Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
I was listening to TalkSport on the radio this morning on my way to work (as is my RIGHT), and they were talking about Sith Ifrica and what a nightmare its going to be for the fans next year at the World Cup. Aaaaanyways. This bloke phoned in and recounted a tale of such wanton THEFT that I felt moved to bring it to you, the brethren of NSC.
This chap went for a meal in Jo'burg (he didn't mention the restaurant name or which province he was in, neither did he mention what he had). When the time came to pay the bill, the waiter came round with one of those portable wireless cardreaders. The bill came to something equivalent to around a hundred pounds. I would deduce from this that he had not dined alone. Perhaps he was with his family and/or some friends. Maybe it was a special occasion. It could even have been a business lunch maybe, as the time for this meal wasn't mentioned. He didn't specify, and so I can only speculate. Actually, perhaps it was a brunch ? Do they have those in Africa ? I've never been. I went to Turkey earlier this year and Brunch wasn't really very big over there, but we're talking about different continents, different cultures. We go mainly for the beaches, and whilst I wouldn't rule out a trip to South Africa some time in the future, it never came up on the radar for this years holiday to be honest. Anyhoo, for this chap on the radio I think it was probably an evening meal, that seemed to be the context of the tale, but as long as you're aware that is just a complete assumption on my part.
So he puts his card into the the portable wireless cardreader, enters his pin, gets his receipt and thinks nothing more of it. They probably left the restaurant shortly afterwards and went for a drink somewhere. Or perhaps they went back to the hotel bar, although from my experience, that would likely have been more expensive, but perhaps a little more secure. Thats what I'd probably do. You don't want to be caught wandering around Soweto looking for somewhere to have a nightcap, that would be dangerous (that is assumung this was the evening - again, I have no way of knowing, but even in broad daylight I've heard it can be hazardous). So when this chap got home from his trip, at some point soon after, he received his credit card bill. The £100-or so that he thought he'd paid for his meal had in fact inflated to something closer to £8,000.
I don't know if service was included, or if everyone had a starter, but this chap was rightly suspicious as clearly £7,900 worth of service charge could be deemed excessive. 10% is generally the custom in this country, and whilst South Africa has a vastly different society and culture, this restaurant bill just looked like it could be wrong, and so he phoned the credit card company to query it. They removed the charge whilst it was investigated, and it turns out that this is a common problem. Here's what happens.
When a portable wireless cardreader leaves its "base", it links up with an unsecured wi-fi signal. When you put your card in the cardreader and enter your pin number, those details are transmitted back to the base unit via the wi-fi connection - BUT - this signal can be intercepted. The likelihood is that as this chap entered his details, and someone in the restaurant (or out the back), on a laptop, intercepted the details and used them to pilfer his card to the tune of £8k.
Therefore, if you are paying using a credit or debit card, the rule is (and I'd say this is worth remembering in general, not just when abroad), NEVER pay on a wireless cardreader. Rather than having someone come to your table for you to pay the bill, you should instead politely excuse yourself from your guests, go to the bar or office, and enter your card details whilst the cardreader is still on the base unit. This will then avoid the wi-fi being engaged, and will prevent your card details being beamed all over the restaurant for unscrupulous people to intercept and buy drugs, wild rhubarb and guns on your card. You can perhaps coincide it with a toilet visit, or to pass on your regards to the chef if the meal was particularly enjoyable.
Worth remembering I think.
This chap went for a meal in Jo'burg (he didn't mention the restaurant name or which province he was in, neither did he mention what he had). When the time came to pay the bill, the waiter came round with one of those portable wireless cardreaders. The bill came to something equivalent to around a hundred pounds. I would deduce from this that he had not dined alone. Perhaps he was with his family and/or some friends. Maybe it was a special occasion. It could even have been a business lunch maybe, as the time for this meal wasn't mentioned. He didn't specify, and so I can only speculate. Actually, perhaps it was a brunch ? Do they have those in Africa ? I've never been. I went to Turkey earlier this year and Brunch wasn't really very big over there, but we're talking about different continents, different cultures. We go mainly for the beaches, and whilst I wouldn't rule out a trip to South Africa some time in the future, it never came up on the radar for this years holiday to be honest. Anyhoo, for this chap on the radio I think it was probably an evening meal, that seemed to be the context of the tale, but as long as you're aware that is just a complete assumption on my part.
So he puts his card into the the portable wireless cardreader, enters his pin, gets his receipt and thinks nothing more of it. They probably left the restaurant shortly afterwards and went for a drink somewhere. Or perhaps they went back to the hotel bar, although from my experience, that would likely have been more expensive, but perhaps a little more secure. Thats what I'd probably do. You don't want to be caught wandering around Soweto looking for somewhere to have a nightcap, that would be dangerous (that is assumung this was the evening - again, I have no way of knowing, but even in broad daylight I've heard it can be hazardous). So when this chap got home from his trip, at some point soon after, he received his credit card bill. The £100-or so that he thought he'd paid for his meal had in fact inflated to something closer to £8,000.
I don't know if service was included, or if everyone had a starter, but this chap was rightly suspicious as clearly £7,900 worth of service charge could be deemed excessive. 10% is generally the custom in this country, and whilst South Africa has a vastly different society and culture, this restaurant bill just looked like it could be wrong, and so he phoned the credit card company to query it. They removed the charge whilst it was investigated, and it turns out that this is a common problem. Here's what happens.
When a portable wireless cardreader leaves its "base", it links up with an unsecured wi-fi signal. When you put your card in the cardreader and enter your pin number, those details are transmitted back to the base unit via the wi-fi connection - BUT - this signal can be intercepted. The likelihood is that as this chap entered his details, and someone in the restaurant (or out the back), on a laptop, intercepted the details and used them to pilfer his card to the tune of £8k.
Therefore, if you are paying using a credit or debit card, the rule is (and I'd say this is worth remembering in general, not just when abroad), NEVER pay on a wireless cardreader. Rather than having someone come to your table for you to pay the bill, you should instead politely excuse yourself from your guests, go to the bar or office, and enter your card details whilst the cardreader is still on the base unit. This will then avoid the wi-fi being engaged, and will prevent your card details being beamed all over the restaurant for unscrupulous people to intercept and buy drugs, wild rhubarb and guns on your card. You can perhaps coincide it with a toilet visit, or to pass on your regards to the chef if the meal was particularly enjoyable.
Worth remembering I think.
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