A restaurant scam has hit Columbia and everyone should make sure their staff is on the alert.
The scammers use the phone relay system designed for the speech and hearing impaired to place a large to-go order and gives a credit card number for the purchase. The "customer" adds an extra amount to the card to pay for an outside delivery service and the restaurant is asked to send a money order to the delivery company.
Obviously, neither the customer, the credit card nor the delivery company is real and the restaurant is out the amount of the money order.
So far it's just hitting restaurants but everyone should keep an eye out for similar scams.
Full details available in today's Tribune at http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/oct/27/scam-targets-area-eateries/.
