Woman Slams Sandals Resort for "Massage Scam” That Left Her Paying $2,040 for a $340 Massage

Vacationing can get really, really expensive if you aren't careful, especially if you're traveling abroad. Of course, there are exchange rates, and you have to properly budget for tips for when you go out and making sure you don't carelessly exceed that amount when you go out for drinks. Using a debit card abroad can also be a tricky prospect too, because some vendors may charge you an additional fee.

And if you're signing up for experiences in "tourist trap" locations, the fees can compound pretty easily, not to mention certain businesses up-charging tourists. This isn't exactly a problem if your currency is worth a heck of a lot more there, but it's the "hidden" nature of some of these charges that they may keep from you that become an issue.

This is why it's probably best to use Frank Abagnale Jr.'s advice and almost always use credit cards for transactions. As long as you're responsible enough to pay them off in a timely fashion, it's a way more secure way to pay for goods and services. Especially if you think there's some tomfoolery going on on a vendor's end. You could always dispute the charges on your card and use the cash you've got in your bank account.

Because if you end up getting $1,000 more in charges than you expected with a debit card, then it could take a while to get that money back from your bank after they conduct their investigation.

But regardless of what type of card is being charged, it's still frustrating to see when a business ends up incurring multiple charges on your account, like what happened to this TikToker and her husband when they booked a couples massage at a Sandals resort.

Alex Robinson (who posts under the handle @alexx_robinson) showed a series of charges the resort giant billed to her and her husband while they were on vacation. As a gift, her husband booked a couple's massage for the two of them that cost $340 for the hour. Not $340 each, but $340 for the entire massage.

He used his card to book the massage and after seeing the duplicate charge, she thought it was just a mistake and they could easily get the money refunded, no harm no foul.

However, when she got back to her room, she noticed that her card, which was used for incidentals on the room, was charged for two couple's massages as well, meaning that they were billed $1,360 for a single couple's massage, or $1,020 more than it was supposed to cost. No bueno.

When they brought the issue up to the front desk, they were assured that it was just a billing error and that all they had to do was call 1-800-Sandals to "take care of it."

5 months come and go and they still don't receive the refund for their massages.

Exasperated, Alex went to social media to discuss her experience in the hopes of finally getting an answer from Sandals. She added that the charges were placed on Discover credit cards. She called the brand "pathetic" and mentioned that they only refunded her husband's card (not hers) "and not even for the correct amount."

Sandals tells Discover that the charges aren't for the massages but other incidentals associated with the room, and then for some reason, Discover decides to add more charges to their cards, totaling $2,040 for a $340 massage.

Tons of eyes ended up getting on the post with throngs of folks tagging Sandals in the comments section asking them to refund not only the massages but the entirety of their stay for the duress caused by having to deal with financial woes during their vacation.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel, however, Alex wrote in the comments that Sandals stated she and her husband only owed $340 for the single couple's massage in writing. She added however that she's seeking additional compensation for the "time, stress, and ruined trip."