Did they try to scam us?

HannaB

Let me first just apologise for the long post.

After a nice evening out on Saturday night, the OH and I came home at around 11.30pm. He decided he wanted some pizza (as you do), so we called up the local pizza place (big nationwide chain!). My OH couldn’t find his credit card (which we later found), so he handed the phone to me to put the pizzas on my debit card.

At around midnight, the pizzaman arrived. He handed me the boxes and looked at me expectantly. I told him that I had paid for the pizzas using my card over the phone. He then stepped forward and showed me the labels on the box which clearly said “CASH”. I told him this was a mistake and they had already been paid for. Accepting this, he stepped away to join his mate in the car he arrived in. I closed the door and then sat down to enjoy the pizza.

About five minutes later, the pizzaman knocked on the door again. He said he had his manager on the phone and he was demanding cash payment for the pizzas. He thrust the phone into my hands for me to talk to him. The man was very rude and tried to badger me, saying there was no record of me paying for the pizzas with my card. He even said that he took the call because it was the last call of the day. I gave as good as I got and told him I was slightly concerned then because I gave him my card details. It was obviously the correct shop due to the fact the pizzas arrived in the first place. The person on the other end of the phone then hung up on me and the pizzaman snatched his phone back. He then made a quick exit, mumbling, “You’re regular customers. We’ll let it go, blah, blah”.

As he stepped away, I looked down the street and saw the car he arrived in. His mate was still sat in the passenger seat. With the cabin light on in the car, it looked as if there was a phone in his hands.

Obviously I was really shaken by the whole thing. I didn’t like the fact we might not have paid for our pizzas. We tried to phone the pizza place back straight away but it was closed. I thought it was strange then how quickly the pizzaman left and wondered if I did speak to the “manager” at all. Also, when he dropped the pizza off, the car was parked outside my house. But when they came back, they parked down the street (we live in a terraced house, so it's quite open anyway).

I checked my online bank this morning and the debit payment for the pizzas has cleared no problem.

Do you think they were trying to scam us for the cash (slightly drunk people can still be alert, you know!), knowing the payment would go through anyway? Or could this be an honest mistake and I’m being paranoid?

Nothing like this has ever happened before.

sporedude

Maybe it was just a mixup at the pizza place, it was midnight afterall, Someone was probably too tired and it all got mixed up.

woohoo_postingid

Go and speak to the manager of the local place and determine if it was him you spoke to on the phone. If not, raise a complaint and even escalate it to the Head Office if neccessary.

pinkshoes

I would definitely phone them and ask to speak to the manager, as it does sound like one of their delivery "boys" might have been trying it on! Ask them why you were asked for cash on delivery when you paid by card and see what he says... if he sounds suprised, then mention about the guy coming back, and handing you the mobile phone to speak to "the manager".

If you phone late at night, don't they usually take card details for the payment to prevent late night crank calls?

Krystaltips

I would definitely call back and ask to talk to the manager... I hate rudeness and if it wasn't the actual manager you spoke to then I'm sure someone needs to be disciplined over this!

Freddie_Snowbits

Well, one could not go out and get !!!!ed on a Saturday night for starters. Or better still, go to a decent resturaunt and have a propper meal, just the two of you. Now on many occassion me and the current Lady Freda have noshed on sausgae and chips from the chippy and snogged in the car afterwards.

brightonman123

i used to do pizza delivery- had to ask customers to use their own phone to call shop, so no 'phone a (phoney) friend' malarkey went on.. also the boss had to approve any changes/discounts, for late (very rare!) or missing items, which SOMETIMES happened at very busy times..

so2006

What company is it?

HannaB

Many thanks for the replies. I think I will call the chain and make sure it was the manager I spoke to.

Freddie_Snowbits - I'm not sure if you're trying to be sarcastic or not. This was the first time I had a drink since before Christmas. We do normally go to restaurants, but I always drive.

brightonman123 - I thought it was strange how he just thrust the phone into my hands. Unfortunately, I didn't look to see if there was a name on the phone or just a number. The fact we called the takeaway directly after the pizzaman left and there was no answer, not even from a manager who I'm sure would be cashing tills, etc, just after closing.

so2006 - It was Domino's - although I'm not sure what that adds. Is there a history of these things happening with Domino's?

Sharon87

Does sound like the delivery boy was trying to scam you. I'd go into the chain and ask who the manager was on that night, if it wasn't him, inform him of the scam the delivery boy tried to pull. Can you describe the person? That would help.

McCleod

Definately trying to scam you. What large pizza chain doesn't take payment before delivery? None. Only small highstreet ones do that.

Name them and shame them. If not for the possible scam but for the mix up.