A romantic celebration turned into a financial nightmare for Douglas Ordonez and Dominique Adams, a California couple when an Uber charge of nearly $30,000 left them stranded without money during their vacation in Costa Rica.
The exorbitant charge, resulting from a processing error, forced the couple to postpone their planned vow renewal ceremony and navigate a frustrating ordeal with their bank and Uber customer support.
The Unexpected Financial Blow
Douglas Ordonez and Dominique Adams were eagerly looking forward to renewing their wedding vows during a special getaway.
The tweet below verifies the news:
Douglas Ordonez and Dominique Adams were excited to celebrate their five-year wedding anniversary with a vow renewal during an idyllic getaway, but an Uber charge for nearly $30,000 left them without money in a foreign countryhttps://t.co/KCq0vw61mg
— WGN TV News (@WGNNews) July 15, 2023
However, their plans took a dramatic turn when Adams, who was in Costa Rica at the time, hailed an Uber to the airport to meet her husband in Guatemala. Little did she know that the seemingly routine ride would result in a shocking financial burden.
Processing Error and Postponed Celebrations
Adams discovered the issue upon arriving at the airport in Costa Rica when her husband informed her that his credit card had been declined due to an unauthorized charge of almost $30,000. The couple soon realized that what was intended to be a ₡30,000 Costa Rican Colones charge had been processed as a $30,000 charge, leaving them without access to funds and forcing them to postpone their vow renewal.
Blame Game and Frustrating Delays
Seeking assistance, the couple contacted their bank and Uber, but both entities shifted blame onto each other. The bank accused Uber, while Uber allegedly blamed the bank for the error. Adams and Ordonez found themselves caught in a frustrating situation, where they had to rely on the limited cash they had brought with them and were unable to fully enjoy their vacation.
Long Wait for Resolution
The couple endured four days of uncertainty before the charge was finally reversed. Throughout the ordeal, Uber provided little support, failing to respond to their inquiries and prematurely marking the case as resolved in the app. Adams criticized Uber’s negligence and lack of communication during the incident.
Uber’s Response and Bank’s Silence
An Uber spokesman stated that they promptly addressed the issue upon receiving the report, attributing the error to a bank’s mistake in processing the charge in dollars instead of Colones. However, the refund’s processing time depended on the bank’s policies. At the time of publication, Altura Credit Union, the couple’s bank, had not provided a comment regarding the incident.
Lessons Learned and Future Choices
Reflecting on their experience, Adams advised international travelers to use credit cards rather than debit cards to avoid similar situations. Frustrated by their ordeal, the couple stated that they have no plans to use Uber again in the future.
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