Host Order Mistake: How to Fix Overcharged Pantry Items & Avoid Bank Fees

[Addie4TLC]

Who did you speak to in HO? Knowing how O/D protection works, I have a hard time believing your $8.00 caused the snowball and if it did, you only should be responsible for 1 charge because the other charges would have happened anyway. You'd have to see the statement to play out the scenario of when each happened. That will tell the true story rather than assuming!

Also, make sure you speak to the bank, since you are "responsible" instead of the customer of yours the bank will probably waive the rest of the charges for you.

Good luck fixing it!!!!

Also, claim this on your taxes as a business expense!

I just read this thread. I feel so bad for you. I once charged a credit card twice on two different shows!! The customer had been to both shows but paid cash on one. The husband called to tell me of the error and he was not a happy camper!! The good thing is that they were not the "day to day" type. I was sooooo embarrassed that since she bought the grill pan, I gave them the grill press that I got for free in pan o rama. He was happy with that.


I sure hope that what Janet says happens and when they realize it was your error they will credit the extra charges.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Thanks Addie. I figured I wasn't the only one to do this, but mine is just ugly.

I have not gotten a call from the customer yet. I would think she would want to call me back since I said we want to take care of it. I'm starting to wonder if she would have overdrafted anyway and is just telling her husband it's because of the over charge by PC. Who knows. If I don't hear from her by 9 p.m. I will really wonder.

 

[Addie4TLC]

I'm thinking the same thing!! If I were her I would have jumped at that phone if I knew it was you and you were at fault... even if I was in the shower!! Don't stress anymore. This is starting to take a strange turn. She was probably just looking to blame someone. You have handled yourself professionally and sharing this story has also helped us all.

 

[ChefLisa]

Rhonda,

If she does not call you back, I do not recommend sending a letter. The ball is in her court right now. If she is not willing to call you back, then you can consider the matter closed.

If she does contact you, I definitely would work with her bank and see if you can get the charges refunded.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

The only thing that scares me about her not contacting me is the longer the fees go on the more I will have to pay! I need to get the snowball stopped. If I prove in a letter I tried to take care of it I have a date I can stop being responsible for them.

 

[pamperedlinda]

How much over $200 are her bank fees?

Because, the way I'm reading this and the math I'm doing do not add up.

If your $8.54 error caused her check to bounce then her subsequent checks had to total less than $44.54. I'm going to base my math on $200 since I don't know the exact amt that her bank charged her. So, let's assume that all she had in her bank account was $44.54and just enough to cover her checks (which I highly doubt that she's running her finances THAT tightly) that means that your error caused her to have 5 1/2 bounced checks (which isn't likely so we'll call it 5 fees). That would mean that her average check amount was $8.90 - again, an amount that is highly unlikely unless she is a college student and with the use of debit cards these days, why would she write a check for such a small amount when her bank probably limits her number of free checks each month or charges her a fee for each check?

I personally believe this woman made her own mathmatical errors and she's trying to lay all the blame on you, she probably didn't record some debit card transactions. You need to find out how much the subsequent checks were for that bounced and the order they were presented. Anything over $44.54 is her responsibility - I think you should pay the fees for the checks totaling up to $44.54 because they would have cleared w/o your error. (take the checks in the order they were presented, do not add up the lowest check amts). If the first check that bounced was for $30 then pay that fee, if the one after it was for $25, then don't pay that fee because it would have bounced - kwim?

I hope this makes sense to you. Do the math - she's playing you.

Here's my math:
$200 - bank fees
-$8.54 - your addition error
-$36.00 - bank fee b/c of check #1
-$36.00 - bank fee b/c of check #2
-$36.00 - bank fee b/c of check #3
-$36.00 - bank fee b/c of check #4
-$36.00 - bank fee b/c of check #5
-$35.00 - bank fee b/c of check #6
$224.50 - total fees and your debit error that cleared.

 

[Addie4TLC]

I'm very impressed Linda!! Yes, this reeks of foul play!! She is probably worried you have figured it out and are calling her to rub it in. She has no evidence to present to you or she would be calling you and wanting to take you to her bank.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks Addie, I used to work in banking and had to do alot of Teller audits :yuck:

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I believe it is not due to the $8.54 overage either. That is why I will not pay anything until I have her bank acount info from 2-3 days before through current. If a check came in for more then $8.54 on the same day the debit from PC did then she would have been over anyway!

It is 9 p.m. and she has not called me. I'm beginning to think she has told her husband it was the PC's fault - just a thought.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Well I spoke to my director she said she would try calling her one more time. So I tried again, with no answer. Left her a VM just stating I hope she got the msg. I called. I would like to take care of the overage and work with her and her bank. Please call me at "my numbers."

 

[Addie4TLC]

Hopefully the Hubby will hear your messages and at least know you are trying to work it out. She probably never thought she'd hear from you then placing the blame would be easier.

 

[Jenni]

I was a single parent at 18 and lived paycheck to paycheck!! I can see how this happened.... I hate to say this but your $8. could have lead to all those charges. As a person who has been there done that... it can happen!
I am most thankful to no longer live that way but I do remember it well!

 

[Jenni]

I would also like to add... that I'm sorry this is happening to you as well. The stress would keep me awake at night. I hope it all works out!

 

[janetupnorth]

I was a single parent at 18 and lived paycheck to paycheck!! I can see how this happened.... I hate to say this but your $8. could have lead to all those charges. As a person who has been there done that... it can happen!
I am most thankful to no longer live that way but I do remember it well!

That statement in all this is still bugging me! I have been there too in the past. $8.00 does NOT cause all those fees all her actions would.

$8.00 would cause the snowball ONLY IF all the other transactions (like Linda clearly pointed out - SIX OF THEM) were under $8.00 total!

That would mean she would have to write 6 checks for $1 something each which is HIGHLY unlikely.

She OBVIOUSLY wrote checks without having money there, obviously missed a deposit, etc.

I did have a snowball of fees once like this in my account. Mine was due to the bank screwing up a transfer in. I was able to prove the submission on time, the money in the other account and that their system screwed up so they removed all the fees. One overdraft starts the snowball, but it is USUALLY a large one. Otherwise the snowball wouldn't have been a snowball, it would have been a snowflake.

It'll be interesting to hear what the statement says, but I think she just screwed up big-time and was looking for an easy way out. Blaming a person is easier than blaming an organization.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Not wanting to mess up Linda's math (which by the way is very impressive!) but, in addition to a $38 overdraft fee, my bank charges $7 for each day the account is overdrawn. I found this out the hard way when I wrote the wrong account number on a generic deposit slip and put PC money in my personal account I don't check my bank statements daily and had 6 days of $7 fees before I realized the mistake. That one mistake cost me $80!!

Before I paid any fees to this customer, I would request a meeting with someone at her bank. Bank statements are so hard to read properly. They can tell you exactly what happened.

In the customers defense, it seems banks are changing their policies daily. Mine has started holding checks deposited for 24-48 hours, my daughter just opened an account at a different bank and they were going to put a 5 day (!!) hold on a $300 check I wrote to her until I said she was a college student in another city and needed the money asap. She could have deposited money and started writing checks not realizing all monies weren't available.

While I agree that this being completely Rhonda's fault sounds a bit exaggerated, I don't think we should automatically assume that the customer is trying to scam her.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Well if it is my fault and I called to say I want to work with her and her bank to get this taken care of, resolved, etc. Why wouldn't she want to take my call? It just doesn't make any sense to me! If it were me I would be waiting for the call!

I'm going to call HO this morning and find out what they think my next step should be before I send the certified letter. I wanted to work with her yesterday. I don't think I should be responsible for any fees afterward.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Not wanting to mess up Linda's math (which by the way is very impressive!) but, in addition to a $38 overdraft fee, my bank charges $7 for each day the account is overdrawn. .....

Lisa! You need to change banks! Either that or never bounce again. I started working in banking right after college and have never bounced a check on my account - it was a HUGE taboo to do that when you are an employee. I remember all the 'excuses' my customers would give as to why it was overdrawn too - some really lame, some really creative, and some people would actually own up to it and say they made a mistake. It happens, but shouldn't be habitual.

I have had 2 returned checks from customers and luckily, my bank does not charge me fees when I have a returned deposit.

 

[Jenni]

Lisa! You need to change banks! Either that or never bounce again. I started working in banking right after college and have never bounced a check on my account - it was a HUGE taboo to do that when you are an employee. I remember all the 'excuses' my customers would give as to why it was overdrawn too - some really lame, some really creative, and some people would actually own up to it and say they made a mistake. It happens, but shouldn't be habitual.

I have had 2 returned checks from customers and luckily, my bank does not charge me fees when I have a returned deposit.

Linda~ what about the fees the business may have charged her? Like bounce a check to walmart and they charge you $25 as well. Maybe she was counting those in the amount as well. Is that possible? Could that have been how it got up there so fast.

 

[Jenni]

That statement in all this is still bugging me! I have been there too in the past. $8.00 does NOT cause all those fees all her actions would.

$8.00 would cause the snowball ONLY IF all the other transactions (like Linda clearly pointed out - SIX OF THEM) were under $8.00 total!

That would mean she would have to write 6 checks for $1 something each which is HIGHLY unlikely.

She OBVIOUSLY wrote checks without having money there, obviously missed a deposit, etc.

I did have a snowball of fees once like this in my account. Mine was due to the bank screwing up a transfer in. I was able to prove the submission on time, the money in the other account and that their system screwed up so they removed all the fees. One overdraft starts the snowball, but it is USUALLY a large one. Otherwise the snowball wouldn't have been a snowball, it would have been a snowflake.

It'll be interesting to hear what the statement says, but I think she just screwed up big-time and was looking for an easy way out. Blaming a person is easier than blaming an organization.

I said it could.... I didn't say it did (please read that in your head in a friendly voice) Meaning to me that she should look into it which she is. I'm in Rhonda's corner I hope and pray she doesn't have to pay her a penny. But I think stepping up is the right thing to do which she is by looking it to meeting with her at the bank.
Blaming in the moment happens when things in your life are spinning out of control. Doesn't make it right but it happens~Bank statements are a must.....

 

[pamperedlinda]

Linda~ what about the fees the business may have charged her? Like bounce a check to walmart and they charge you $25 as well. Maybe she was counting those in the amount as well. Is that possible? Could that have been how it got up there so fast.

Could be. The way I read it, I was assuming it was from her bank and it just didn't sound right. I guess we need all the pieces of the puzzle to get the full picture.

 

[chefbritt]

As a college student living paycheck to paycheck, I have had weeks where I budgeted down to the last few dollars and an extra $8 charge could have caused an overdraft fee. But, it would have been just one fee! Anything beyond that would mean I made other purchases that would have bounced anyways. Also, If I were in that situation (as the guest) I would feel some responsibility for not adding or checking my PC order correctly in the first place. I would probably accept it as one of those things that can happen when you cut things so close with your bank accounts, and just take care of the fees myself. But, that's just me.

Personally I don't think you need to continue contacting her. You've made it clear that you are willing to work with her, and the ball is in her court now. She's probably realized that it wasn't your fault and she was just placing blame, and is too embarassed to contact you again. If it makes you feel better to send the certified letter and have that documentation, than do it, and then bless and release. Don't let yourself keep stressing and feeling guilty over this!

 

[Oklabell]

OK I am throwing my 2cents in. If I had:
only $30 in the bank on 01/01/2008
A $34.00 charge goes thru and bounced 01/01/08so I am negative now
but If the next day she depostits a check and does not know she is negative the bank doesn't tell her.
So 01/02/2008 she deposit $100 her account is only +66 and if she rights a check or uses a card for lets say $68 bomb it states a major chain.

Now I check my account alot and I have them email if it gets low. But My MIL waits for her statement do she goes a months without checking.

I know how it can happen but I still would want proof and I don't think I would pay all the fees. Most bank will work with you and if she needed the money that bad she would be calling everyday.

Some banks can go back and fix the first charge that started the chain if there was an error. Years ago the gas station typed an extra number in the little machine and messed my whole account and the bank went back and fixed it.

P.S take them a desert!!! Maybe that will work

 

[ChefLisa]

Rhonda, I know you are leaving messages for her and want to send a certified letter showing your are willing to work with her, but I really caution against that. The letter might be understood by her or others that you are willing to take responsibility for the whole thing.

At this point the burden of proof is on her. She should be the one sending you a certified letter.

If she was using counter or starter checks, perhaps she had a deposit on hold. That is very common with new accounts. Like Linda, I used to work in a bank. We used to hold checks quite frequently, especially on new accounts.

Banks can be forgiving for a mistake. If you are contacted by her and need to work with them, you might be able to get them to reverse the charges. If she received charges from other companies for returned checks, a letter to them might resolve the issue. Of course this is assuming the charges are the result of the extra charge. I am not convinced of that, just going with that scenario for some additional advice.

I definitley recommend going with her to the bank and working with someone in person. That was mentioned by someone earlier in this thread and she is totally correct. That way you can see everything on the computer and get an explanation of the transactions.

Please just do not send the letter. I would love to read opinions of others on you writing the letter.

 

[janetupnorth]

Nope, taking them sand won't help...

Sorry, couldn't resist this morning!

I was taught when I was little that dessert has 2 s's in it because you ALWAYS want a second helping.



Jenni - no harm, no foul. My comments on the situation above are strickly analytical and any "bugging me" is analyzing sorting out the facts, nothing emotionally bugging me...

 

[janetupnorth]

Rhonda, I know you are leaving messages for her and want to send a certified letter showing your are willing to work with her, but I really caution against that. The letter might be understood by her or others that you are willing to take responsibility for the whole thing.

At this point the burden of proof is on her. She should be the one sending you a certified letter.

If she was using counter or starter checks, perhaps she had a deposit on hold. That is very common with new accounts.

AGREE!!!! :thumbup:

 

[erinb]

I truely believe that if you were truely at fault for all of it, she would have been on the phone with you ASAP. Give it some time and if you hear nothing back, let it go.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Nope, taking them sand won't help...

Sorry, couldn't resist this morning!

I was taught when I was little that dessert has 2 s's in it because you ALWAYS want a second helping.



Jenni - no harm, no foul. My comments on the situation above are strickly analytical and any "bugging me" is analyzing sorting out the facts, nothing emotionally bugging me...

I was taught that Dessert and Strawberry Shortcake both have two 'S' and Sahara and Desert have one 'S'. Works for me

 

[Oklabell]

The biggest thing with me if it was my account I would want it fixed yesterday!!!! I just do not understand why she is avoiding you. We live ina society where nothing is our fault. If you have to pay maybe we can start a collection for you I would throw in a few bucks.

I also forgot to tell you I am so sorry it happened. It is some thing I would do and I would be upset. But yesterday is yesterday and today is today and I think you are doing a great job at trying to fix it.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Well I spoke w/HO and they do suggest I send a certified letter so I have a legal date of when I can stop paying any late fees if it comes to that. She is also going to check w/the Legal Dept.to find out what my next step would be. I asked her to call me back by 4 p.m. if she hears anything different from Legal since I will have to go to the Post Office at that time.

I will of course to cc'ing PC on the letter.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I was taught that Dessert and Strawberry Shortcake both have two 'S' and Sahara and Desert have one 'S'. Works for me

I was taught the you only want to go to the desert once (one "s") and you want to go back for seconds of dessert (two "s"s).

 

[chefann]

My aunt told me that because dessert is richer than a desert, it has 2 $ in it.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Okay here is what I wrote just in case anyone else needs this in the future:

Dear ________

I received your voice message from 9 p.m., August 5, 2008, regarding the discrepancy between the total of your order receipt with the amount charged from the Pampered Chef® to your account.

I would like to work with you and your bank to rectify any problems and overdrafts this issue may have caused. I attempted to contact you several times yesterday, August 6, 2008, via phone and left messages for you to contact me; however, I am concerned you have not returned my calls.

Please contact me at xxxxx or xxxxx so we can resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

 

[trps]

Same for supper and super you eat seconds at supper and diner and dinner you have a second dinner at the diner of course it really has to do with short doubled and long vowel sound not doubled but I didn't know that until I started teaching it.

 

[chefann]

Okay here is what I wrote just in case anyone else needs this in the future:

Dear ________

I received your voice message from 9 p.m., August 5, 2008, regarding the discrepancy between the total of your order receipt with the amount charged from the Pampered Chef® to your account.

I would like to work with you and your bank to rectify any problems and overdrafts this issue may have caused. I attempted to contact you several times yesterday, August 6, 2008, via phone and left messages for you to contact me; however, I am concerned you have not returned my calls.

Please contact me at xxxxx or xxxxx so we can resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

I like it, but I'd put a deadline for her to contact you. Otherwise, this is the type of thing that gets set aside and forgotten.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I like it, but I'd put a deadline for her to contact you. Otherwise, this is the type of thing that gets set aside and forgotten.

I like the wording of the letter. You are not accepting full responsibility but offering to work with her. I agree with Ann and would include a deadline.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Oops, already sent. A deadline was a good idea. The main thing I'm worried about is my responsibility. This letter just ended the date for that.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Update - Still no call tonight. So glad I sent the letter!

I don't think I'll be hearing from her. Not sure what I do if she doesn't sign for it!

 

[flemings99]

I have had 2 returned checks from customers and luckily, my bank does not charge me fees when I have a returned deposit.

Where do you bank at? I had my first customer check bounce at Christmas time last year, $100!! My bank charged me a $10 fee b/c I deposited a bad check. I was so angry. How was I to know? I didn't over draft, but asked what would have happened if I did---they told me I would have had over draft fees. I have outstanding credit and talked "up the ladder", no budge I had to pay the fee. Believe they said the feds charge it to them, so they pass it on to the customer. Luckily, my customer made good on her check in cash & refunded my $10 fee as well.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I was thinking earlier today. I'm surprised nobody has asked me to recruit this person since she so needs the money:yuck:!!!!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

She'd want you to pay for her kit ...

 

[pampchefrhondab]

LOL - That ain't happenin!!

I'm to the point I have to find some humor in this entire mess!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I think since she had just opened this account- that she only had $25.00 in there to begin with- I'm sorry you had to deal with all this, I'm still 2 pages away from finishing this thread, but my heart goes out to you Miss Rhonda!

I'm so sorry--- And if she was going to write a check on a starter check, isn't that debit card from the same account? Or, at least from the same bank and she could transfer money to cover it? Very curious...

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Thanks Kacey!

I think she knew what the total should have been and thought she was going to get away w/not paying for the spices. If your account is this close wouldn't you have done a total in your head of what you were buying!

This whole thing has just gotten bazzar with her not calling me back!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I agree that she'd want you to buy her kit... LOL

Yes, it is bizzar, and I'm sorry you even have to deal with this- Nothing like that nervousness in the pit of your stomach over something like this- UGH! I believe she won't call you, and probably cut things too closely, or forgot about them...

Hugs to you, sweetie!!!

 

[smspamperedchef]

Traditionally banks when they are paying items they pay the "highest" items first. They "CLAIM" that usually the higher checks are for things such a rent and car payments so they try and pay those first. Then, the lower amounts come in in order of $ amounts. SUCH AS: House- $850, Car- $300, $39.95, $26, $14. I had problems one time and stated that they wanted to just charge more fees but that is what they told me so "important" bills and such wouldn't be returned.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Traditionally banks when they are paying items they pay the "highest" items first. They "CLAIM" that usually the higher checks are for things such a rent and car payments so they try and pay those first. Then, the lower amounts come in in order of $ amounts. SUCH AS: House- $850, Car- $300, $39.95, $26, $14. I had problems one time and stated that they wanted to just charge more fees but that is what they told me so "important" bills and such wouldn't be returned.

Hmmm, interesting... I used to work for a bank and they just liked to charge fees...

 

[Jenni]

Hmmm, interesting... I used to work for a bank and they just liked to charge fees...

Ok now that was funny! I girl who shots it straight!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

My current bank will process items as soon as they come in - during the entire day. My old bank wouldn't process any checks/debits until the end of the business day to make sure you didn't make a deposit on the same day. I liked it that way better. One time I did have an overdraw because I made a deposit at the ATM. It did not show up at the bank until later in the day even though it did deposit on the same business day. I called and they credited the fee back. If I would have realized it was that close I would have made the deposit at the branch, but my husband charged $100 in gas on the debit card and didn't tell me.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Ok now that was funny! I girl who shots it straight!

Yup, I'm a straight shooter. I was the Sr. Mortgage Rep for a well known banking chain, and I let the bankers have all the home equity loans, and I just focused on first mortgages... they would talk people into getting a HELOC (home equity line of credit) when a re-fi or a reverse mortgage would have been so much more affordable for them- but they were all about fees and getting people deeper in the hole...it didn't matter- just SELL and PUSH the products, whether they need the or not!

I had to get out of that environment!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

My current bank will process items as soon as they come in - during the entire day. My old bank wouldn't process any checks/debits until the end of the business day to make sure you didn't make a deposit on the same day. I liked it that way better. One time I did have an overdraw because I made a deposit at the ATM. It did not show up at the bank until later in the day even though it did deposit on the same business day. I called and they credited the fee back. If I would have realized it was that close I would have made the deposit at the branch, but my husband charged $100 in gas on the debit card and didn't tell me.[/QUOTE]


Hmpfff- Men! :grumpy: