A user on TikTok has sparked debate after sharing a list of 18 cards that a hotel won’t accept from customers as payment methods.
In a video with over 325,000 views, TikTok user @_ge.baby shows a sign at a hotel desk with a range of credit and debit cards.
The sign reads: “DO NOT ACCEPT THESE CARDS!”
“You can’t even use a prepaid card for incidentals at a hotel no more,” the TikToker says. “You’ve got to have a real bank card or credit card.”
In the comments section, many users were confused. While the TikToker said that the hotels required cards tied to genuine bank accounts, some of the listed cards are genuine bank cards.
“TD, Chime and Varo are in fact real bank accounts,” noted a user (on the sign, only TD’s “Buxx” cards are banned, which is a reloadable Visa card designed for teenagers).
“That must be a cheap hotel cause even at the 5 star hotels they take chime,” claimed a second.
“Chime isnt a prepaid though so for them to have that up there is definitely crazy,” added a third.
Some offered potential explanations as to why so many cards were rejected.
“Ppl with these cards would always trash and smoke in ours rooms when I was FD at a hotel, so I get it lmao,” wrote a user. “Unfortunately chime and cashapp/Venmo make it extremely difficult for businesses with chargebacks and what not. It’s not worth the hassle…At the end of the day, they gotta protect their business and these cards scream fraud.”
“I mean they are prepaid so they lose the money if you don’t have anything on there. So makes sense,” explained a second.
Typically, a hotel will ask for a credit card before allowing you to check in. This is both to validate the reservation and to give them a route to charge customers for damages and theft if such things occur.
Debit cards are occasionally allowed, though a hotel will likely place a large hold on the card to cover potential losses. This may be why the hotel shown by the TikToker has simply opted to not accept this range of debit and prepaid cards.
“They say it’s because they have [too] many issues with deposits returning to those form[s] of payments,” alleged a commenter.
Regardless, many users seemed disappointed by the sign.
“But I love my Varo card. And real banks are SCAMS,” detailed a commenter. “I just won’t go to that hotel.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @_ge.baby via Instagram direct message.
