A charge reading “TW Clermont E Hwy 50” on your bank or credit card statement is a payment to Tuffy Tire & Auto Service, an auto repair and tire shop at 1315 E. Highway 50 in Clermont, Florida.1Tuffy Tire & Auto Service. Tuffy Clermont Hwy 50 The “TW” is a shortened form of the Tuffy brand name as it moves through the merchant’s payment system, and the rest of the line identifies the specific franchise location. If you or someone with access to your card recently had vehicle maintenance, tire work, or any other automotive service done there, that is almost certainly what you’re looking at.
Why the Name on the Statement Looks Off
Card statements identify each transaction with a billing descriptor, usually capped at 20 to 25 characters and set by the merchant’s payment processor rather than your bank. Because of that limit, business names routinely come through abbreviated, truncated, or formatted differently than the sign over the door. “TW” plus “Clermont E Hwy 50” is the processor’s compressed version of Tuffy’s Clermont store. Some card issuers trim the descriptor even further on their end, which can make the line harder to recognize.
If the dollar amount on the statement matches a receipt or invoice you already have from Tuffy, the charge is legitimate and no action is needed.
How to Verify the Charge
Start with the people who share your account. An authorized user, a spouse, or anyone else with access to the card may have taken a vehicle in without mentioning it.
If that doesn’t explain it, call the shop directly at (352) 241-9466 and ask them to look up the transaction by the last four digits of your card and the date of the charge.1Tuffy Tire & Auto Service. Tuffy Clermont Hwy 50 For corporate-level questions, Tuffy’s national customer service line is (800) 228-8339, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.2Tuffy Tire & Auto Service. Contact Us
Disputing a Charge You Didn’t Make
If you’ve ruled out household use and the shop can’t match the charge to a visit, you can dispute it with your card issuer.
For credit cards, the Fair Credit Billing Act requires your written dispute to reach the issuer within 60 days of the statement date on which the charge first appeared.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card Bill The issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days, and you can withhold payment on the disputed amount during the investigation without being reported as delinquent.4Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and many issuers go further with zero-liability policies.5FDIC. Consumer News
Debit cards work on a tighter clock. Reporting unauthorized use within two business days caps your liability at $50. Wait longer and you can be on the hook for up to $500, and after 60 days the protections erode significantly.5FDIC. Consumer News
If the Charge Is Yours but the Amount or Work Is Wrong
A different set of rules applies when you recognize the charge but believe you were overcharged or the repair wasn’t done right.
The Fair Credit Billing Act lets you assert claims against your card issuer for goods or services not delivered as agreed, as long as the purchase was more than $50, was made in your home state or within 100 miles of your billing address, and you have first tried in good faith to resolve the problem with the merchant.6Federal Reserve. Credit and Debit Card Issuers Obligations When Consumers Dispute Transactions
Florida adds its own layer. Under the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act, a shop cannot exceed a written estimate by more than $10 or 10 percent (whichever is greater), capped at $50, without getting additional authorization from you.7Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Motor Vehicle Repair If a Florida shop charges more than authorized and refuses to release your vehicle, you can file a bond with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the full repair amount and get a certificate directing the shop to release the car.8Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Motor Vehicle Repair Consumer Rights
Complaints about Florida auto repair shops can be filed with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services online or at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352). The Florida Attorney General’s office also takes complaints at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.9Florida Attorney General. How to Protect Yourself From Auto Repair Fraud
A Small-Dollar Mismatch May Be a Card Surcharge
At least one customer review of the Clermont location mentions a surcharge applied to credit and debit card payments, with the shop reportedly citing fairness to cash-paying customers.10Carfax. Reviews for Tuffy Tire and Auto, Clermont, FL If your statement line is slightly higher than the price you were quoted, that fee may account for the difference. Florida law allows credit card surcharges in certain circumstances, but the charge must be disclosed to you before the transaction is run.