Curiosity
787.33 for cab ride: Short Cab Ride Adds Up To Massive Bill
787.33 for cab ride: Short Cab Ride Adds Up To Massive Bill
Chicago College Student Charged $787.33 for 2 Mile Ride
Chicago, Illinois – Becky Siegel from the Metro-Chicago city of Winnetka was heading to a dinner engagement at the Sweetwater Tavern and Grille. However, she was tardy and decided to spend a bit of money to take a taxi cab to her destination only two miles away. Hailing a cab, Ms. Siegel was whisked away to her rendezvous site. Her cabby, Ali Ghazanfari, was quite loquacious and upon reaching her destination she asked to pay by credit card. He informed that he was having technical issues with his credit swipe machine, but a credit card square was available. He used the device to conduct the transaction, issue her a receipt which she signed after instructing him to add a $2 tip. She did not examine the receipt. Big mistake.
All seemed well until her mother received the credit card slip and noticed a $787.33 transaction fee from the taxi cab company. She immediately spoke with her daughter and decided to dispute the charge. Sadly, the card she used was a VISA. What she was told by VISA was that since Ms. Siegel voluntarily signed the slip, she was out of luck. Fearing credit card fraud, they contacted the local police who parroted the same thing as VISA.
In desperation, they turned to the Chicago Tribune’s consumer action group called ““What’s Your Problem?” They went to the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection who began investigating the matter. The Tribune also located Mr. Ghazanfari who is currently in Iran. He confirmed the problem and said it was a technical glitch with the square device. He had tried to get VISA to reverse the charge, but they said they didn’t have enough information to reverse it. Really? They had the credit card number. For now, the taxi cab company has promised to reimburse the Siegel family for the full amount. For Mr. Ghazanfari, his taxi cab license was suspended until he returns to the US and answers additional questions on the matter.
he city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection offers the following tips for taxicab passengers:
•Look for the City of Chicago-issued medallion on the taxicab hood. A licensed Chicago taxicab number is four digits or fewer and matches the license plate digits, and is posted around the cab.
•The driver must have his or her City of Chicago-issued public chauffeur license displayed.
•The taxicab placard with payment rates must be displayed in the vehicle.
•The approved credit card payment systems are mounted inside the cab, either in the front or the rear.
•When paying by credit card, check the fee, including tip, before approving payment.
Becky Siegel hurriedly signed for a cab fare of about $787. The taxi driver says that the bill was a mistake and that he tried to track down the 20-year-old. (Jeff Adkins, For the Chicago Tribune)
Source:
787.33 for cab ride
http://www.ibtimes.com/78733-cab-ride-becky-siegel-20-year-old-college-student-charged-nearly-800-2-mile-trip-chicago
787.33 for cab ride: Short cab ride costs rider $787.33
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/25000113/short-cab-ride-costs-rider-78733#ixzz2wKIWx0RW
787.33 for cab ride: 1-mile cab ride costs passenger $787
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-03-16/business/ct-giant-cab-charge-problem-0316-biz-20140316_1_credit-card-susan-siegel-cab/2
