Credit Card Fraud USA

[standby 06.30]

Hi my wife and I were in Florida for 2 weeks in Jan before a cruise on the Navigator, and we were a bit concerned that you do not have chip and pin, 2mnths after returning to the U K some thief started using a cloned version of my card in miami, we are back for the same time at the end of August, the question is, are there any sorts of tips were I should not use my credit or debit cards, I asked for advice on the europe part of the board but got mostly sympathy, and it seems that if you post "pick pockets" in barcelona or rome, there are a lot of people from the U S who will give all sorts of safety advice and also ask why it is allowed to happen, so with chip and pin reduceing fraud in the uk why are you still asking people to sign paper slips, and any further advice, thanks

[rebeljohn]

After having our credit card info stolen, we never let the card go 'out of sight' since. We check out at a register, instead of letting someone take it back to do it for us. Since we have been doing that, no fraud as of yet..............

[cherylandtk]

One thing we do is notify our banks of the dates that we will be traveling; it helps prevent international use of your card outside of those dates.

[wecruiz]

I agree to let your card issuer know when you will be out of your home area. Some, if they see out of the norm use, will try to contact you and if they cannot get hold of you may not permit the transaction to go through. The other advantage is that if you are not supposed to be out of town, and they get a charge, they will not approve it.

[Ivanova]

Another option is to check with your bank about one time use or temporary credit cards. You can preload them with a certain amount of money, and when you're done with them, you check 'em and if the info is stolen it doesn't affect you (i.e. they aren't running up your real credit cards, or depeleting your checking account).

 

Another "old fashion" option is to revert to cash or traveler's cheques for those situations where you cannot keep your credit card in sight at all times.

[missty]

After having our credit card info stolen, we never let the card go 'out of sight' since. We check out at a register, instead of letting someone take it back to do it for us. Since we have been doing that, no fraud as of yet..............

 

This is what we do now! We were in London 4 years ago - someone racked up $7000.00 on our credit card! Thank goodness, we had reciepts, etc. and several of the purchases were after we left England. I think I know exactly when it happened, I think the person had one of those card scanners. We were there when he bent down with our card under the counter, then came above it and swiped our purchase. I thought it odd at the moment, but never occured to me that was what was happening. Our bank was great, and helped us. But so scary. Now our card doesn't leave our site. Live and learn.

 

missty

[snelsonbrown]

One of the things I learned in all places was my hometown of Key West -

I did learn that I knew EXALTY of what I was being charged, didn't take my eyes off my credit care (in other words go into another area where I couldn't see it), looked at the receipt BEFORE I signed it and my credit card back in my hand.

On that particular day, I had learned also that one of the cruisers had been in another shop, they "forgot" to give the card back to her after a purchase and before she got back to the ship, $1800.00 was put on her account. Her hubby had gone on the internet before they left port and this is how he learned about the charges. He had the ship contact the police and they met him at the shop. The shop of course was closed down, but reopened within a few days under another name and corportation. Sad that folks can be such a thieves, but it happens all over the world.

Always

Shirley

[standby 06.30]

This is what we do now! We were in London 4 years ago - someone racked up $7000.00 on our credit card! Thank goodness, we had reciepts, etc. and several of the purchases were after we left England. I think I know exactly when it happened, I think the person had one of those card scanners. We were there when he bent down with our card under the counter, then came above it and swiped our purchase. I thought it odd at the moment, but never occured to me that was what was happening. Our bank was great, and helped us. But so scary. Now our card doesn't leave our site. Live and learn.

 

missty

That is why chip and pin was brought in, in the U K, the thrust of my question really is about that, it has not solved all of the problems here, but I seem to remember some stats that say it has reduced it by over 80%, the other point was that there seems to be apathy about this on this board, but if someone mentions "pick pockets" in europe we seem to get vast amounts of advice on how the police in these areas should do there jobs to stop this. regards

[cherylandtk]

Standby, we do not yet have chip and pin cards and technology here in the US. From what I understand, it is in the works, but the process of rolling out new equipment and re-programming takes quite a long time to institute nationwide. Its been two years since we have seen the ads on television for the PayPass and Visa2go, but those terminals are still not in use in my local area. (They have the terminals, just not yet 'wired up ')

[standby 06.30]

Standby, we do not yet have chip and pin cards and technology here in the US. From what I understand, it is in the works, but the process of rolling out new equipment and re-programming takes quite a long time to institute nationwide. Its been two years since we have seen the ads on television for the PayPass and Visa2go, but those terminals are still not in use in my local area. (They have the terminals, just not yet 'wired up ')

thank you for your frank answer, it seems the constipation of both your financial and governmental institutions, in protecting tourists from counties that have chip and pin and also its own citizens, is in a country that we are in europe continuosly told is the best place in the world, may not be so? I have just returned from a weekend in barcelona, and without the aid of of zips, false pockets, locks, exploding wallets , or "non existent policeing" etc etc etc, my pockets remained unpicked regards

[cherylandtk]

Oh its a pretty fine country even with all the 'constipation' and institutions. I like to think its the people that make it that way. I could probably say the same for your fine country, which we visited this year and it was the people we met that made the trip memorable. I am sorry that your card number was stolen and used fraudulently; I do hope it does not sour you on all of us.

[standby 06.30]

Oh its a pretty fine country even with all the 'constipation' and institutions. I like to think its the people that make it that way. I could probably say the same for your fine country, which we visited this year and it was the people we met that made the trip memorable. I am sorry that your card number was stolen and used fraudulently; I do hope it does not sour you on all of us.

Cheryl of course it does not, what I find funny is that if you read all the posts from people who have either had there pockets picked in Barcelona or rome or claim to know people who have, the warnings and the precautions they post, are massive and at times offensive, when I mentioned my problem silence, thank you to the few people who responded, regards