ATM Card Has Been Skimmed

Scrabblebiker

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Mar 1, 2014
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Hi all. I'm not sure this is the right place for this post, but here we go.

For those of you who may have read my trip report you'll know that I was having a hard time getting cash during my trip. It turns out that my ATM card had been skimmed. My Credit Union blocked my account as soon as they knew. Luckily, no cash was missing from my account.

The card could have been skimmed anywhere, including back home. But the two ATM's I used in the DR before the card stopped functioning were Banco BHD and Scotiabank, both in Cabarete. Due to ongoing police investigations, the credit union will not divulge the exact location of the skimming but better safe than sorry.


...Michelle
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
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It's advised that credit & debit cards be unused as much as possible, especially in the tourist areas.

I've had credit & debit cards compromised 8 times in 6 years.
 

Scrabblebiker

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Mar 1, 2014
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I'm wondering if it's safe to walk into a bank and get a cash advance with one's passport. At least they won't have the PIN.

For now, what I'm doing is using credit cards with very low credit limits. I also make sure to create sub accounts at my credit union which aren't linked to the ATM accessible account. These accounts contain the bulk of my cash and I transfer just what I need shortly before making a withdrawal. I miss the old days where all you had to worry about was replacing lost traveler's cheques.

It's advised that credit & debit cards be unused as much as possible, especially in the tourist areas.

I've had credit & debit cards compromised 8 times in 6 years.
 

frank12

Gold
Sep 6, 2011
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That's terrible. All i can say is that in the two or three times that someone has tried to clone my credit card, the thieves have actually felt sorry for my lack of funds and terrible credit history, and tried to contact me in order to solicit me for help in getting Fannie Mae off of their back.

Apparently, when they changed my address and phone number, so many credit agencies started flooding them with phone calls and inquiries, that they actually begged me to change my address back to get the credit agencies off their back.

True story.

Frank
 

cobraboy

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I'm wondering if it's safe to walk into a bank and get a cash advance with one's passport. At least they won't have the PIN.
I doubt it's possible, but it IS safer to go into the bank and have them do a manual ATM transfer.

There are numerous ways to run ATM scams, and if a scam is possible, Dominicans will become the masters...

Sorry about your trouble.
 

Scrabblebiker

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Mar 1, 2014
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I doubt it's possible, but it IS safer to go into the bank and have them do a manual ATM transfer.

There are numerous ways to run ATM scams, and if a scam is possible, Dominicans will become the masters...

Sorry about your trouble.

It is possible to get a "manual" cash advance on a credit card with a passport by going to a teller inside many banks. That's how I finally got some cash in Azua at a Banco BHD branch. It's also the way I've traditionally gotten cash for most of my other travels in Cuba, Mexico and Central America. Just wondering if it's any safer since no ATM PIN is being divulged.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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They really need to put a chip in ATM, Credit and debit cards.

Are they reading the card with some electronic gizmo while it is still in your pocket or purse? If so, would wrapping it in aluminum foil help?

I once filled my car at a Sunoco Station. I left the card with the guy at the register, filled it up then came back, signed the receipt, took my card and left. My statement read TWO purchased of 12 gallons of Diesel on the same day. I wrote the credit card company, deducted the second charge from the payment and returned it by mail. I heard no more about it, and didnlt use the card for over a month. The next bill was for $0.00. I heard nothing from the CC Company.

Since then, I no longer leave the card with anyone.

If you pay your bills on line, you should always look at the statement for this sort of fraud.
 

cobraboy

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It is possible to get a "manual" cash advance on a credit card with a passport by going to a teller inside many banks. That's how I finally got some cash in Azua at a Banco BHD branch. It's also the way I've traditionally gotten cash for most of my other travels in Cuba, Mexico and Central America. Just wondering if it's any safer since no ATM PIN is being divulged.
I'm sure it's possible with a credit card, also.
 

Scrabblebiker

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Mar 1, 2014
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They really need to put a chip in ATM, Credit and debit cards.

Are they reading the card with some electronic gizmo while it is still in your pocket or purse? If so, would wrapping it in aluminum foil help?

Don't most cards already have a chip? Mine all do, and I think the chip IS the problem since it contains all personal information which allows you to use the card. Usually the way skimming works is when someone adds a contraption or software to an existing ATM or merchant PIN pad which reads the card information and PIN as you enter it. Happens a lot all over the world and is costing the credit card companies and bank billions of dollars.

There are ways of "scanning" chips and passports, etc without physical contact. In a travel store I saw a "scan proof" passport pouch for sale. I really, really miss the old days ...you know, the days when you actually sent a letter (remember postage stamps? if you wanted to reach someone back home? ...only semi joking :)
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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I have an anti scan wallet....... of course u can hardly know if it works.......
Personaly I use a foreign credit card ( or debit not sure...) at la sirena and at national....... have been doing so for years, never a problem.

The one time I had a problem was when I took cash out in a ATM at POP airport. The card wouldnt work afterwards.....
It was then used in Boston and somewhers else in america. Thankfuly my bank phoned me at work to ask if I was in the US, which I wasnt.......
 

Scrabblebiker

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Mar 1, 2014
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Canada is very rarely ever mentioned anywhere ...sigh! Doesn't the world know we're the greatest maple syrup superpower in the world?

Canada has had chips in credit and ATM cards for a few years now. In fact it's now quite rare to find one without the chip and they're becoming harder to use as merchants have mostly switched over to the chip system.

Sorry, the link doesn't work.

...Michelle


According to several articles I have read, American credit and debit cards have no chip, and European, Japanese and S. Korean ones do. They made no mention of Canadian cards. The magnetic stripe has your identity and account number on it.

Here is some info on EMV-chip equipped cards:

http://http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/nerdwallets-best-emv-chip-credit-cards/
 

Criss Colon

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I no longer use any foreign bank"CC's" or ATM cards here in the DR.
Been "Scammed" so many times over the years that it was a pain in my A$$!
Last time was last year.
They charged $1,500 US on my "Debit Card" in FRANCE!
Most likely "Scanned here in the DR, since I never used it anywhere else,charges made on the internet in Europe.
Welcome to PARADISE!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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I no longer use any foreign bank"CC's" or ATM cards here in the DR.
Been "Scammed" so many times over the years that it was a pain in my A$$!
Last time was last year.
They charged $1,500 US on my "Debit Card" in FRANCE!
Most likely "Scanned here in the DR, since I never used it anywhere else,charges made on the internet in Europe.
Welcome to PARADISE!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
The single biggest pain is having to get a new account number, then having to change all your various account profiles, auto debits, etc.
 

kaykat18987

New member
Nov 25, 2013
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I have an anti scan wallet....... of course u can hardly know if it works.......
Personaly I use a foreign credit card ( or debit not sure...) at la sirena and at national....... have been doing so for years, never a problem.

The one time I had a problem was when I took cash out in a ATM at POP airport. The card wouldnt work afterwards.....
It was then used in Boston and somewhers else in america. Thankfuly my bank phoned me at work to ask if I was in the US, which I wasnt.......


i love the fast action of banks calling us for things like that, i once bought a 42 inch tv at about 800$ on credit card and 5 mins later they called me to see if i had made that purchase, it was really me, and i was happy they called cause it could of been anyone lol
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
According to several articles I have read, American credit and debit cards have no chip, and European, Japanese and S. Korean ones do. They made no mention of Canadian cards. The magnetic stripe has your identity and account number on it.

Here is some info on EMV-chip equipped cards:

http://http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/nerdwallets-best-emv-chip-credit-cards/

Some American cards have chips - I have one from Chase with a chip, plus there are no foreign transaction fees on it.
 

Lobo Tropical

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Aug 21, 2010
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Been using my Scotiabank card at the ATM inside the bank in Cabarete and also at the Scotiabank ATM inside the Metro bus station/pharmacy in Sosua.
Also use my foreign Visa card at Playero and La Sirena in P.P. All my cards have chips so far never had a problem, hope it stays that way.