This restaurant defrauded me out of EUR 100.00 and I intend to make it worth their while and also protect other tourists from this trap, who might be visiting Athens.
And not to feel totally cheated of my money, my goal is to settle the playing field by exposing these criminals for the price of EUR 100.00 and hope that potential customers take heed to my caution and unfortunate experience, and avoid this place.
On June 6, 2024 I had lunch at this restaurant in Psyrri (Athens, Greece), which totalled to EUR 45.00 and as customary, I always add a tip of 10% or more. On this day I tipped EUR 5.00 which brought my bill to an even fifty.
The Con:
Their hustle is cute but not in an admirable way, it is not original and far from being sophisticated; still, they managed to take my money.
How did it happen?
Paying with my bank card, the waiter ask that I tap my card on the hand-held device for payment, then as soon as it approves, he quickly interrupts the receipt and said that the payment failed, (all while trying for me not to see what was being displayed on the screen), so typically, me being sure that my bank card is valid and that money is in the account, I tried again and he repeated the action. Twice meant EUR 100.00 had been stolen.
I gave him the benefit of the doubt and settled the bill with another method. Hours passed and the so-called failed payments failed to be refunded to my account, and that’s when I was certain that I had been a victim of a con.
I contacted my bank who confirmed that both payments were successful, and I immediately made it known to them that the two transactions were fraudulent.
The next day I went back to the restaurant with no hopes of getting my money back, but as an unsatisfied customer, to confront the manager or the waiter, and make my knowledge of the con known to them, which I did.
As expected nothing was done in my favour, but I used the opportunity to take pictures of the restaurant for the purpose of accurate exposure.
If you are in Athens, Greece, avoid this restaurant by all means; they are a bunch of crooks. Hooligans trying to pass themselves off as waiters and restauranteur.
And as a bonus tip, always trust your gut, a golden rule, which I ignored on this day; maybe because I was high in tourist mode and enjoying the spirit of Athens.
There were no female staff present, and these middle age men, looked rough around the edges. One looks like a wanna-be Tony Soprano and another looks like he just rejoined society, and there was a third and younger guy, who had a quiet but deceptive aura about him. All three were out of place as restaurant reps.
© Ian T. Sebàs 2024
Bleeding Pen 