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?

[JustMarriedAndLovingIt]

You're bang out of order OP. People should never have to ask for money that they are owed and certainly not feel bad for asking. You need to suck up the currency fees and learn from it. I bet you were doing the 'woo hoo's' on the last day of your trip when you realised you hadn't been charged. I don't see how you couldn't have noticed if you were presented with a bill and it was half what it should have been. The only thing I agree with is that you must pay the hotel directly.

[CurlyBlueberry]

PersianCatLady

Customer books trip at hotel. Hotel staff deliberately do not record in hotel systems and customer is therefore not charged on leaving. Presumably the costs of the trip are covered by the hotel somehow (the actual costs may be very minimal).

Customer then gets home - either has forgotten about paying, or thinks they got away with it.

Unscrupulous staff then contact customer and ask for direct payment. Customer thinks "oh shit yes I did forget / they've caught up with me" and pays. Hotel never receives the money as it is pocketed by staff.

Not saying that IS what happened here but it is certainly possible.

[Blodplod]

And.. the OP’s question was can we delay payment and not is this a scam? The op knows it’s a genuine request, the specific details are too correct. Advising to pay by different means is good advice.

[Steeley113]

@araiwa so would just send your card details because some random off Facebook told you to? The hotel has her contact details at least! If they wanted the money, they should invoice her correctly.

[PersianCatLady]

Just to clarify - the OP did not pay for the trip.

She needs to contact the hotel direct to arrange a secure method of payment.

I think we all understand now that the OP should not send her CC details insecurely or pay this woman privately.

[NegansDollFace]

Of course got need to pay. But in a proper and secure way. Sending card details over Facebook to a worker isn’t professional or correct protocol.

[NegansDollFace]

*you need to pay

[PersianCatLady]

CurlyBlackberry
I know what sort of scam it could be that is why I have suggested ways for the OP to not be scammed.

[MissTeri]

Wow! You need to suck this up and pay the person TODAY. I can't believe you are making them ask you multiple times THIS! I can't believe you didn't pay it as soon as you got the first message. I can't even believe you need to ask MN if you should pay now or later. Cheeky fuckery at it's finest.

[brummiesue]

You are right to make sure that you pay in a safe way but shame on you to even consider not paying.
The excuse about having little money because of Christmas! Do you have any idea how much these people live off and you are willing to potentially let them pay out of their own money! Beggars belief

[Glumglowworm]

YABU to not pay. You’ve known about it for ages, you shouldve put the money aside.

But don’t send card details, contact the hotel to confirm it’s genuine and speak to your bank to find out how to pay it securely

[Sanshin]

MsGameandWatching 😂 Can't be bothered with a MN showdown today, my head is hurting and I'm running out of paracetamols 😉

[reallybadidea]

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!

Well, firstly I don't understand how you didn't notice that they'd forgotten to charge you for the trip if the hotel itself was only $90. 'Rushing around' is a silly excuse, you were checking out of a hotel, it's not exactly up there as a stressful life event.

Secondly, why didn't you set the money aside straight away, you knew you would have to pay it? Presumably you had the money when you went on the trip. Are you one of those people who just spends whatever is in their bank account until it's gone? You need to plan your finances better.

[Andrewofgg]

If you are in a city with an American Express office buy an AmEx money order for $100 and send it to the hotel. That way you do not give anyone your card details - least of all online. Email the hotel to tell them that's what you are doing .

[araiwa]

@Steeley113 i have explicitly stated not to do that

i cannot think of a simpler way to state that, that you might understand

[inlectorecumbit]

CurlyBlackberry

That was my immediate thoughts too.

[BewareOfDragons]

This doesn't sound like a scam to me. OP knows they haven't paid for the trip. She knows what it's about.

It sounds like a much poorer country with very poorly paid employees who made a mistake. They know they will have to pay their employer the cost of the trip if you don't. (Much like some horrible restaurant owners try to make the serving staff pay for dinners of tables who run out, even though it's not their fault).

Your idea of 'skint' is very different from their idea of 'skint'. £78 will not break you, but it will likely break the employee who made the mistake. Please pay what you owe to the hotel now.

[Sanshin]

So, she's replied and said she'll send an invoice tomorrow but again if I give her the credit card details they can charge it online

[iBiscuit]

Your most recent post has "scam" written over it even more.

[Steeley113]

Yep, it’s a definite scam. Email back stating you will not be sending your card details to anyone online and will be contacting the hotel management yourself with her name.

[Sanshin]

I do feel guilty though as I know she's probably only doing it this way to avoid management finding out. What a shit situation. By going to management I could be costing her her job. But then there is no other way is there?

[iBiscuit]

If you don't receive an official invoice but still do the right thing and contact the hotel to pay, whoever was meant to compose the bill will be busted - whether for an oversight, or for scamming.

As far as the hotel staff are concerned, you can't do right for doing wrong in this situation basically.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Why aren't you contacting the hotel directly? Anyone can make an invoice in a word document. I would be stopping all communication with the person on Facebook and going directly to the hotel.

[ItsNachoCheese]

This has scam written all over it. I wouldnt pay a penny just now. Wait until you see an invoice rather than any tom dick and harry getting their mitts on your bank details

[Gincision]

There is no way I'd pay other than direct to the hotel. You need to pay because you owe them money but this is a scam.

The hotel have your contact details from the booking. There is no need for them to contact you through Facebook. I'd send a final message to this woman telling her that when you receive an official invoice you will contact the hotel directly and pay them. And then I'd block her.