Carnival says that I am a fraudster, and refuses to let me pay for my cruise????

[Hawaii697]

You and a bunch of others got so excited to save 10% you failed to do any research before purchasing your compromised cards.

 

That website is rampant with gift card fraud. Carnival is having literally hundreds of worthless cards submitted. Personally, I think Carnival is well with reason to lock up the accounts of all those who submitted bad gift cards.

 

As with everything in life, buyer beware ! If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't. All these scams work due to people's greed, plain and simple. Stick with the 3 verified vendors of discounted Carnival gift cards and you will never have this issue again.

 

I love the judgmental people that post such negative responses. Glad you never made a mistake in your lifetime. OP, glad it worked out for you!

[bUU]

Similarly, Carnival is doing nothing wrong. Each made decisions that they felt would benefit or protect themselves, respectively.

 

I posted this in another thread about this:

Another idea, though I'm not quite as sure it would work: Our Kroger sells AMEX, Visa and Mastercard gift cards. I buy them for the kids as presents. I think you can buy one, and then add value to it up to the amount you need to have charged against it.

[Hawaii697]

Yikes, that's a little harsh, isn't it? Basically calling the OP greedy for trying to save 10%? WHere I come from that is thrifty and admirable.

 

I agree Trina. Sometimes, this board is not for the faint of heart or sensitive. To many Perfect Patty's on this site!! :(

[bnorris10]

Are you saying that you don't even have a $2000 limit on a credit card? Yet you are taking a cruise???

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Just because someone does not have a high credit limit should not stop them from going on a cruise - Perhaps they buy insurance that covers all their medical stuff - I know plenty of people with low limits on credit cards as personal choices

 

 

CardCash IS a legitimate site, BBB accredited, and has plenty of good reviews

 

The company may be legit but the people buying giftcards with stolen credit cards and selling them to this company are not legit - I read somewhere on here that someone reported that approximately 50% of the cards she buys from this company are messed up in some way wrong balances, no money at all, or turn out to be not legit

[happy cruzer]

OP/TS I think you handled this situation very well. Anyone would have been annoyed. Just assume the negative posts were being helpful and continue with your planning and using Cruise Critic. Have a great cruise!

[bUU]

Just because someone does not have a high credit limit should not stop them from going on a cruise - Perhaps they buy insurance that covers all their medical stuff

I'm sorry but there's merit to what the previous poster wrote. We may not like it, but demands are placed on us by the commercial marketplace that are sometimes exclusionary.

 

And it isn't just cruise lines: Most rental car companies won't rent cars without either a credit card, or a Visa or MasterCard debit card. And with the latter, many will take a big deposit from your account up-front and then deposit it into your account when you get back. They'll also make you wait while they do a current credit check. And most won't even talk to you if you have bad credit or are under a certain age. Cruise lines impose similar inconveniences.

 

Also, buying insurance to cover "all their medical stuff" may not be enough to relieve people of the need to have access to some liquidity. Many foreign hospitals won't treat patients without payment in advance. Most travel insurance is secondary (they'll reimburse you when you get home), and foreign hospitals may not accept even your primary insurance. (They're probably not "in-network". :)) So traveling without credit that is very widely recognized and accepted is putting risk on top of risk.

 

The company may be legit but the people buying giftcards with stolen credit cards and selling them to this company are not legit - I read somewhere on here that someone reported that approximately 50% of the cards she buys from this company are messed up in some way wrong balances, no money at all, or turn out to be not legit

Again, I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like a legitimate business for any company to be in. I used to audit companies for compliance to standards that included standards for purchasing, and qualification of suppliers is a fundamental responsibility of running a business. In this day and age, if you're running a grocery, you should not just let someone come in the front door with a basket of vegetables, offering to sell them to you so you can sell them to the public. If you run an electronics store, you should not just let someone come in the front door with a few HDTVs, offering to sell them to you so you can sell them to the public. It may be legal, but it isn't "legit".

[summersigh]

AMEX is very good about helping it's customers. I'd bet a call to them would result in a solution to this problem.

 

As to buying deeply discounted gift cards online .... IMHO ... if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

[grumplin]

So annoyed, never had anything like this happen. I booked a cruise back in July (12/10) on the Dream, paid my deposit for a spa balcony room, and went on my way. I decided to shop around online for carnival gift cards, as I know sometimes you can get them at a discounted rate, I found a website (reputable it seemed called card cash) where you could purchase gift cards at 10% off face value. I purchased enough to cover the entire balance of the cruise, added them to my account, cruise was paid for, before the end of July.

 

Just so happens, I checked online to see how many days until the cruise, and my cruise manager stated i owe over $1500, WHAT!? of course I call Carnival, in a panic to find out what happened (it was late night) the nice lady said I will need to call back during the day and speak to accounting to find out what happened, because all she can see is that the cards were "reversed". I call accounting the next morning, and speak to them, they state there is a scam going where basically someone uses compromised credit card information to buy gift cards, sells them to gift card brokers, the card holder sees charges, disputes charges, then the company removes the funds from the gift card, leaving the person who purchased the gift card out of luck.

 

Ok, fine, dandy, the website I purchased the cards from acknowledged the issue, promptly refunded me to my credit card I used to purchase the cards, all was fine and well, and I started making payments directly with my AMEX to Carnival (was making payments every few days as final payment is due on 9/26). Well, today I login to make a payment and I get an error stating that the company refuses my payment, so I called into Carnival, speak to a lady who states, no problem, she can take my payment, however she gets the same error. I was placed on hold for over 20 minutes as she called someone else, who advised that I am a fraudulent customer, because I used fraudulent gift cards, and the only way I can now make payments is if I send a "credit authorization form" via email EVERY time I make any type of payment.

 

I do not feel comfortable sending my credit card info via email, especially when I am splitting up payments, I had made a few payments after the gift card fiasco was resolved, has this ever happened to anyone else?? Customer service states there is nothing they can do, I am honestly tempted to request to have the booking cancelled due to Carnival refusing to let me pay for it (dare they say I will be penalized) and rebooking it (as the lady said this freeze was tied to my booking number) I asked if I could get a new booking number, I was advised no.

 

Any suggestions on where to go from here? As stated I do not feel like having my credit card number going over email multiple times.

 

I am caught in this crap also. I have the lady handling mine calling me back again . She has to have her boss unlock it. She took my CC number over the phone so I hope she can process it.

 

She also stated I have a lifetime ban on using gift cards or being able to book or pay without calling accounting to do it. So basically I am now a criminal for life after showing proof I bought the gift cards legally. This will sadly be my last carnival cruise. I could see it if I personally committed fraud instead of being a victim of fraud. I was the victim not the criminal.

[bnorris10]

It may be legal, but it isn't "legit".

 

My comment was based on the fact that someone was trying to defend the company as a good source to get giftcards which I clearly don't think it is

[dsykes2]

If this is anything on my record with Carnival, after this cruise, this will certainly be my last cruise with them as well.

[IndyDenise]

wow, flamed for trying to save 10%, I am sure none of you folks who posted your hateful comments have never purchased anything at a discount or percentage off have you?

 

CardCash IS a legitimate site, BBB accredited, and has plenty of good reviews

 

My actions? I bought the gift cards legally, used my money, redeemed them legally, I did NOTHING wrong. Did Carnival do anything wrong NO. However, I could see them not accepting any further gift cards on the booking, but this had NOTHING to do with my credit card.

 

I will be doing the credit authorization form today, and paying the cruise off.

 

 

 

The problem is in Carnival's eyes you committed fraud once .. and they aren't going to let you scam them again.

 

Carnival may be incorrect in thinking you are shady but once bitten, twice shy. I can't say I blame their corporate policy.

 

Their business, their rules. Even if it inconveniences you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[grumplin]

The problem is in Carnival's eyes you committed fraud once .. and they aren't going to let you scam them again.

 

Carnival may be incorrect in thinking you are shady but once bitten, twice shy. I can't say I blame their corporate policy.

 

Their business, their rules. Even if it inconveniences you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I am going to blame them for making punishment binding for life. . Legally non of us committed fraud. We had to show proof we bought the gift cards legally. We were victims of fraud. I can see not taking gift cards but the needing to book and process any payment though their accounting dept for life is ridiculous. Im looking seriously and canceling and taking RC the same day so it works with our flight and hotels.

Edited August 30, 2017 by grumplin

[dsykes2]

The problem is in Carnival's eyes you committed fraud once .. and they aren't going to let you scam them again.

 

Carnival may be incorrect in thinking you are shady but once bitten, twice shy. I can't say I blame their corporate policy.

 

Their business, their rules. Even if it inconveniences you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I am unsure how to make it anymore clear, I did NOT commit any fraud.

[grumplin]

I am unsure how to make it anymore clear, I did NOT commit any fraud.

 

Give up you cant. There are some that believe Carnival can do no wrong. You legally were a victim of fraud.

[tw67]

Have any of you ever used Retailmenot . com to find discount coupon codes, etc? Well one of the companies involved in this issue, is actually part of retailmenot. For the most part, they have a great reputation, and people wouldn't question getting a deal through them.

[Havingfun2010]

I am unsure how to make it anymore clear, I did NOT commit any fraud.

 

You did use stolen gift cards. Since you used them, you were part of it. Carnival has no way of knowing what you did or did not do. Since they are willing to forgive, and let you pay with another way, than you just need to accept that you were a victim, and than turned around and victimized Carnival. In law, there is a saying that ignorance of wrong doing is still wrongdoing. Unless it is cleared in a court, which it won't be because no one is pressing charges, you could have this hanging around under your account

[Ralphinsc]

Sorry this happened but my question is.....Once the place you stated the place you bought the gift cards from totally refunded your money

 

Why didnt you then use the $1,350 or $1,500 to pay on the cruises instead of trying to make payments?

 

2nd on this. :confused:

[tw67]

You did use stolen gift cards. Since you used them, you were part of it. Carnival has no way of knowing what you did or did not do. Since they are willing to forgive, and let you pay with another way, than you just need to accept that you were a victim, and than turned around and victimized Carnival. In law, there is a saying that ignorance of wrong doing is still wrongdoing. Unless it is cleared in a court, which it won't be because no one is pressing charges, you could have this hanging around under your account

 

 

Carnival does know because they were given a copy of the receipts to show that they were bought in good faith. Carnival did ask for backup, and as far as I know, everyone caught up in this provided it to them, including emails from the companies showing that money was refunded, and that we didn't knowingly buy fraudulent gift cards.

[dsykes2]

I have faxed proof that I bought the cards, so there is nothing for Carnival to "forgive me for". And why did I not pay the entire amount, all at once. Simply because the refunds are still being placed onto my card I used, and was being refunded, I was making a payment from my card to Carnival.

[tw67]

dsykes2 and grumplin, please email me! You can find it in the signature.

[grumplin]

You did use stolen gift cards. Since you used them, you were part of it. Carnival has no way of knowing what you did or did not do. Since they are willing to forgive, and let you pay with another way, than you just need to accept that you were a victim, and than turned around and victimized Carnival. In law, there is a saying that ignorance of wrong doing is still wrongdoing. Unless it is cleared in a court, which it won't be because no one is pressing charges, you could have this hanging around under your account

 

 

I have a stake in a freight business. You know freight is stolen all the time Im quite sure. Their is a huge black market for things we would never ever think of like mustard. Sounds silly right. $14,000 in mustard disappeared recently when a trailer was stolen. Now the original purchaser of of this stolen freight likely knew it was stolen. However the people that bought supplies from him/her or their suppliers did not. Now if you as a consumer unknowingly bought this mustard when it made it into your local retailer are you committing fraud? After all you bought the mustard. Many of us buy stuff like this and have no idea. Are you buying many of the professional brand of hair care products that have made it into the big box stores? Many of those products are illegally obtained and resold. That is why the bottle says " guaranteed only if bought in a licensed salon".

 

No one victimized carnival. They took the gift cards off the account. By law you can not be charged with wrong doing for buying fraudulent merchandise legally when there is no possible way you could know it is fraud. Everything can potentially be fraudulent.

 

Carnival now has this on their website under gift cards Carnival Cruise Lines is not responsible for any Gift Cards bought or sold through Craigslist.com, giftcardZen.com or any website facilitating aftermarket sales of pre-gifted or pre-owned items.

 

This is new since this great big fraud ring!!

Edited August 30, 2017 by grumplin

[tw67]

I have a stake in a freight business. You know freight is stolen all the time Im quite sure. Their is a huge black market for things we would never ever think of like mustard. Sounds silly right. $14,000 in mustard disappeared recently when a trailer was stolen. Now the original purchaser of of this stolen freight likely knew it was stolen. However the people that bought supplies from him/her or their suppliers did not. Now if you as a consumer unknowingly bought this mustard when it made it into your local retailer are you committing fraud? After all you bought the mustard. Many of us buy stuff like this and have no idea. Are you buying many of the professional brand of hair care products that have made it into the big box stores? Many of those products are illegally obtained and resold. That is why the bottle says " guaranteed only if bought in a licensed salon".

 

No one victimized carnival. They took the gift cards off the account. By law you can not be charged with wrong doing for buying fraudulent merchandise legally when there is no possible way you could know it is fraud. Everything can potentially be fraudulent.

 

Carnival now has this on their website under gift cards Carnival Cruise Lines is not responsible for any Gift Cards bought or sold through Craigslist.com, giftcardZen.com or any website facilitating aftermarket sales of pre-gifted or pre-owned items.

 

This is new since this great big fraud ring!!

 

 

Nicely said Grumplin! I also noticed the new wording.

[grumplin]

dsykes2 and grumplin, please email me! You can find it in the signature.

 

I see it now . I will!

[RjayB]

I am actually surprised that any of these gift cards are valid after re-selling.

It seems there would be much less chance of fraud if they were only usable by the original purchaser.

[bUU]

I am actually surprised that any of these gift cards are valid after re-selling.

They aren't:

Gift Cards have no value until activated at time of purchase, and Gift Cards will not be activated until payment is verified. Gift Cards will be activated when delivered, and will be active upon receipt by the customer.

Gift Cards cannot be reloaded, meaning funds may not be added to Gift Cards after activation.

Once activated, Gift Cards may not be resold; resale or attempted resale is grounds for seizure and cancellation of the Gift Card without compensation.