2 Questions...

[ksadek]

There is a local body shop that is trying to charge my best friend an additional 300+ for using her credit card...

Can they do that?

I mean it sounds like "It's there shop they can do what the want"

But-- I'm just asking what people think.


and also...

Can an Off-duty officer 'threaten' someone?

No with bodily harm, but a friend was telling me a story about how he was speeding (10ish over) and a person rolled up next to them and said "SIR, I am an OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER- Slow down or I will be mailing you a ticket"

[JKralC104]

Some businesses do charge a buck or so extra for using credit cards... Reason being, merchants are charged a fee for using the credit services provided and to cut their losses, they pass the expense to the consumer. This will vary with the amount of the transaction but 300 is high. What is the original amount due?

As for the second question, it is not a practice used here and I don't believe stories of "friends"... But thats just me.

[School Cop]

a person rolled up next to them and said "SIR, I am an OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER- Slow down or I will be mailing you a ticket"

I'm sure that happens occasionally, and I'm equally sure that guy is NOT a cop.

[malka881]

There is a local body shop that is trying to charge my best friend an additional 300+ for using her credit card...

Can they do that?

I mean it sounds like "It's there shop they can do what the want"

But-- I'm just asking what people think.


and also...

Can an Off-duty officer 'threaten' someone?

No with bodily harm, but a friend was telling me a story about how he was speeding (10ish over) and a person rolled up next to them and said "SIR, I am an OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER- Slow down or I will be mailing you a ticket"

Merchant's card fees are a percentage of the transaction amount. $300 might be reasonable on a $15,000 bill. The surcharge is not criminal, but may (or may not) be a violation of their bankcard processing agreement.

[Raiden]

.....

and also...

Can an Off-duty officer 'threaten' someone?

......

If the guy is legit demand to see his/her badge, it is your right! If he doesn't produce one, something is fishy. And if you're not sure, call 911, remember, impersonating an LEO is a felony, at least here in NY state it is.

Off-Duty LEOs do have police powers even when off the clock. So in a nutshell, they're LEOs almost 24/7.

[ateamer]

No real cop with more than five days, seven hours and nineteen minutes on the job would try and enforce speed laws while off duty. Sounds like a real tool.

[LCPLPunk]

U never know though. If i'm going through a school zone where the speed limit is 25 and somebody blows through at 50, i may have to take action. Since i'm not a Deputy i don't know what i could do, but i'd do whatever I could.

[CODE-30]

I used to work for a privately owned business and I recall my boss telling me that it's against the law for business owners to charge for using a credit card. She said that they do get charged a percentage each year for credit cards used at their business, but it's one of the downfalls of owning a business. And $300 seems excessively high. I'm not sure if this is true, but this is what my former boss told me.

Off duty officers do have powers in most areas, but probably only a rookie would try something like that.

[ksadek]

The original bill would be 1,400 dollars.

When she told me, I was floored. I thought it was ridiculous and told her she should take things elsewhere...but she is still getting it done. I'm not a fan of their work, or practices. -Plus, the body shop owner is her boyfriend's, bestfriend's, father. He even had the audacity to tell her she's lucky, that she's got the hook up with [him]. I laugh everytime I think about that.


About the Off-duty thing... I thought it was highly unlikely...but not impossible.

It probably wouldn't be hard to figure out, since it was a female- and there are only a handful in this area...

[Guams]

$300 on a $1400 bill is unreasonable. The processing fees for credit cards aren't nearly that high. Have your friend find out why it's $300.

My roommate worked at a gas station in his home town and the credit card use fees put on the gas station were only a couple bucks, no matter what the original price tag was.

[Bearcat357]

No real cop with more than five days, seven hours and nineteen minutes on the job would try and enforce speed laws while off duty. Sounds like a real tool.

I'd like to argue that one....as I know one that has and still would.......

PM me for details....as I don't want to derail this one.....

[JohnDoe61]

I ve only heard them charging you for tax if you use anything other then cash.

[ateamer]

Don't know about other states, but in California, businesses cannot charge more for using a credit card. They may, however, offer a cash discount. Yep, it's true.