I am one who does not often check my credit card statements, so I could have easily missed it. For some reason I looked at the statement that month and I saw I was charged by the hotel that I already paid for on Hotwire. They removed the charge after a phone call, but imagine how many times they get away with it!
I don't know if this is a new trend taking the hotel industry by storm, but three times in the last couple of months I've had to complain to hotels about double billings, especially when I book the hotel via Priceline or similar service.
As anyone who has booked a hotel room through a third party agency like Priceline knows, when you get to the hotel and register, the hotel wants a credit card for incidental expenses you may incur. I've been doing this for fifteen years and don't ever recall a problem till recently. I check my credit card on line each day, and noticed that a room charge was added (Not just a deposit, which is also often added, but it goes away after a few days.)
The first time it happened at one hotel, I complained and after some run-around, they took it down. I returned to that hotel and now they don't even return my emails, and I've had to take it up with the credit card company. I won't ever be going back to that place. I'm also planning to contact Priceline and complain to them about the hotel.
A third incident came up just now and I called the hotel who said that they will remove the charge. The point is, how many people don't pay attention to these things and let the charges slide through, thus giving the hotel a windfall?
Since most of us book hotels quite often, I thought this was something people should be aware of.
I'm not sure TER would appreciate me mentioning the hotels in particular in the Boston area, but if you PM me, I'd be happy to name names
I also check my cards regularly and I find BS charges on my card on a very regular basis. I can only imagine how many millions of dollars of bogus charges slip through unnoticed by people who don't monitor their CC's?
I try to use Am Ex for almost everything and Am Ex is GREAT about reversing bogus charges.
But there is a reason I check all my personal accounts before I go to bed each night. I have caught several illegitimate charges simular to what is being discussed and not just from hotels. This is an increasingly common problem and practice across-the-board in a great many industries.
but that doesn't mean you are wrong to check your accounts on a regular basis.
I will have to say you are completely fucking nuts to check your accounts every night before you go to bed. It makes so much more sense to do like I do and check them every morning. lol
Actually, all kidding aside, checking your CC's every week or so is just fine, but your ATM/Debit cards are a different matter as you have limited time to contest fraudulent debit card transactions, whereas you have at least sixty days to file a dispute.
This thread is about something serious that concerns people's financial concern. Instead of adding useful insight or observation out of nowhere came this asinine non-post by some 12 years old under the delusion that he's clever and funny. LAME!
Coming from one of the true idiots on this board who is dumped on by virtually everyone, that is high praise!
Just look at the sexual symbolism in there: ladies' fingers, red filling, what more could one ask for?
Everyone knows that Charlotte was quite the gal around town anyways
I have learned that booking through a Priceline, Trivago, etc..... often creates issues, at least for many business colleagues. I travel regularly and for the past 4 plus years have never stayed in any other hotel that was not a Hilton property and I book directly through Hilton and have not had a single discrepancy since. If you are a Hilton member and you can sign up for free to get started they will match the lowest offer you can find online. Unless I can't find a Hilton where I am travelling which would be very rare, Hilton is the only way I go.
As anyone who has booked a hotel room through a third party agency like Priceline knows, when you get to the hotel and register, the hotel wants a credit card for incidental expenses you may incur. I've been doing this for fifteen years and don't ever recall a problem till recently. I check my credit card on line each day, and noticed that a room charge was added (Not just a deposit, which is also often added, but it goes away after a few days.)
The first time it happened at one hotel, I complained and after some run-around, they took it down. I returned to that hotel and now they don't even return my emails, and I've had to take it up with the credit card company. I won't ever be going back to that place. I'm also planning to contact Priceline and complain to them about the hotel.
A third incident came up just now and I called the hotel who said that they will remove the charge. The point is, how many people don't pay attention to these things and let the charges slide through, thus giving the hotel a windfall?
Since most of us book hotels quite often, I thought this was something people should be aware of.
I'm not sure TER would appreciate me mentioning the hotels in particular in the Boston area, but if you PM me, I'd be happy to name names.
I have had this happen twice now, and at very high end hotels. I'm working on alternatives to completely replace hotels as incall locations. 
As anyone who has booked a hotel room through a third party agency like Priceline knows, when you get to the hotel and register, the hotel wants a credit card for incidental expenses you may incur. I've been doing this for fifteen years and don't ever recall a problem till recently. I check my credit card on line each day, and noticed that a room charge was added (Not just a deposit, which is also often added, but it goes away after a few days.)
The first time it happened at one hotel, I complained and after some run-around, they took it down. I returned to that hotel and now they don't even return my emails, and I've had to take it up with the credit card company. I won't ever be going back to that place. I'm also planning to contact Priceline and complain to them about the hotel.
A third incident came up just now and I called the hotel who said that they will remove the charge. The point is, how many people don't pay attention to these things and let the charges slide through, thus giving the hotel a windfall?
Since most of us book hotels quite often, I thought this was something people should be aware of.
I'm not sure TER would appreciate me mentioning the hotels in particular in the Boston area, but if you PM me, I'd be happy to name names.
I am one who does not often check my credit card statements, so I could have easily missed it. For some reason I looked at the statement that month and I saw I was charged by the hotel that I already paid for on Hotwire. They removed the charge after a phone call, but imagine how many times they get away with it!
Isn't it sad that we have to go over all our bills with a fine tooth comb? I firmly believe there are algorithms sold to corporations to over charge a certain percentage of cutovers, knowing that a certain percentage of those people will never discover the thievery. And they act as if it is just "course of business" when you catch them. It may amuse several here, but I find my business much more moral than most "legitimate" concerns ...
price-matching policy form internet services, except for the Priceline model because you have to pay before they tell you the hotel name. There are price comparison websites and if I find a rate lower than what the hotel is offering on their website, I just ask them to match it. They always do. Problem solved.
It's profits before people. If they can rip you off or overcharge you to line their own pockets, they will. If they can underpay their employees, they will. Not to mention that our wonderful 2-party government is bought out by these corporate dickheads. Not only do I keep a daily eye on all my accounts, I also get pickier by the day about where I spend my money, and whose pocket it's going in.
Sounds like crapware issues with multi-party database management.
My guess is that if you book directly through the hotel you'll have (somewhat) fewer problems in this regard
and they double billed. I thought that using the third party booking site would avoid the problem. It seems to have made it worse
Thanks for the heads-up, will keep a closer eye on things. I'm not OCD, and I still catch things. My corporate card has been replaced many times, as in five times last year. Three were because of fraud I caught (filling gas in New Jersey when i was i Canada and other similar things). Two just showed-up with "here is your new card".
Pain in the ass when I auto complete things with C/C.
Again appreciate the warning.
That being said I'm moving away from booking through the third party websites, because when you arrive the hotel more often than not gives you a shitty room, area that there is contruction, etc.