in 2024 $40 billion on 4.6 million credit cards

Properly researched and verified, I have no problem with this.

 

Another Day Another Musk / Trump / DOGE Lie Exposed



DOGE says it’s saved $55 billion, itemized data show far less

 

And we don’t even get points for our spending.

 

reminds me of the old joke where the guy says his credit card has been stolen and somebody is using it to make unauthorized charges.

Someone ask him “well have you reported it to the credit card company?”

“No “ he replied “whoever stole it is spending less than my wife“

 

How do you know it’s misuse

 

In the old days govt workers that had to travel got a per diem and had to submit expense reports. My dad was retired federal law enforcement, and back in the day at one point they were given a “Diners Club” card or some obscure crap. Problem according to him was nobody took it! So he was always going out of pocket while traveling on business and then waiting weeks to be reimbursed.

Maybe a typical credit card makes it too easy to spend, although I see no reason the card shouldn’t have per diem and be highly restricted in its usage. No way should it be used at a casino.

The funny thing if you read the article, Trump fired the inspector general who would go after the questionable charges! I think if there’s a real problem a lot of it could be done on the front end by making cards more restricted, but if any were actually fraudulent you’d want to possibly fire and prosecute.

 

That is a good point.

It goes for the “shock value” of the total amount, the vast vast majority is probably just legit travel.

It does mention spending at casinos and nightclubs which are suspicious/questionable. Of course if they get a $200 per diem or whatever it is now when traveling even that might technically be ok if it had a purpose.

 

We get travel credit cards. We are required to use it for airfare. It’s optional for other expenses. I use my personal card for those. When I submit for reimbursement we tell them how much to send to the credit card company (minimum is the airfare) and how much to send to me. Our acquisition people also use credit cards for making purchases under $10k.

 

I tried using my credit card for a hotel at Disney for a conference. The card got rejected because Disney is categorized as Entertainment.

 

This is the same guy that thought that we were spending millions of dollars on condoms in Gaza

 

Another crap source breathlessly panders to the low info groups that never verify and never quit returning to the crap source even when those sources are shown to be fecal. Sad.

 

I'll also add travel cards are in the employee's name so it ultimately falls on the gov worker or service member responsibility to pay, not the government. The government essentially vouches for the employee to have the card. However, the government will start taking from the employee paycheck to pay anything past like 120 days overdue. Do some people abuse the card? Maybe, but they're on the hook to pay any charges. And sometimes, it may just be a mistake by just grabbing the wrong card out of your wallet.

It is a pretty efficient method to pay for official travel from the government standpoint. Chalk this up as another instance where someone trying to find fault is clueless.

 

Yep, cards are in employees name and if your agency drags their feet in processing your reimbursement and you therefore don’t pay your bill you start getting nasty emails

 

Very cool. Another Trump supporter believes, and apparently wants other people to believe, the lies they are told from the world's richest man, who has no business being involved in our government in the first place.

Yawn.

 

Outstanding

 

It’s also not uncommon for Casino names to appear on travel cards. Vegas is a huge tradeshow city, most held at casino hotel convention space. Going to one in early April at the MGM Grand. I'm staying on, and likely eating on property. It will say MGM Grand on the receipt. But I won't be using my corporate card for gambling.

 

Is there an official US government web site that specifically details the exact process you describe? And is there a means to independently verify that, in fact, the process is actually followed by the federal government without exception?

Please excuse my healthy degree of skepticism of any assertion made on the message board. Nothing personal.

BYW, after 50+ years of carrying both personal and corporate credit cards, I have never once “grabbed” the wrong card to pay a bill. Hard to believe intelligent, responsible people do that. Of course, these are federal government “workers” involved.

 

I assume each agency may handle things differently. We don’t have any public webpages for our internal processes

 

Well...good for you! I haven't either, but I have accidentally pulled it while in a hurry in the grocery line or at a restaurant. Obviously I recognized it quick enough, but it is the same color as one of my personal cards.

You can look under policy/regs for GTC here on the DOD website. Defense Travel Management Office | Home. I'm not sure what sites the other agencies maintain.
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041202. A. Cardholder Responsibilities Monthly Statements. Cardholders are responsible for payment in full of the undisputed amount stated on the monthly billing statement by the due date indicated on the statement regardless of the status of their travel reimbursements. Accounts are considered past due at 30 days past billing and delinquent if unpaid 61 days after the billing date. Cardholders are responsible for reconciling their travel card account against claimed travel expenses, taking action to avoid erroneous or improper payments, and minimizing credit balances on their account.