Upset Girlfriend Leaves $5K Tip for Waitress Using Boyfriend’s Credit Card

Serina Wolfe. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office

A woman was arrested after giving a waitress a $5,000 tip using a credit card that belonged to her boyfriend.

According to authorities, the tip was part of a revenge scheme to get back at her boyfriend for not buying her a plane ticket to New York.

The story first came to light last week when ABC reported that a waitress in Florida grieving the loss of her dog was given a $5,000 tip by a patron of the Clear Sky Beachside Café in Clearwater Beach where she worked.

The patron, later identified as 24-year-old Serina Wolfe of Buffalo, New York, was said to have made the purchase using her boyfriend’s credit card following an argument.

According to police, the boyfriend refused to pay for a plane ticket home for Wolfe and subsequently put a hold on the card to ensure it couldn’t be used.

However, once the hold lifted, Wolfe used the card to buy a meal and leave the tip, reported FOX2NOW.

The boyfriend confronted Wolfe—who initially denied making the charge—before reporting the purchase to his credit card company as fraudulent, saying he believes Wolfe was either intoxicated or seeking revenge.

The Clear Sky Beachside Café, where the $5,000 tip was left on the $55.37 food order, was informed that the purchase was fraudulent.

The Café however, claimed the waitress had already received the payout.

Wolfe gave the credit card to authorities and was arrested and charged with grand theft.

Tips for Avoiding Credit Card Fraud

The following are a list of tips from the FBI on how to avoid being a victim of credit card fraud:

• Don’t give out your credit card number online unless the site is secure and reputable. Sometimes a tiny icon of a padlock appears to symbolize a higher level of security to transmit data. This icon is not a guarantee of a secure site, but provides some assurance.
• Don’t trust a site just because it claims to be secure.

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• Before using the site, check out the security/encryption software it uses.
• Make sure you are purchasing merchandise from a reputable source.
• Do your homework on the individual or company to ensure that they are legitimate.
• Obtain a physical address rather than simply a post office box and a telephone number, and call the seller to see if the telephone number is correct and working.
• Send an e-mail to the seller to make sure the e-mail address is active, and be wary of those that utilize free e-mail services where a credit card wasn’t required to open the account.
• Consider not purchasing from sellers who won’t provide you with this type of information.
• Check with the Better Business Bureau from the seller’s area.
• Check out other websites regarding this person/company.
• Don’t judge a person or company by their website; flashy websites can be set up quickly.
• Be cautious when responding to special investment offers, especially through unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals/companies from outside your own country.

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• If possible, purchase items online using your credit card. You can often dispute the charges if something goes wrong.
• Make sure the transaction is secure when you electronically send your credit card number.
• Keep a list of all your credit cards and account information along with the card issuer’s contact information. If anything looks suspicious or you lose your credit card(s), contact the card issuer immediately.