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<DIV><FONT size=4>Ellen, et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>What Ellen describes happens just not to restaurants but to
many other businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations,
etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>The best solution is not to use a debit card, but a credit
card! Debit cards are a boon to banking interests. They charge the
business about the same fee for processing as they do for credit cards.
Float on the banks' money instead of letting them float on yours.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><BR>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<BR><A
href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">deco@moscow.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=gussie443@hotmail.com href="mailto:gussie443@hotmail.com">Ellen
Roskovich</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=diannarella@hotmail.com
href="mailto:diannarella@hotmail.com">diannarella@hotmail.com</A> ; <A
title=ele1955@adelphia.net
href="mailto:ele1955@adelphia.net">ele1955@adelphia.net</A> ; <A
title=kb7bzy@hotmail.com
href="mailto:kb7bzy@hotmail.com">kb7bzy@hotmail.com</A> ; <A
title=rmagyar@moscow.com
href="mailto:rmagyar@moscow.com">rmagyar@moscow.com</A> ; <A
title=jmagyar@moscow.com
href="mailto:jmagyar@moscow.com">jmagyar@moscow.com</A> ; <A
title=kat11@thinairnet.com
href="mailto:kat11@thinairnet.com">kat11@thinairnet.com</A> ; <A
title=mbiladeau@hotmail.com
href="mailto:mbiladeau@hotmail.com">mbiladeau@hotmail.com</A> ; <A
title=rainstar100@hotmail.com
href="mailto:rainstar100@hotmail.com">rainstar100@hotmail.com</A> ; <A
title=rockthed@hotmail.com
href="mailto:rockthed@hotmail.com">rockthed@hotmail.com</A> ; <A
title=sroskovich@yahoo.com
href="mailto:sroskovich@yahoo.com">sroskovich@yahoo.com</A> ; <A
title=carolwstrobel@hotmail.com
href="mailto:carolwstrobel@hotmail.com">carolwstrobel@hotmail.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, December 22, 2004 10:54
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Heads up</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif" size=2>Hi
Everyone. . . . this is just a little heads up. . . some info you might not
know but will find interesting.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>For about three months I've
been getting calls from customers that have eaten at the restaurant and then
have questions regarding the charges that show up on their bank accounts when
they check them online. It seems that the charges appear to be more than
their bill and they immediately assume that I somehow overcharged them after
they left the restaurant. Of course I haven't. At first it was
only a call now and then. But as we've gotten closer to the holidays
people seem to be checking their accounts more closely. . . . and the calls
became almost daily. One man called me three days in a row DEMANDING I
return the money I took from him. I went over all my paperwork. . .
checked my batch transmittal sheet and the figures he gave me in no way
matched anything in my night's receipts. He informed me that he would
never do business with me again and would inform all his friends that I
changed the totals and overcharged him for his meal.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Well, to make a long story
short, this is the deal. . . . . I finally got to the bottom of it. And
it only happens in restaurants. Seems that when Visa customers use their
debit cards 20% is automatically added to the total as a "gratuity
authorization" "just in case" you decide to add a gratuity later.
This shows up on their online account as Gambino's overcharging for the
purchase. People can become really abusive when they think you've done
this on purpose. . . . and I can't say I blame them. But it is a sneaky
underhanded thing to do on the part of Visa. . . . yes, they "correct" it in
48 hours but I have found several people that were put in an overdraft
condition because of this practice and then charged for it by their
bank.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>This practice also shows up if
the customer eats at a fast food place. I have found one person who ate
at Subway and another who got a Big Mac at McDonalds and ended up with a
$30.00 overdraft charge from his bank. This doesn't make any sense. . . . no
"gratuity authorization" should be needed at a fast food place.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>I have been very vocal today. .
. . I've warned several of my customers who didn't pay in cash or
checks. I am urging everyone to check their accounts and
COMPLAIN to their banks IMMEDIATELY about any questionable charges that
show up.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>I was informed that this is a
"service" . . . . but let me tell you, when I start to lose business because I
look like a thief and a crook and my reputation is tarnished, then it is a
very poor service indeed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Ellen A. Roskovich,
Owner</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Gambino's Italian
Restaurant</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=RTE><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<P>
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