How many times have you put your credit card out to pay for a restaurant meal and had an employee other than your server pick it up? It’s not uncommon, especially in busier eateries, so some diners wouldn’t think twice when it happens. At least until the card hasn’t been returned because the helpful “waitress” who took it is actually at the Target across the parking lot making purchases with it?

KRQE-TV reports that this is what happened to a customer at a Santa Fe, NM, restaurant last week, where a woman pretending to be a server picked up the diner’s credit card as if she was going to process the payment but then attempted to go on a spending spree.

The fake waitress probably knew that her time was limited before the customer realized what had happened, which explains why her first destination was the Target store only a short walk across the parking lot from the restaurant:

Police says the scammer was able to purchase more than $200 worth of items from the Target before running out to a BMW waiting in the parking lot.

She made subsequent attempts to use the card, but the customer had already reported it stolen by then.

[via Credit.com]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.