Say What? You May Be Unknowingly Paying Extra For This in NY

You may want to check your receipts, especially if you’re a Starbucks fan. You may be unknowingly paying extra.

One woman claims her local Starbucks has been adding a little something extra to her bill without permission.

Extra Tips

Robyn Dudley of San Diego told NBC 7 she noticed several tips added to her receipts. But she only ever tips in cash.

It happened more than once too. Dudley said she was not upset about the amount of the tip, which was usually a dollar. “It’s the principle.”

Starbucks Responds

A spokesperson for Starbucks responded to the woman’s claims.

“We want everyone to have a positive experience in our stores; we take claims such as these seriously and are investigating the matter.”

Dudley has also reported the additional tips to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Same Charge Different State

Someone in Hollywood, Florida claimed the same thing happened on June 26 at a fast-food restaurant.

“I made 2 transactions for less than 10$ each. After 2-3 days, the transactions changed to $20 each to show $10 tip.”

Cramming

Adding unauthorized charges, including tips, without your approval, is known as cramming and the Better Business Bureau says it’s been happening more often lately.

Cramming usually occurs on phone bills, with added “service fee,” “voicemail,” or “other fees.” The Federal Communications Commission estimates cramming has harmed tens of thousands of people.

Cramming Protection Tips

To protect yourself from cramming, BBB recommends the following tips.

• Review your bill thoroughly. Make sure you know all the companies who added charges to the bill and double-check that you authorized each charge.
• See something. Say something. Reach out if you notice any charges you are unsure about. Crammers love to add tiny mystery charges for just a few dollars that recur for years if you don’t follow up.
• Ask for a refund. If you do find bogus charges, request a refund.
• Pay with your credit card. It’s much easier to dispute fraudulent charges and get your money back from a credit card company.

If you’ve been the victim of cramming you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.