Watch your accounts after your return!

[Half Pint]

I wouldn't believe it was a coincidence if you had the account for years..........that actually made me laugh:D

 

Me, either, but I was dispelling the notion this was an "old" account. ;)

[SUGARCREEK45]

I didn't use an ATM machine while in port. I used my credit card in Grand Cayman and Roatan.

 

 

I know how you feel. I used my American Express in Mohogany Bay, Roatan and as soon as I got home I got a call from American Express asking if I charged $9,000 for three different charges for a rent truck. It was a hard lesson learned but I didnt have to pay anything Thanks AE. I would love to go back their and found the guy I gave my card too if you know what I mean. He was one of the guys on the beach taking drink orders.

[AWCHIEF]

On my last cruise on the Fantasy out of Mobile returned home to find $2500 in charges on my card. The only time I used it was to pay for parking at the terminal. Contacted the CC company and they put an instant freeze/cancel on the card. Turns out that the person running the parking garage stole the numbers from over a dozen cards on the this cruise alone. I did not have to pay any of the phony charges and the moron at the cruise terminal was prosecuted to the tune of over $30,000 in fraudulent charges.

[tazco]

I was just notified today a card with my account number was used in Panama at a gas station.

 

Thankfully, my bank knows I am not there and declined it both times it was attempted.

 

I'm pretty sure our number was lifted somewhere on our cruise. :mad: It isn't a coincidence that 8 weeks ago we were in Central America and now all of a sudden, our card number was used there.

 

Watch your accounts after you come home!!

On a Princess cruise last year my sign and sail was tied to my sister's credit card for tips (she wanted the points) but I used cash at all the ports. There was a shop with a bunch of cheap stuff that you had to walk through to get any place else. I was going to purchase a small item then heard the woman in front of me had to give her sign and sail card for them to swipe before a cash purchase. I put my item back and went back to the ship. I heard from someone later that on the ship info channel they had warned not to give them ss or credit card. I was surprised since I first thought this store was tied to cruise line. Was glad I followed my instinct.

[deena26]

One of things I 'picked up' in my cruising tips that i've read, is to get a bunch of small denomination visa gift cards to use in ports. Thought I would buy 4 -$25 ones since I dont plan to buy much in mexico. I thought that was a great idea. I never use my bank card on the ship or when i travel, i transfer funds to another card with the amount i'm going to spend, bank card stays at home.

[firefly333]

I know how you feel. I used my American Express in Mohogany Bay, Roatan and as soon as I got home I got a call from American Express asking if I charged $9,000 for three different charges for a rent truck. It was a hard lesson learned but I didnt have to pay anything Thanks AE. I would love to go back their and found the guy I gave my card too if you know what I mean. He was one of the guys on the beach taking drink orders.

 

Again ... I hope people reading this take away the lesson ... this is dangerous. Its taking a risk.

 

Dont use your credit cards in the ports.

 

btw I worked for American Express credit card disputes when I mentioned working disputes.. so I know how risky this is.

[winddawn]

Thanks to all of you for sharing this information.

 

I found it interesting that the OP says her number was used at a gas station in Panama, but she used the card in GC and Roatan. The number got around fast!

 

It seems there are always negative nellys on here that want to harass others. Can't we all just play nice??

[Half Pint]

Talked to DH and we "walked" back through our days where I thought we had used the card.

 

Come to find out, we did not use that particular card in port at all during the cruise.

 

We only used it on our S&S account. Interestingly, DH distinctly remembers one of the bartenders that waited on him frequently was from Panama.

[D-Roc]

Actually, its not at all the same. In the US you are protected by many laws, look up FAIR and FCBA to start with.

 

If you choose to use your card in another country these laws no longer protect you. Its a risk you assume.

 

I know you were being smart, but in this case, it is no where near the same as if something happens with your card info in the U.S..

 

Just dont take the risk.

 

 

It is the same. Criminals do not care about FAIR or FCBA. They will steal your info just as easily inside or outside the USA.

[MissDiva1]

Talked to DH and we "walked" back through our days where I thought we had used the card.

 

Come to find out, we did not use that particular card in port at all during the cruise.

 

We only used it on our S&S account. Interestingly, DH distinctly remembers one of the bartenders that waited on him frequently was from Panama.

 

The bartenders only have access to your folio number.....guest service has access to your cc number......

[Half Pint]

The bartenders only have access to your folio number.....guest service has access to your cc number......

 

Thanks for that info. We were wondering how many people had access to the actual numbers, instead of folio number. :)

[kicia]

We always use our credit cards in ports and in lots of places around the world with no problems. Credit cards are much safer than cash. If someone steals your cash it is gone. It someone uses your credit card you're protected. It doesn't matter if you use your credit cards in foreign ports or at home because the risk is always there. Now you have to be careful that someone doesn't steal your card numbers when they're in your wallet. There is a device that can do this if your cards have the rfid technology. This happens everywhere.

[ruthie101]

Your warning is a very good one but people need to watch their account on a regular basis. There are very clever thieves all over, we live in Mi. and my dh bank card was compromised. We have a very good security company that handles our account and we got a call at home that someone was using our card in another state. They made 3 big purchases and it raised a red flag on our account. We had to cancel that card and were issued another card and we were not out any money.

I'm still not comfortable using my bank card. I check my accounts online daily!! I have become paranoid.

We never did figure how anyone got our numbers but we were told the thieves steal them and sell them and thats why you will see them used in other states or countries!!

[okwriter]

I don't think the taco stand comment was meant to be funny. See post #28 and #38 on this thread. How many times do people hand their card to someone in a restaurant or other business, who then leaves with the card and returns with your card and receipt? You never know for sure what happens for the few moments your card is in some else's hands.

 

I'm not implying it DIDN'T happen on your cruise. Just saying that it is equally likely that it happened on American soil. My sister has never left American soil, yet her credit card company called her a few years ago to see if she had just charged a pair of shoes in Paris.

 

Just my two cents...

[Nanaimobound]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

I do call our card company letting them know when and where we are traveling.

Also cash only in port!

[cajunchick]

If I don't call my cc co they will decline it and they always ask for departing date and return date.:)

[michelle1836]

It's also the account number we had attached to our S&S card on board.

 

happened to a friend of mine too. she did not use her card just for the S&S account! so, yes, it had to do with Carnival

[Warm Breezes]

People need to be aware that this could happen anywhere. Our number was stolen when we were on a weekend trip to Detroit. We still had our cc so they stole our number somehow. The cc company caught it, replaced our card, and took care of the stolen purchases.

[ReelG8r]

My boss just had his card used in PR and NYC. He hasn't been to either place or out of town lately. People are right, your card can be compromised anywhere and it always pays to be careful and watchful.

[BKJK]

Thank you to the person who posted this post, people wanta say dont use it here or there. But most do use it for there sail and sign ..All you did was say just watch it close when you get back and thanks for reminding all of us...When you get back alot of times life is very hectic getting back to work. Last cruise I had to be back to work the next day, we had to drive 15 hours , I was back 3 hours before I had to be at work.. Glad you were not out any money over it....

[crusinpsychRN]

It doesn't seem that you're asking for help, therefore I think humor does help.

 

 

 

No reason to be angry, I don't think anyone is blaming you. They are just commenting on the situation.

 

Some long toes.....

[Half Pint]

happened to a friend of mine too. she did not use her card just for the S&S account! so, yes, it had to do with Carnival

 

Yes, we're pretty sure that is where the number was lifted from.

[skylock]

I watched a documentary on cc theft last night and a big grocery store in England found out their swipe machines had come with card readers and they did not discover it until the store had been open for 6 months and it was only found because so many people who had only used their card there had had their number stolen. It can really happen anywhere.

[Tripper10]

I didn't use an ATM machine while in port. I used my credit card in Grand Cayman and Roatan.

 

 

There is your problem. I have never had a issue with a credit card from ship charges. You probably shouldn't use it in ports...

[bethaniesmom]

so it seems a lot of people are recommending using cash and I have seen other places that say pay cash for hotels in Europe. But don't they require a CC guarantee for incidentals like American hotels do? Doesn't that still require giving them a credit card?

we always let our credit card know where and when we are traveling and the only issue we have ever had was once that a Visa check card would not go thru in Cozumel for my husband, but I handed him my card on the same acct and it worked fine....don't know what that was all about.

 

Beverly