I had gotten bug bites (I posted long story on it a while ago), they sent for the EMT for me. They offered to have me taken to the ER or just give me some Benedryl.. comp.. no charge to me. Upon check out, there was an $8 charge for 4 Benedryl tabs..
I never signed for anything. They offered to me, I verbally said yes. They had it delivered to my room about an hour later. They even stressed that it would be comp to me. When I opened the envelop from the door handle on check out day & saw the $8 charge, I had to call down to the front desk to have it removed. At first the front desk thought I purchased it until they read the comments. Once that was done, they removed it. So yes, they can place a charge on withour your consent.

Sure, they can charge your credit card without your consent, but you are no liable to pay that charge unless the business can provide a copy of a receipt signed by the cardholder, agreeing to those charges.

 

[G8r4evr]

You may not have a cash receipt, but Disney doesn't have a signed credit card receipt to produce either. I'd advise keeping your room keys stating "not valid for charging" in a safe place. Just in case you need to produce them. By the way, were you carrying that much cash around with you, or did you happen to use travellers checks? That would certainly have been easier to prove as well.

Exactly.

Im surprised your CC took that stance...the one time I was the victim of credit fraud, my credit card company took action right away and told me not to worry...as long as I hadnt signed anything. If it matters, the card was issued through our local credit union.

 

[G8r4evr]

She says in another post on here that the paper they gave her was proof of her tickets, not a receipt. She thought it was a receipt all along.

Other than the protection a CC company can offer to you for disputes...it seems to me from the posts on here, people have way more trouble with invalid charges on CC's or DC's than with cash transactions. Most of the time nothing was ever signed. I don't think a signature has to be in place to make the CC charge at hotels, it is only proof they file for their records. I make purchases over the phone to hotels, catalog orders, etc. and they never get my signature but bill my card. Disney has had a big chunk of my money for months and I haven't signed a thing so far.

To me the CC was the problem here, not the cash. If she didn't have the CC for the room, the CM wouldn't ever had the CC number to even use. If she were purchasing tickets at the park gate with cash, she would have handed over cash and got the tickets in hand knowing she paid for what she got. She thought she had that when she walked away from the hotel desk. Why would she have even considered they would charge her CC? I wouldn't have. The whole problem is that there is way too much room for error at these places.

I've always used cash for dining, etc. at parks and only paid for my hotel bill with a CC. I wouldn't even do that if I didn't have to reserve a room with the CC. When vacationing, I stop by a bank or ATM each day and carry small amt of cash in my fanny pack, say $100 or use travelers checks if more. I'm just as scared of identity theft as I am an invalid charge. With cash, they don't get that opportunity.

I guess I'm old school. My co-workers laugh because I don't use debit cards at all. I don't own one. BUT just today one of them had five $31 overdraft charges on their bank account because they were $14 under. He had five Debit Card swipes of $5 or less for cigarettes, McD combo, etc., leading to five overdraft charges before he even caught it. Talk about a sad day... I'll just keep my cash.


GOOD LUCK OP - I hope you get your money back.

Internet CC charges fall in a different category. As the company cannot require a signature, this is why the now ask for the security pins (last 2 digits on the back of the card), to prove that the card holder is holding the card in his/her posession.

 

[mickeyfan2]

What was the piece of paper that they gave you, that you thought was a receipt? I'm just curious what it said, or what it looked like

This question has been asked and asked yet the OP never answers it.

BTW when I have had a CC charge that I disputed, I just called the company and they started the investigation. They then sent a form, that is required by law, for me to fill out. They put the charge into dispute and I did not have to pay it that month. I have won every dispute that I have ever had. The most interesting one was a charge at an outlet store in Orlando when I was not in Orlando. I put it in dispute, they contacted the store for their proof, the store never responded and within a few weeks it was found in my favor and removed from my bill.

If this claim is true then your CC company should have told you to put it in dispute. They never tell you tough luck, they just tell you that you will be responsible if they investigation finds out is was your charge.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I make purchases over the phone to hotels, catalog orders, etc. and they never get my signature but bill my card. Disney has had a big chunk of my money for months and I haven't signed a thing so far.

They note that it was done over the phone on the receipt. I have actually been sent receipts with that on them. If you were in person you have to sign to make it valid.

 

[nbodyhome]

This question has been asked and asked yet the OP never answers it.

Okay - asking OP again, what did you receive if not a receipt?

 

[Mcrande]

OP- Immediately send an email to the resort, Renee if you can obtain her email address, guest services, and Disney security if you can get their email address advising them that you plan on making a theft claim and you are requiring them to not destroy their surveillance video footage taken on the date and location of the purchase. Tell them that if they fail to preserve the surveillance footage, it will be considered spoliation of evidence under the law. I would do this ASAP as businesses have schedules of the length of time they preserve footage. Your treatment was totally unacceptable. I know hindsight is 20/20 but I would have field a police report right away. Of course, it would have been Disney police and there is a quetion of their impartiality but at least it would have been recorded and they should have secured the surveillance footage. Their failure to do so would have made them look guilty as well. I wish you luck and please let us know how this turns out.

Actually It would be Orange County Sheriffs Office that will investigate not Disney Police.

 

[tone.def]

Okay - asking OP again, what did you receive if not a receipt?

Go back to page 1, post #6:

No - being the ever so stupid and excited tourists we didn't really look at the "receipt". It only showed the tickets we purchased so we could replace them if lost.

 

[nbodyhome]

Go back to page 1, post #6:

Thanks, there are too many posts and I missed that one.

 

[Indianadisneyfan]

I'm not sure if this has been posted since I didn't read all threads. I would call and ask for the head of security and speak to them and ask them about the tape. They would know when if the tapes would be destroyed or kept.. When I worked for the police dept. we had cameras in all the cars. When the tape got put in we had to mark them with the date we put them in and the date we took them out. They where then put in a room at the police dept. and kept for so long just in case something ever came up and they needed the tapes.

 

[nbodyhome]

I had never known they even had tapes.

 

[Sammie]

If you have a flight to catch you may have no choice but to leave.

The OP stated they checked out on June 9 and that is when they caught the mistake. She also stated they got home on Tuesday, which would be June 12.

 

[Piecey]

I would also think that they would need some kind of signed credit slip from you that you approved the transaction..... Heather

We just went in December and had something like this happen.

I put my Disney Visa on file, so we could have charging on our room keys. I've done it before, always paid it off in cash every few days, etc. Nothing to ever actually be charged to the card and screw up my 0%, lol.

I made a payment before we left that would leave a little over $200 credit on my card. Just enough to book bounceback.

So, I call to see if the payment has gone through. Yes, but there is a charge. What charge? Conceirge charged the $~100 fee for Park Hoppers to my card.

No, they did not tell me. No, they did not have me sign anything. I figured this would work the same as everything else and it would be added to my "Guest Folio" as a balance to be paid off at the end of the day. I think i even asked that, but I cannot be sure.

When I go back down and ask why I'm told "Tickets have to be paid for right then." so I ask why they didn't tell me they were charing my card, they tell me they do not know why. Also tell me they can not refund the park hopper option because tickets are non-refundable. So I called Chase and disputed the charge. It was not authorized, and I hadn't even used the option yet.

I ended up just having to call my bank (luckily I bank/work for Chase) and they made another payment over the phone so I could still book bounceback but I was LIVID. I couldn't believe he just made a charge to my card without any warning or signature!

 

[BunnieGene]

to the OP: I'm so sorry this happened to you and hope that you get it resolved quickly so that you will want to enjoy Disney magic again.

Here's a little ...hope it works

 

[CandleontheWater]

I don't have any pithy advice, but I do want to express my support for the OP and say I'm so sorry this had to happen on your much anticipated vacation. I really hope that this can get resolved swiftly and that your love of Disney is not permanently dampered because of one terrible mistake. I'm sending pixiedust your way for a speedy resolution and many magical disney trips in the future.