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

[Sanshin]

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?

[Mermaidblue]

Maybe they would take it out of their wages, if they forgot to charge you for it, in the same way I had to pay a customers bill in full, when they did a runner from the restaurant I was working in as a waitress. It was the equivalent of 3 days work for me. I was gutted.

A $100 in Vietnam is a huge amount for an average hotel employee. Contact the hotel directly and tell that you just remembered that you did not pay for the trip and then just pay it!

[Council]

Assuming this is a genuine debt and you can pay through official channels, you absolutely must pay ASAP. To claim poverty v hotel staff in Vietnam, when you've just come back from such an expensive holiday is ridiculous.

[Givemeonereason]

Arrange a BACs transfer.
Do not give your card details to anyone over Facebook or email. I'm wary about doing it over the phone!
Anyone can write the details down and have some fun with your money.
YABU to think you can skirt around not paying, however the fault wasn't yours. This is one of the reasons hotels will ask for a card on file. If this hotel did not then I would be suspicious anyways.

[Trialsmum]

Love how common sense on mn goes out the window once there is even a suggestion that someone doesn’t pay for something they’ve had.

Don’t send your card details to someone you don’t really know in another country on fb. Just don’t do it. It goes against all internet safety advice. She could take any amount of money from you and you’d have no come back.

[CremeFresh]

Maybe the member of staff contacted you via FB before the hotel realises the mistake and docks her pay. Maybe she's hoping you'll pay before the hotel finds out.

Don't pay though until you have a legitimate invoice and bank details of the hotel.

[BrizzleDrizzle]

You do need to pay but there is no way you should send the card details through the post/email to her. Speak to your bank and see how you can pay securely.

[araiwa]

nobody has suggested she gives card details over facebook but she needs to contact the hotel and arrange secure payment asap

[iBiscuit]

What Steeley said.

If this hasn't been picked up by management already, chances are it won't be. If they do pick up on it, they can invoice you.

[Theimpossiblegirl]

It could be a scam but there are easier ways.
People could lose their jobs and may be feeling desperate. If there was a safe way to send the money I'd do it, even if there's a chance they are chancers, my conscience wouldn't allow anything less.

[Ecureuil]

Love how common sense on mn goes out the window once there is even a suggestion that someone doesn’t pay for something they’ve had

Most people have said she needs to be careful, and make sure she pays securely, haven’t they?

[Moanyoldcow]

For god's sake - don't tell HER to get the hotel to invoice you, contact them yourself.

This has the potential for fraud written all over it!

[PersianCatLady]

Steeley
How is it a scam when the OP herself gas said that she didn't pay for the trip?

[Sanshin]

I've messaged her and asked for a proper invoice. I'll let you know what she says.

[TheWhyteRoseShallRiseAgain]

Hmmm I would be worried it was dodgy too. Definitely direct contact from hotel only I think fb is highly unlikely (although I’m a cynic)

[iBiscuit]

araiwa the woman who contacted the op suggested exactly that.

[jellycat1]

YABVU. You've used the service and you now need to pay for it. How did you not notice it wasn't charged for on the holiday?

[Steeley113]

@PersianCatLady because she has asked for her card details over Facebook. That’s not professional, there is no correct invoice, no secure payment. Who knows how much this woman will take from her card. She doesn’t even know if it’s a genuine employee! The hotel will actually have her card details, they always take a copy. Even small b&bs do this for protection.

[araiwa]

nobody on mn has suggested she does it tho

[araiwa]

nobody on mn has suggested she does it tho

[Blodplod]

What I don’t understand is why it’s a scam? Genuine question... if the hotel forgot so money was not accounted for (op surely has proof of this on original invoice) and someone had asked for that specific amount for the same thing (in other words they know the correct info) how is it a scam? Yes it’s unwise to pay by CC, but essentially the original claim for money is surely genuine? If OP had an invoice where she could prove she’d paid, but some random was asking for a unspecific amount of cash for a flaky reason then yes, scam. But in this case I’m really missing the point. If anyone can explain - this is a genuine question I promise!

[x2boys]

This seems a really innapropriate and unprofessional way to ask someone to pay for a trip speak to the Hotel dont pay anything to a stranger via facebook!

[iBiscuit]

Persian - staff deliberately miss the item off of the bill, and pocket the difference (and some) when they get their hands on the customer's card details. A bit like voiding something from a bill after a customer has paid, or not ringing everything through the till. I've seen several people lose their jobs for this over the years.

[MsGameandWatching]

OP I have great admiration for how you're just pursuing opinions and how best to deal with this and not getting sucked into defending yourself against the MN moral outrage

[araiwa]

steely- you have obviously never travelled around in Asia

apart from major international chains in big cities, i have never even got my credit card out. many hotels just require cash and passport

[Chapterandverse]

@blodplod if it were genuine, surely the hotel has the ops details & could be contacted her directly, officially, without a 'member of staff' having to track op down on fb & send her a message?