Originally Posted by pinniped

Phone charges from hotels have almost always been an outright scam.

The difference is that the $8 Bud Light usually says very clearly that it's eight bucks.

I would never expect a hotel employee to actually know the algorithm behind the phone scam. Most people probably have no idea that the "operator assisted" concept even exists anymore. You're lucky that the hotel employee actually said anything, thus giving you somewhat of an "out" to contest the charge.