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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hotel mistake, wibu to tell them I'll correct it after Christmas?

495 replies

Sanshin · 09/12/2017 09:40

Recently went to Vietnam on holiday. Stayed in a 3 star hotel for 3 days at a cost of £90. Lovely hotel, lovely staff.

Whilst there we booked a trip organised by the hotel at a cost of $100.

When we checked out they forgot to charge us for the trip and we never realised as we were rushing around so just settled the bill they presented to us.

A week later I receive a friend request on Facebook from a lady who worked at the hotel. I accepted and she sent a message saying that whilst we were at the hotel we booked a trip that they forgot to charge us for. She goes on to ask if we will now pay for it because if we don't, the staff have to pay for it themselves. It was very polite but almost pleading. I felt really guilty as I know $100 is a hell of a lot of money to these people so I replied straight away and said of course we will pay.

I spoke to DH on the night who wasn't happy because we will now how to pay a currency conversion fee but agreed we would pay. Then as we have been so busy since we got back we forgot.

So she sends another message asking if we can pay now and if we send her the card details we can pay like that. I meant to speak to DH about it again but he's working long hours at the minute and I keep meaning to mention it but when he's here I keep forgetting!

Anyway yesterday she sent another message. However now we can't really afford to pay it until after Christmas. We have £500 left to last us until after Christmas and that $100 will leave us skint. If they'd charged us at the time it wouldn't have been a problem!

As it was there mistake wibu to tell them I'll pay after Christmas?

OP posts:
AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 09/12/2017 13:07

This isn't the Hilton we're talking about though is it? It's not a chain it's a 3 star that cost £90 for 3 nights- it's clearly a Vietnamese owned hotel that can't afford to lose the money.

If I was undercharged in Pizza Express I might think 'ah well, they can afford to lose it.'if I was in my locally owned Italian I would be inclined to point out the error because these are people's livelihoods and I don't want to be a dick and leave them short.

iBiscuit · 09/12/2017 13:08

Why would anyone be sorry and embarrassed if it wasn't their error?

Read some of the posts upthread, where people express their disbelief that op couldn't have not known she was being undercharged at the time, insinuating that she deliberately underpaid.

Nobody wants to be thought of that way, and scammers can use this to their advantage.

HuskyMcClusky · 09/12/2017 13:09

This isn't the Hilton we're talking about though is it? It's not a chain it's a 3 star that cost £90 for 3 nights- it's clearly a Vietnamese owned hotel that can't afford to lose the money.

Exactly. But, you know, screw them. Clearly.

This thread is the fucking worst of mumsnet. Mimsy, paranoid, mean little people who are too busy yelling ‘scam’ to use their common sense.

Roussette · 09/12/2017 13:10

Totally agree Accidentally you put it far better than me

HuskyMcClusky · 09/12/2017 13:11

And no, I’m not naive in the slightest. I’ve lived and worked in developing Asian countries and not been scammed once.

MiddleClassProblem · 09/12/2017 13:12

This is the worst of mumsnet? Really?

VegasWithRadishes · 09/12/2017 13:14

ptumbi
Don't take the piss mate.
Op asked for an invoice as long as she gets one from the hotel (which she's asked for fair enough) what's the scam? Where's the problem?
I'm not saying op should hand over her card details via Facebook Hmm

MiddleClassProblem · 09/12/2017 13:15

I think most of the scam worries are internet related rather than about developing countries. I think these posters would be saying the same thing about a text from a bank for instance. Well I certainly would.

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 13:17

I think you would be mad to pay this to some random over Facebook - especially if you are handing over card details. And given how common Facebook hacks are you would be insane to type those details into a message, ever, too.

I'd call the hotel, explain the issue, and ask to make payment. I absolutely agree that you should pay them at once and the delay is very hard on the business.

Your Christmas plans aren't their problem, and if Aldi and Iceland and Wilco are called for this year, then that's just how it is. 500 quid isn't nothing. It's just not riches. And plenty of online shops (and obviously Ebay) accept Paypal, where you can select not to pay for a couple of weeks, too, so you can order before Christmas and pay in the new year without any fear it will result in long term debt, and no need to pay interest. So your kids don't need to go without, either. There are ways around things, if you think and are sensible.

But I would also check your statements and the receipts etc from the holiday so you are certain the bill is genuine - I mean, this could be a very good scam in several ways, starting with its being owed at all.

Roussette · 09/12/2017 13:20

OP knows she didn't pay for the tour! Her bill was $90 for 3 nights. The tour was $100. Her bill when she left was $90. How can that be a scam?

Is this going to be one of those threads that go on for 10 pages and we never hear from the OP again

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 13:21

This thread is the fucking worst of mumsnet. Mimsy, paranoid, mean little people who are too busy yelling ‘scam’ to use their common sense.

Being suspicious over money isn't paranoid. I went on the Mumsnet Take Five event and they said the problem is, we're the opposite. We all trust one another, and that's a good thing... but not when someone asks for personal data. Ever. Facebook is not the medium to hand over your credit card details to someone.

She needs to call the hotel, ask for an invoice, and then pay it. Job done.

crazycatgal · 09/12/2017 13:22

@Roussette There are loads of people upthread saying things like 'you need to pay this person' or 'yabu pay it straight away' and not mentioning that OP should perhaps pay the hotel instead of a woman on facebook.

jarhead123 · 09/12/2017 13:25

Sounds like a scam to me

trumptown · 09/12/2017 13:25

Contact the hotel management and ask for the hotel's bank account details. Arrange to make a bank transfer to the hotel directly. Do not send credit card details, your bank account details or anything like that via email or Facebook etc.

An invoice could be mocked up by anyone.

Why is she contacting you direct and not the hotel management?

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 13:25

Really? Find that quote for me? Because if I read the OP she says they paid the bill without realising. Her post doesn't say, anywhere, that they learned of it in any other way but the Facebook message. Doesn't mean they didn't, of course. Just that the certainty on your part is not present in the OP. And hence, I suggested she clarify.

You do seem terribly invested here. It's really not worth this level of angst, surely? She just needs to make sure that she owes it, if she hasn't. which a bank statement will sort in five seconds, and then pay it direct. How is that a big deal?

Roussette · 09/12/2017 13:25

Believe me crazycat I know, I've read the whole thread and this is the same as "STOP THE CHEQUE". Grin

I think the 'YABU you need to pay it straightaway' doesn't mean give your bank details out over FB. It means just ummmm pay it straightaway but via the hotel!

perfectstorm · 09/12/2017 13:26

Sorry, that was to Rousette.

Ninabean17 · 09/12/2017 13:27

Get in touch with the hotel via their website or phone them. Surely if there was something wrong you'd be contacted via email or phoned directly, not by one of their employees Facebook accounts?

CercoCasa · 09/12/2017 13:30

I wonder if the lady is on the Vietnamese Mumsnet asking if her guest is being U by not settling the bill asap :)

Wire the money with Western Union or equivalent

Roussette · 09/12/2017 13:32

Not sure if that's to me perfectstorm but if it is...

Over invested? Angst? I'm not angsty I can assure you. Over invested... nope, not that either. No more than any other posters. And FWIW I do find it irritating and quite rude when someone accuses a poster of being 'over invested' because they happen to reply more than a couple of times.

The OP knows she owes the money, she says she feels guilty for not paying, she states that quite clearly in her original post, so I'm not sure what she is checking or why it would be a scam.

Namow · 09/12/2017 13:33

Giving the woman the benefit of the doubt (and it can believe her story) she wants the OP to pay up and doesn't want management to know she's doing it as otherwise she'll get into trouble for contacting the customer.

OP you can solve this easily by contacting the hotel directly, saying 'I've just realised I didn't pay you for the tour' and settling the payment with them directly and not mentioning the woman at all. Then message her on Facebook to tell her what you've done.

Roussette · 09/12/2017 13:34

When I say 'why it would be a scam', I mean ... the payment is due. That is obvious. To pay safely (and not via a woman on FB) via a Foreign Exchange Co is the way to go.

Unnoticed · 09/12/2017 13:47

This could easily be a scam for those who are asking 'how is this a scam?'

  1. OP books a tour
  2. OP goes on tour
  3. Hotel staff deliberately do not add tour to final bill
  4. OP settles bill and does not notice at the time that the tour is missing
  5. OP goes home
  6. Staff member befriends on FB and ask for credit card details

The fact that some people cannot see where this is going is a mystery to me.

Of course the OP should pay, but this should be on production of an official invoice from the hotel and payment should be made in a secure way.

PumpkinSquash · 09/12/2017 13:48

Not read all the replies, but of course you need to pay. How did you manage to go on a trip for a £100 but not pay them straight away? You'd know you hadn't paid for it Confused
Or if you didn't. you said you realised not long after you got home so knew it needed paying.
HOWEVER no way would I be handing over my bank details via some randomer friend request on Facebook.
I'd ring the hotel directly and see if the money payment request came from them.
Deal with them directly, not via Facebook just so you know it's definitely legit.

AuntieStella · 09/12/2017 13:53

"OP knows she didn't pay for the tour! Her bill was $90 for 3 nights. The tour was $100. Her bill when she left was $90. How can that be a scam?"

It is a scam if the FB person is a scammer, aware of the bill (staff, or associate of staff). The hotel had noticed, but have not (yet) sought to secure payment. The scammer is trying to extract payment ahead of the hotel actually trying.

OP needs to be aware that the form of this request has scam written all over it and she should make no payment whatsoever to whoever is behind that FB account.

But she knows she owes, so needs to get in touch with the hotel via a verified means and sort out how she will pay the real bill.