A small transaction becomes a big deal
Expecting a quick buy, San Bruno, California, special needs educator Linda Mathiesen entered a nearby shop. She wanted to reward the store clerks by leaving a token of appreciation in the form of a tip of about $5 after spending about $129.28 on something. Next was the beginning of an unthinkable nightmare.
She tipped at a digital tipping screen, the sort that all stores and restaurants have nowadays. They exist to facilitate quicker payments and make things more convenient. But they caused issues here.
Linda entered “5000,” assuming it would appear on the screen as $50.00 or, at the very least, $5.00, but no decimal point appeared. The amount instead appeared as $5,000. Her card was charged instantly for that amount.
“I am angry,” she said in a statement to ABC 7 News. “I would not pay around $5,000. I just wanted to leave a little tip out of appreciation.
Linda had initially hoped that the store would go back on the error. But the clerk at San Bruno Exotic, where the product had been bought, informed her that the transaction could not be reversed. That was the tale afterwards. The money was never received by the store in the first place, the clerk said.
Linda did verify her bank account, however. The five thousand dollars was irrefutably missing. It was obvious on her bank statement that the tip had been executed and money taken out. The damage was done.
Linda was desperate because she was in a money crisis. She said, “I began to cry.” My son graduates from college next week, and I can’t even get him a present. The only money I had was five thousand dollars.
She waits in vain outside Wells Fargo
Linda was not fast. She reported her bank, Wells Fargo, within five minutes of being tipped off. Their site states that customers who promptly report unauthorised or incorrect charges shouldn’t be held liable for them. That’s called “zero liability protection.”
Linda is yet to hear back, however, more than one year on.
Wells Fargo has refused to refund her money despite her phone calls, emails, and paperwork. In her eyes, the bank has done nothing for her. “They informed me I needed to verify that it was an error, but how could I do so when there wasn’t even a decimal point on the screen?”
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A costly error that occurs more than you would ever imagine
Though Linda’s version may be an exaggeration, she is not alone.
Tipping screens for computers have popped up on anything from coffee houses and sandwich shops to delivery services and hair salons. Since they won’t show decimal points and have a tendency to switch rapidly, tipping screens are easy to enter the wrong amount into. You might lose hundreds or thousands of dollars if you make one error.
1 in 5 Americans confessed to having accidentally left a tip far larger than they had intended in the new Opinium survey for DailyMail.com. Millions are thus being caught out.
Consider Vera Conner, a Georgia woman who purchased a $7.54 Italian sub at Subway. The checkout rang up $7,112.98 instead of the small tip that she was attempting to leave. A sandwich for under $8 became a $7,000 error.
Who Does Everyone Need to Correct These Errors?
Linda’s and Vera’s experiences raise a question: who is to blame when these mistakes happen?
The banks? The shops? The consumers?
Banks tend to say it’s not their responsibility. The consumer is meant to be careful. Banks can also treat the charges as “authorised,” even when they were clearly in error.
Customers such as Linda, though, are adamant that the machines are too confusing and too fast and that the banks need to step in, particularly when the customer notifies them of the error straight away.
“I did not intentionally give that store $5,000,” Linda says. “Doing the right thing is more important than making money.”
Digital tipping screens: Helpful or hazardous?
The idea of computer screens was to simplify it. You simply press buttons and you’re done, without the hassle of having to hold money or wait for a receipt. They also have their downside.
Even where tipping wasn’t anticipated before, they guilt-trip you into a tip.
You need to decide within seconds because they go very fast. Furthermore, Linda discovered the hard way that they are confusing, particularly if you are attempting to input special tip amounts.
Analysts suggest that makers of such products add protections. Such accidents could be avoided by something as simple as a verification prompt (“Do you really want to leave a $5,000 gratuity?”).
Customers must make an educated estimate until then and hope they will not be mistaken.
A plea for action
Linda still tries to recover her money. She says that until Wells Fargo refunds the $5,000 withdrawn from her account, she will not quit.
She’s also cautioning others to double-check everything when paying with digital tip screens. Take your time. If you’re uncertain, seek assistance. Should any issues arise, please contact your bank without delay.
She added, “This has taken over a year of my life.” “I don’t want anyone else to have this happen to them.”
