Credit Card Fraud - Texaco station on Ave. Espana, Santo Domingo Este

karlheinz

New member
Oct 2, 2006
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Well for the first time since living here I've been hit with some fraudulent charges by the Texaco station on Ave. Espana, Santo Domingo, Este.....this is the station near the Rio Ozama and the grain mills. I purchased $RD 2000 fuel on March 18th using my credit card.. about $US 50 dollars =/-. As a regular practice I monitor my bank account online every week and noticed that the merchant instead charged me $US 154.00 for that 2000 pesos charge. I know the station guy ran my card through their machine prior to purchase and don't know if he made a mistake but doubt that highly.......beware of using this merchant with your credit card. I've report this to my bank and started a review of the charges (USAA Bank)...
 

amstellite

Bronze
Sep 5, 2007
565
12
0
thanks for the note of advice.. I know exactly where that Texaco station is and use it....I will be aware going forward..


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Well for the first time since living here I've been hit with some fraudulent charges by the Texaco station on Ave. Espana, Santo Domingo, Este.....this is the station near the Rio Ozama and the grain mills. I purchased $RD 2000 fuel on March 18th using my credit card.. about $US 50 dollars =/-. As a regular practice I monitor my bank account online every week and noticed that the merchant instead charged me $US 154.00 for that 2000 pesos charge. I know the station guy ran my card through their machine prior to purchase and don't know if he made a mistake but doubt that highly.......beware of using this merchant with your credit card. I've report this to my bank and started a review of the charges (USAA Bank)...
 

cjp2010

New member
Mar 25, 2013
397
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Rattus_Rattus - I definitely agree. Don't use your credit cards here unless you really have to. And only use your foreign bank cards at a bank to withdrawal cash. It could have been a mistake somehow, but with a single run for a different amount? Sometimes service stations (in the U.S. too) pre-run your card for a high amount like that to see if you have sufficient credit to be able to pay the bill after they pump the gas and run the real charge. The initial run is more of a query and is not supposed to be completed. Maybe he accidentally completed that run. People don't use credit cards here a lot. Merchants aren't always used to dealing with them. One time La Sirena was having trouble with their computer system and ran my bank card (Dominican bank) twice but the charge then showed up twice. I went to my bank to get it removed. It wasn't difficult and only took a couple of days. With a U.S. credit card or bank card it will probably be more difficult to deal with.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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I'm curious... Why did you give the guy your card before you made your purchase??

When I pull in, I tell them the quantity, they pump it, when they're done, I hand them the card. They pass it, it prints a receipt I sign, and done.

I use a CC multiple times on a daily basis, (since the 80's) and I have only had problems once or twice (with CardNet)

Am I blessed or something?

Are you using a locally issued CC or one from out of the country?

The vast majority of problems are with out of country issued CCs. The fraud normally happens at the card processing center, but this time it was at the filling station. Normally your foreign CC number ends up being used around the world and then it gets shut down, and you go through the hassle of filing claims and getting a new card. I won't use my out of country cards here, but have had no problems with locally issued cards.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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I only use my stateside cards.

Then yes, you have led a charmed life.

I wouldn't be caught dead with a locally issued card, although every bank in the country wants to give me one.

As I mentioned, never an issue with local cards. I guess the processing centers won't screw with them.

But here's one for you: I have a "Discover" card that I've never used here(because no one accepts them) that someone tried to use in Florida. The only place I've used that card is on EBAY.


I wonder how that happened?
Hard to say who screwed you there. But here is a tip for on line purchases. Get a CC with a virtual account number option. The virtual account number is given on line and can be set to a dollar limit and a date limit. It can only be used once and therefor cannot be spread around the world. I do all my online purchases using virtual one time only card numbers that have both amount and date limits.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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Thanks for the tip.

In the case of the Discover card, they called me to ask if I was in the states(they know I live here). When I replied in the negative, the girl informed me that my card was hacked, and they were going to cancel it and send me a new one, which I had a week later.

The only other time was when my citibank card had a charge placed on it in India. Same process.

If you have a Citibank card, you should already be able to use their virtual account number service since I do that with my Citibank card.
 

rafael

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
1,633
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I'm curious... Why did you give the guy your card before you made your purchase??

When I pull in, I tell them the quantity, they pump it, when they're done, I hand them the card. They pass it, it prints a receipt I sign, and done.

I use a CC multiple times on a daily basis, (since the 80's) and I have only had problems once or twice (with CardNet)

Am I blessed or something?

You are blessed but not for your CCs.

I only one time had a strange charge on my CCs in all the years I have been down here. Also twice had ATMs not give me cash but my account was debited. All 3 times were fixed with little hassle. The fraudulent charge was pricesmart BTW.

OTOH, I have had CC cloned twice in Buenos Aires in far less time traveled there. 90% sure it was at Hotel Plaza Marriott.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
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Most "CC" fraud here in the DR, is not by the merchants, but by the "CC" processing agency.
Best advice, pay with cash!
I had an American Bank "CC", that I never use in the USA,"Cloned" here, and used in Chicago, and New York City.
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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Some of these hookers have colleg degrees....... they tell me.

Comp Sci wizards......

Too bad about Harry Reems...... nice guy
 

babyparker54

New member
Jun 9, 2013
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I have a Chase Credit Card and I know the pain when your credit card is hacked by someone and money stolen. Last week about $400 has been stolen from my credit card. I saw the location was NY. Quite surprising and sad day for me. I cancel my transitions and reported to my bank. The case is currently under process and bank said that the money will be deposited in few days. Feeling good.
 

jaguarbob

Bronze
Mar 2, 2004
1,427
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But isn't that just the reason to use a local card? Because they will not try to use it around the world? I use a local debit card. Who would want my 6000 pesos?

Back a week or so ago,I talked about my stateside Visa provider stopping all cash transactions here in Dr because of the ever increasing theft of cc numbers here.I guess that although I thought was a inconvenience for me,I now see it as a good thing.
bob
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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But isn't that just the reason to use a local card? Because they will not try to use it around the world? I use a local debit card. Who would want my 6000 pesos?

There has even been fraud now on local bank cards. As always, be careful and always check your statements thoroughly.
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
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But isn't that just the reason to use a local card? Because they will not try to use it around the world? I use a local debit card. Who would want my 6000 pesos?

One of my sisters who lives in the DR uses a local debit card and she's had no problems so far in 15 years. But she did have problems when she used her credit/debit card from the States.

For me, I prefer to use cash.;)
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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After TOO MANY bad experiences with my USA debit card accounts, and local "ATMs", I now believe that "CASH IS KING"!
At least if I get robbed now, I can actually know who did it!
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