A legal dispute has reached the District Court regarding allegations of an irregular and unauthorized credit card charge during a taxi ride in the French capital. According to a report by TheMarker, Mira Bornstein, an Israeli tourist, claimed that during a short ten-minute ride in Paris in February, she was significantly overcharged by a local taxi driver. According to the lawsuit, the driver requested payment via credit card, citing a lack of cash, and presented a terminal showing a charge of 10.
5 euros. Bornstein testified that she completed the transaction by entering her PIN, but the driver claimed the transaction failed and requested a second attempt using a different device. After the payment was processed, no physical receipt was provided despite the passenger's request. Subsequently, Bornstein discovered she had been charged over 9,600 shekels, 250 times the original amount expected for the ride. Bornstein contacted her credit card company to demand a cancellation and refund, but upon refusal, she filed a lawsuit.
The court of first instance dismissed her claim, and she is now pursuing an appeal in the District Court. Conversely, CAL stated that its conduct toward the customer was in accordance with the Payment Services Law, without providing further detail. The case highlights the complexity of dealing with international transactions, particularly when using portable devices in foreign countries, where the control of credit card companies over specific transaction details may be limited.
The claims have not yet been finally adjudicated in the appellate instance, and the discussion illustrates the legal difficulty consumers face in recovering funds in cases of alleged fraud abroad, when payment was made voluntarily by the client using a PIN. The proceeding may serve as a touchstone regarding the scope of liability imposed on credit card companies in cases of transaction denial and allegations of fraud by foreign entities, as well as the duty of care required from consumers when using mobile terminals while traveling abroad.