Credit Card

Leona Legg had to do a double-take when she drove by one of her favorite restaurants recently. A second swing by Ted's Montana Grill at 21st & Tyler confirmed it. The restaurant was closed. One day it was open and serving its famous buffalo meat burgers. The next, it was locked up and the signs were gone.   Legg's first thought wasn't about filling her stomach, however. It was about the $25 gift card she had just bought for someone days earlier. "We're just like OK, what do we do with the gift card?

KWCH Eyewitness News & CBS News You may have seen the ads all over the Internet.  They promise you'll make thousands of dollars, working from home for the Internet search company Google. Marvin Schultz - an unemployed contractor in Oregon - thought it sounded like a good idea. "I saw Google, and I heard about it from my daughter so I thought what the heck," Schultz says. Schultz says he paid $0.99 for some materials that he never received and says he was then billed almost $50 on his credit card.

(WICHITA, Kan.) It's a warning to those who pay at the pump with a credit card. But is it real? Pumps at the Sam's Club in east Wichita posted warnings for customers who paid with a card to press clear before they leave, to clear out the transaction. The news release, supposedly comes from a sheriff's office in Colorado warning drivers of credit card thefts at the pump. However, state officials say there is no reason to be concerned. A Wichita gas station says there is somewhat of a lag time before your information clears.

Newly enacted credit-card reforms were supposed to protect people against certain abusive practices by card issuers, such as gouging you with unfair fees. But Consumer Reports warns that despite the regulations, plastic can still be perilous. A survey of Americans by the Consumer Reports National Research Center finds that the average credit-card balance is down to about $3,800—$1,100 lower than in 2009. But that doesn't mean people are happier with credit-card companies.

By John Boyd (WICHITA, Kan.) The new Salvation Army kettles with credit card machines aren't bringing in as much money as the charity was hoping for. The Salvation Army believes people just aren't comfortable with using the machines. All you do is slide your card and punch in the amount you want to donate. The charity says the machines are safe to use and no personal information is stored. The Salvation Army did bring in one large donation.  Someone donated $1,000 dollars through one of the machines.

The parking lot at the Century II Expo Hall got a make over Wednesday. After parking, drivers will not use the traditional meters, but four pay stations at the north end of the lot. They will have to remember their spot number and punch it into the device. This is part of a trial that is expected to last three months. "We see this as an opportunity to provide a higher lever of service to our patrons," John D'Angelo, manager, arts & cultural service division, said. The pay station will accept change as well as credit cards as payment.

The economy may still be wavering, but not the banks. They're still sending consumers plenty of credit-card offers with enticing rewards, cash-back offers, and low interest rates. Consumer Reports just analyzed more than 50 cards, including ones that are good for those struggling to pay off their credit-card debt. For those people, Consumer Reports recommends transferring the balances to a card with a lower APR. You can often find cards with very low interest rates, even down to zero, for balance transfers.

Police warn Wichita residents to look closely at their credit card statements. Nearly 30 stolen credit cards were used to buy gas Friday morning. Investigators say it stems from a rash of car thefts in East Wichita. According to an eyewitness, one suspect handed out the cards to his friends at a gas station. Then they filled their cars with gas, dumped the cards in the trash can and left.  Police recovered the cards and say they have identified several suspects.  The gas charges would be between 8-9 AM Friday morning at a pump station near 13th and Woodlawn

We wanted to warn you about another telephone scam. A local woman tells us she took a phone call from a company in Phoenix, saying she had won a $100 Walmart gift card. But of course, to get it, she would have to provide HER credit card number and other information. Walmart told the woman they've been getting calls about the same thing..and it's a scam. IT'S A SCAM! Remember, never, NEVER give your credit card number or other information like that over the phone...no matter what "prize" you're being offered.

District court officials warn about a jury scam that's been going around. They say if you get a phone call from someone claiming to be a court official, DO NOT give them your social security number of credit card information. The court will not ask for this confidential information over the phone or by e-mail. As always, it pays to be suspicious. Roger