Couple traveling the world wants to pay a hotel reservation with a credit card under the boyfriend's supposed mother with a letter that "authorized" them: 'She tells me that it's illegal for me to not accept that letter and she's going to call the police'

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Aug 29, 2026 10:30 AM EDT

These scammers just think that we are all dumb.


In customer service, you always get to see the craziest things, the most entitled guests, and the most annoying requests. So if you worked in the environment for a while, you start to get the gist of it. You learn and become incredibly aware of your surroundings. That is extremely useful. You get to know when a customer is going to be a handful even before they open their mouths. You get to anticipate their movements and act in favor of it to avoid escalations and headaches. But as you get to see these things before they happen, you also get to discover scammers in a split second. Don't tell me that isn't a superpower.

In this story in r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, we see some things that, if you work in customer service, may be really useful to learn how to spot scammers from a mile away. Here we have a young couple who seem to be traveling the world and have a reservation in a hotel. When the front desk employee is doing the check-in, she realizes that the card name and their ID names aren't the same. She points out that she won't be able to check them in if the card isn't theirs, to which the couple replies that they have a letter of authorization. The first thing this employee does great is not playing into their game. She refuses to open the letter several times as she knows it won't work either. After a while, she opens it just to say the same thing. The letter wasn't even signed! These scammers thought that front desk employees were dumb enough to accept that awfully written piece of paper!

What is amazing is how she handled the situation. She explained why that didn't work at all. She responded to the "I want to talk to the manager" with clarity, explaining that they were just going to say the same exact thing. And lastly, when they threatened to call the police, she encouraged them and even offered to do it herself. That is how you handle this situation. Props to her, and what a crazy story. But, well, it's just another day at customer service. 

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  • 01
    This couple that looked to be in their early 20s walked in saying they were there to check in. I brought up their reservation and asked for the boyfriend's ID and credit/debit card since it was in his name. He gives me his ID and a sheet of notebook paper. The ID matches, but then I ask him what the paper's for. He tells me that the card on the reservation is his mother's card, and that the paper is a letter from her explaining that it's okay to use that card and not to ask him for one. I didn't
    via TheNiteOwl38
  • 02
    A couple traveling around the world together. Still frame for contextual reference only.
    via Clay Banks

    A couple traveling around the world together. 

    Still frame for contextual reference only. 

  • 03
    check-in policy regarding credit or debit cards, and then asked him for a credit or debit card with his name on it. That's when the girlfriend makes her presence felt saying that the letter tells me not to ask that. I inform her that their letter has no bearing in this situation and repeat my request for for a card. The boyfriend is adamant that I need to read the letter. Now, curiosity has me. I open and read it. It's a handwritten letter, in penmanship so bad that I can barely make out some of
    via TheNiteOwl38
  • 04
    girlfriend are traveling around the country, but they don't have credit cards of their own, so they're using hers to pay for their rooms, and this letter is her authorizing me to let them pay for the room that way. No signature at the end by the way. I look up and tell them that the letter changes nothing. If his mother wanted to pay for the room she should've called ahead and gotten an authorization form put on file. He says that if she did that she'd be filling out forms for who knows how many
    via TheNiteOwl38
  • 05
    need them to either present a valid card that matches one of their IDs, or I'm going to cancel their reservation and ask them to leave. I then hand them back the letter. They ask to speak to a manager. I tell them the manager is not going to accept the letter either. That's when the girlfriend tries the Hail Mary play. She tells me that it's illegal of me to not accept that letter and she's going to call the police if I don't check them in. The look of actual shock on her face when I told her to
    via TheNiteOwl38
  • 06
    off point the boyfriend tells me to and that I'm forcing him and his girlfriend to sleep on the streets. I tell him he's doing that himself but to have a nice night. I cancel the reservation and email everyone at the desk and the managers in case this couple comes back or tries calling. I'm pretty sure this isn't a new scam, but it's the first time I've come across it. I also wonder if the reason their trying it is because it's actually worked on someone.
    via TheNiteOwl38
  • 07
    A person making a credit card payment.
    via Nathana Rebouças

    A person making a credit card payment. 

  • 08
    Hetif My mom said it's ok to use her stolen credit card.
    via Hetif
  • 09
    ericzku I don't think I could have prevented myself from saying, "A note from your mother? Seriously?" Sadly, I work with a couple of people who I think just might fall for a scam this stupid.
    via ericzku
  • 10
    TimesOrphan Toddlers masquerading as adults. This has got all the energy of "But you see, Ms. Teacher, I have a note from my mom explaining why I'm late to class", done in the unmistakable handwriting of an 8 year old.
    via TimesOrphan
  • 11
    Poldaran "If you're going to sleep on the streets, I highly recommend you go past Fifth Street. Hook Hand Joe doesn't go past Fifth. Of course, you have to worry about But he's basically harmless. He just invites you to a citrus themed party." Gus.
    via Poldaran
  • 12
    Smooth_Contact_2957 What, did they watch Casablanca recently and think they could reinvent Letters of Transit? It's not 1940 and just writing a permission slip doesn't make it true.
    via Smooth_Contact_2957
  • 13
    Bubbly-Course413 I'll save you the trouble of calling the police on me, I'll call them for you.
    via Bubbly-Course413
  • 14
    DaneAlaskaCruz She tells me it is illegal not to accept the letter. And that she will call the cops. Bada OP: then call them. GF: shocked pikachu face I wonder if this threat has ever worked on any FDA not working their first week on the job.
    via DaneAlaskaCruz
  • 15
    DimensioT "To whom it may concern. My son and his girlfriend can charge whatever they want to my credit card. Signed, Epstein's mother."
    via DimensioT
  • 16
    Legal_Assistance5470 If the son and his GF have a planned trip around the country, Mom would have had plenty of time to get son a supplemental card on her account with his name on it. Mom can control the limit on his card, and some banks may permit her to limit the merchant category codes to whatever she thinks is prudent.
    via Legal_Assistance5470
  • 17
    doppelgaengster If someone is going to use a letter like that, they could at least put in the effort to forge a notary stamp on it to make it seem legit.
    via doppelgaengster

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hotel guest tales from the front desk scammers couple
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