Buying More Gift Cards? Just Be Careful
Our sister site in Chicago reported yesterday on the possibility that Restaurant.com gift cards that we both wrote about last October might be a scam. It seems someone e-mailed Consumerist about a mysterious $14.95 recurring monthly credit card charge that began appearing shortly after the person bought a few certificates on the website. After writing that post in October, I had bought a few myself as stocking stuffers for family, so I immediately checked my credit card statement. Thankfully, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
The comments in the Consumerist post explain the whole situation; the person in question likely clicked on a special offer of some sort (something like "save $10 on your next purchase") and agreed to the terms, unfortunately not realizing that said terms included a monthly charge from "Shopping Essentials."
So, basically, Restaurant.com is OK to use, although it's probably a good idea to double-check your credit card statement if you've bought certificates there in the past. And if you buy more in the future, make sure to just refuse any offers that may pop up — they could end up being more expensive than you think.
Buy A Gift Certificate From Restaurant.com, Sign Up For A Recurring $14.95 Monthly 'Service" [Consumerist]
Gift Cards From Restaurant.com Are, Sadly, A Scam [MP: Chicago]
How To Turn $2 Into $25 [MP: South Florida]
Restaurant.com [Official Site]
