Home Australia Furious diner claims she was ‘scammed’ out of $500 by a trendy Bondi restaurant

Furious diner claims she was ‘scammed’ out of $500 by a trendy Bondi restaurant

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Lucy Finter claimed that a restaurant

A young Australian woman who paid a $500 booking fee at a popular Sydney restaurant claimed she was “scammed” after she and her friends turned up on the day and found the place closed.

PR worker Lucy Finter, 27, attracted more than 260,000 views after detailing the frustrating saga on her TikTok account.

The Australian expat now living in London recalled how she booked a “bottomless brunch” for herself and a dozen friends at a “very reputable” restaurant in Bondi for December 29 and paid a $500 deposit.

Finter claimed he even received an email the day before confirming the reservation.

“I arrived that day at this place, the place was completely closed, the fans were leaving, the tables and chairs were all packed up,” he explained.

“I just thought something had gone very wrong or something happened to the owner and they would contact me.”

Finter declined to name the restaurant because she said she wasn’t “that stupid” and “they weren’t getting back to her anyway.”

Lucy Finter claimed a “very reputable” Sydney restaurant “scammed” her out of a $500 deposit by closing it on the day she was due to host her and a dozen friends.

Finter was embarrassed by the incident, but says the group managed to find another location nearby.

She claims her $500 deposit has still not been refunded, despite repeatedly calling and direct messaging the restaurant.

“I reported them to the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) and left a nasty review,” Ms Finter said.

However, he said the restaurant had responded on Instagram saying it was not their normal way of communicating.

“Give me my $500,” said Mrs. Finter.

After her TikTok went viral, Finter claimed that the restaurant owner contacted her and told her they were “looking into the matter.”

Despite being promised an immediate refund, there has been no further contact, he said.

‘I was home visiting family living abroad, so I definitely missed out on that $500. “I’m also grateful that I didn’t ask all my friends to transfer me when I paid the deposit because then they would have been caught in the mess too,” she said. news.com.au

The Australian expat and her friends managed to find another place in Bondi for lunch (file image of Sydneysiders dining in Bondi)

The Australian expat and her friends managed to find another place in Bondi for lunch (file image of Sydneysiders dining in Bondi)

Finter has since recovered his money by filing a dispute with the bank.

She described the ordeal as “stressful.”

“I’ve never had a business take a reservation, ask for a deposit, close completely and then go radio silent,” he said.

“I think if they hadn’t taken the money it would have been a different story, but accepting $500 and then not getting back to me for two weeks is incredibly unprofessional and unfair.”

TikTok viewers were equally outraged, with many offering advice on whether Ms Finter should handle the saga.

‘Go down there. Come in and in your best Karen voice, demand to see the manager!’ one commented.

“Take them to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal,” another suggested.

“I bet the moment they are notified about the request, they will refund your money.”

Ms Finter has been contacted for further comment.

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