I booked several rooms for me and my family on my credit card. I received a charge by the motel after my stay for $100 for smoking in a non-...

Question

I booked several rooms for me and my family on my credit card. I received a charge by the motel after my stay for $100 for smoking in a non-smoking room regarding my mother-in-law. No one smokes in the family. The motel would not take back the charge. I submitted a dispute with my credit card company. The credit card company supports the motel on the basis of a signed credit card receipt by my mother-in-law for $100, and another signature by her acknowledging the $100 non-smoking policy. The 2 signatures clearly do not match each other. The $100 charge was submitted after our departure, so in addition to not knowing of the receipt/acknowledgement, she denies signing anything. Finally, the only authorized cardholders are me and my wife. The credit card company still finds in favor of the motel. Does any of this sound like fraud? Is there any other recourse?

Answer

No this does not sound like fraud. For a $100 are you really going to make a case out of this?

Your remedies are to write to the motel and the parent company or get a lawyer to send a letter. The letter should be directed to the owner of the motel and someone very high up at the parent company who is in charge of customer service.

If that does not get a response, you can try suing in small claims where the motel is located. Most of the motels are privately owned - they are not necessarily owned by the parent company so you need to find out who owns that motel and sue them.

Or you can post negative complaints about the motel anywhere and everywhere you can. Stick to the facts that you know you can prove. Do not tell others not to do business there and do not be profane or rude. Just lay out your case and advise what a horrible experience you had and indicate that you could not recommend it and would never stay at the particular motel again. Post at Ripoff Report, trip advisor, epinions and file a complaint at the BBB. While you will not get your $100 back your filing a complaint will serve as a warning to your fellow consumers and you will cost them much more than $100 in lost business.