Credit Card Fraud - They're Still At It

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Today we got back from a couple of months in DR. Before we left in December I called the customer service offices of American Express and Citibank to tell them where we would be, dates, etc., and asked them to be aware of any odd charges on our credit card accounts.

When we got home we had two messages from American Express's Fraud Department, so I called them immediately.

We had used the American Express card to rent a car for a couple of months from Avis - they put a $2000 "hold" on my card. Voila! 2 weeks later someone in Arizona tried to use my card to buy a US Air plane ticket. This is before the actual charges for the car, only the 'hold' was processed. We also used the Amex to buy new appliances for our house at La Sirena in San Cristobal, and at Almacenes Unidos for new plumbing fixtures, but that was after the US Air attempt. We never used the Citibank accounts.

New cards from Amex should arrive tomorrow. Guess it's time to send a car down there because renting for months is expensive and I'm tired of the credit card problems. We used the card for the appliances because of the Amex warranty, but after this I think we'll be living a plastic-free life in DR.

AE
 
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SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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It is really very simple. Do not use any credit or debit cards anywhere in Latin America unless you absolutely have to. There are other ways to pay, cash still works.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Do what many of us do. Arrange with a banco de cambio to accept your checks. I get all my pesos by writing checks on my US bank account and cashing them at a banco de cambio. Several times each month I write checks to get money for living expenses and also when I have to make a large expenditure, such as for the colonoscopy I had recently, or when making a large purchase, such as the refrigerator and new mattress I bought recently.
 

CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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why not just continue to use the cards? if there are fraudulent charges, it doesn't cost you anything... AMEX absorbs the cost. still safer than carrying a lot of cash. The only down side is that you don't get a very good exchange rate using plastic... except for when you use debit cards in atm's to get cash.. that's usually the best rate.
 

AlterEgo

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Sky, Renting a car without a credit card is a pain, plus you have to pay for the insurance that the card picks up.

We have a peso account and a dollar account in a DR bank, so day to day expenses come out of those. Because we had called Amex before we left they did not approve that US Air charge. We stopped using ATMs a couple of years ago when we had an incident with a machine that charged our account for about $500 but didn't give us any cash [got fixed a few months later].

We used the card to buy a houseful of new appliances - easier than carrying that much cash, plus American Express's warranty is great if you have trouble with something you buy using their card.

What astonished me is that it happened from a card "hold", not from an actual charge.

AE
 

TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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why not just continue to use the cards? if there are fraudulent charges, it doesn't cost you anything... AMEX absorbs the cost. still safer than carrying a lot of cash. The only down side is that you don't get a very good exchange rate using plastic... except for when you use debit cards in atm's to get cash.. that's usually the best rate.

It's true that AMEX and other will absorb the fraudulent charges, but they will also cancel/ freeze your card and you will have to wait for a replacement.

I had my debit card compromised 2 weeks ago and am still waiting for the replacement. :ermm:
 

TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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Do what many of us do. Arrange with a banco de cambio to accept your checks. I get all my pesos by writing checks on my US bank account and cashing them at a banco de cambio. Several times each month I write checks to get money for living expenses and also when I have to make a large expenditure, such as for the colonoscopy I had recently, or when making a large purchase, such as the refrigerator and new mattress I bought recently.

Ken.

I agree that this may be the best way to get pesos here. Unfortunately for some reason, I cannot get any Casa de Cambio to do it for me.

I'm curious, how much for a DR colonoscopy?
 

anng3

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Jan 12, 2007
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I only use my credit card at Bologna and Playero. Used to use it at La Sirena but had to replace a card after it was cloned from there so no more.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i tell you something: never had a problem with a credit card in DR and i use it all the time. however, after one of miesposo's trips to the states he was called by his bank (while back in DR) with a question whether he just spent 1500 dollars in some american shop :) his card was apparently cloned in NYC.
gotta say i am quite surprised at the service provided by his bank: every time he makes a big transaction they call him (within minutes) to confirm. they also solved the problem of the cloned card immediately and without fuss. in comparison cashiers in my polish bank all growl like freddy kruger and i am grateful there is a sheet of glass that separates us because they always look like they are ready to rip my heart out and feast on it in a dark basement. and i only wanted to pay some money out of my own account...
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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i tell you something: never had a problem with a credit card in DR and i use it all the time. however, after one of miesposo's trips to the states he was called by his bank (while back in DR) with a question whether he just spent 1500 dollars in some american shop :) his card was apparently cloned in NYC.
gotta say i am quite surprised at the service provided by his bank: every time he makes a big transaction they call him (within minutes) to confirm. they also solved the problem of the cloned card immediately and without fuss. in comparison cashiers in my polish bank all growl like freddy kruger and i am grateful there is a sheet of glass that separates us because they always look like they are ready to rip my heart out and feast on it in a dark basement. and i only wanted to pay some money out of my own account...

dv8, is your credit card issued by a Dominican bank? I believe foreign cards are targeted by these crooks - the first 4 numbers tell them where the card was issued.....

AE
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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yes, a dominican credit card.
you are probably right with gringos being a target, they always are...
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Another Solution

is to carry a few of those cards that come in the mail all the time..... the unsolicited cards w/ $1000 or $2000 limits. (Even my children get them in the mail)

The low limit keeps the risk down and having a couple of them gives you flexibility.

Actually, I just did that to my 90 yr old mother's card after she gave out the number over the phone for the 4th time.
The bank and i just cut the limit to a low number and let her continue on.
It seems to be working.

The low limit makes it like robbing a beggar.... you can't steal enough to make it worthwhile.:cheeky:

WW