Dominican Credit Cards compromised

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
6,808
202
63
Yesterday it was my turn. :(

I got a call from BPD fraud department asking me about a payment of 2.88 USD "en un hotel en EEUU..." just now.
I said. No, se?or. Card cancelled. They will send a new one.

An hour later or so I get a message from BHD on my iphone alerting me of a payment of 1.25 USD at Residence Inn Hotel. Card cancelled.
Getting a new one.

Kudos to both banks! Others might not care because of the small amounts...

Trying to get to the root of where / how it could have happened I found out that the BPD card attempt happened at Stemmerman's Inn in Wilmington, NC. Quick Google search turns out that the Residence Inn is in Wilmington, NC too.

Questions that arose: Why such small amounts on the cards? Testing the waters? Do Dominicans work in both of these hotels? Then there might be a connection, but pretty far-fetched, or? Anyways, I will try to find out.

Thing is, the only place at where I did use both cards was online at aliexpress. So, who did it? The Chinese or Dominicans or somebody else....? :confused:
 

DRDreamer72

Member
Nov 17, 2014
204
7
18
It's fairly standard practice for the 'organised' groups to make a test transaction to check details are valid. Most companies include this in their automated checks, but some do get through.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
It's fairly standard practice for the 'organised' groups to make a test transaction to check details are valid. Most companies include this in their automated checks, but some do get through.

It seems strange that they would use a DR credit card in the states. That would send up a red flag immediately. Not smart on their part but fortunate for you.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
miesposo's card was compromised once as well. funnily enough it was shortly after his return from NYC and the card was used somewhere in the states. almost 2,000 dollars. the bank called him, verified that he was in DR at the time of transaction and the money was returned. card replaced, of course.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I have had the $1-$2 test and then flight tix, 2 rooms in Buenos Aires.....

They go everywhere, quickly....
 

robbiee

Bronze
Dec 27, 2014
944
0
0
www.dominicanfun.net
carders dodnt have nationality. your card copy was already sold and maybe it was used by American, Korean,Russian or Bulgarian from the crew that bought it, you never know.

Yesterday it was my turn. :(

I got a call from BPD fraud department asking me about a payment of 2.88 USD "en un hotel en EEUU..." just now.
I said. No, se?or. Card cancelled. They will send a new one.

An hour later or so I get a message from BHD on my iphone alerting me of a payment of 1.25 USD at Residence Inn Hotel. Card cancelled.
Getting a new one.

Kudos to both banks! Others might not care because of the small amounts...

Trying to get to the root of where / how it could have happened I found out that the BPD card attempt happened at Stemmerman's Inn in Wilmington, NC. Quick Google search turns out that the Residence Inn is in Wilmington, NC too.

Questions that arose: Why such small amounts on the cards? Testing the waters? Do Dominicans work in both of these hotels? Then there might be a connection, but pretty far-fetched, or? Anyways, I will try to find out.

Thing is, the only place at where I did use both cards was online at aliexpress. So, who did it? The Chinese or Dominicans or somebody else....? :confused:
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
The card companies are getting more careful. Before we left to DR, I notified my bank and credit card companies. We used one of the cards about 2 months into the trip for about $65,000 pesos at Ferreteria Americana for bathroom fixtures, and almost immediately I received an e-mail from the card company asking if I made that purchase, despite knowing I was in DR. The funny thing is that transaction was 'hand the card over, it's swiped, now sign'. A week later we went back to the same store, spent only about 16,000 pesos, and had to show photo ID. I guess some employees are trained better.

A couple of trips back, while we were in DR, one of our cards was used in Arizona to buy an $800+ plane ticket. We had used our card about a month before to buy all new kitchen appliances at La Sirena.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
miesposo's card is set in such way that it lets him know about all purchases above certain amount. since i have an extension of his card he knows about my transactions too. this is pretty neat way to keep track of your CC.
 

robbiee

Bronze
Dec 27, 2014
944
0
0
www.dominicanfun.net
I have better solution to it. I simply set limits of withdraw on my card to 0 when I dont use it, and only switch it on for the time that I want to do some transaction...
even if my card will be copied somewhere, its useless for 99,5 % of time
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
2
0
I was looking at my bank statement and saw a strange charge for $29.73 I tried to call the bank, but the 1-877 number does not work from here. So I wrote to the bank on their website. I got back a huge amount of print. It would probably be 3 full pages if on paper, but the guy who sent it for the bank apparently had done nothing to figure out who the thieves were, He assured me that his bank is the best there is and that they would have to block my card. I wrote thru the website once again asking if there was not a number that isn't toll free.
They sent me one. I called and spoke with an American voice belonging to a Randy. First thing he told me was that my card was not cancelled, just blocked. He checked out and the charge was from an adult dating sight in England. I haven't visited dating sites for months. I asked him if it was a recurring charge that I had been paying for for months, and he said that no this was the first time they'd charged me. I told him I need access to my funds so maybe we should just absorb the charge and let it go, because being without my card is a strain on me. He put me on hold and came back telling me that he had cancelled the card, no longer just blocked!He'd send me out a new one. It should be at my Tennessee address within 3 to 5 days! I sid thatis not acceptable. After arguing for a while he passed the phone to another person and I had to start over telling her, that no I coldn't just go into the branch in Chattanooga becoase I am on a tropical island. She then said they could send the card here if I had a viable address. I finished that call and called the landlady and asked if there is an address Icould use for local delivery. SHe gave me an address. Calling he bank back I spoke to another person and when I started to give the case # was told that was not necessary.SO I gav eher the local address having to spell Puerto Plata a dozen times to get her past Puerto Prata SHe then said that according to her info I should have it in 5 to 7 days. ANd not to call before 7 days if it doesn't arrive. That was Wed the 11th. Then after 9PM Saturday I rec'd an email saying that the new card I had requested had been sent and it should arrive in 5 to 7 days. But it didn't say where, Tennessee? Meanwhile I borrowed from this neighbor 500 pesos and from the other 500 pesos. Finally last night I remembered that I had an account with xoom.com that I hadn't used iin quite a while, so I tried to log in there I cahnged my password twice, but still couldn't get in, so I called them at lest they are not so USA centered that they didn't realize that most places couldn't reach them on a toll fee number. I got my password changed with them and sent myslef $80.00! And when their email came it said that since i had not been an active member for a while they would have to take 3 or so days to send the money. I should get it by the 18th of the month! This account does not use my card number to do the transaction but rather the account number itself.
Der Fish
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I have my main card blocked for internet use.... that solves the theft issue.

I get notifications on use for EVERY transaction....

I have a special card for internet use.... if compromised - cancel & replace
Chase Fraud Squad came up eith that idea to avoid cancelling my main card.

I can't even remember how many & where i have recurring charges on the main card.

That Buenos Aires incident started in RD.... car rental...SDQ
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I have my main card blocked for internet use.... that solves the theft issue.

I get notifications on use for EVERY transaction....

I have a special card for internet use.... if compromised - cancel & replace
Chase Fraud Squad came up eith that idea to avoid cancelling my main card.

I can't even remember how many & where i have recurring charges on the main card.

That Buenos Aires incident started in RD.... car rental...SDQ

You just reminded me - our AMEX card was compromised within days of renting a car at Avis on the Malecon in SD. It hadn't even been a processed charge, only a hold was placed on the card.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
He wrote down my info for processing... no machine.... years ago

maybe 7-8 yrs.

I still have that card, just blocked for internet use
 

chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
4,305
1
0
I was looking at my bank statement and saw a strange charge for $29.73 I tried to call the bank, but the 1-877 number does not work from here. So I wrote to the bank on their website. I got back a huge amount of print. It would probably be 3 full pages if on paper, but the guy who sent it for the bank apparently had done nothing to figure out who the thieves were, He assured me that his bank is the best there is and that they would have to block my card. I wrote thru the website once again asking if there was not a number that isn't toll free.
They sent me one. I called and spoke with an American voice belonging to a Randy. First thing he told me was that my card was not cancelled, just blocked. He checked out and the charge was from an adult dating sight in England. I haven't visited dating sites for months. I asked him if it was a recurring charge that I had been paying for for months, and he said that no this was the first time they'd charged me. I told him I need access to my funds so maybe we should just absorb the charge and let it go, because being without my card is a strain on me. He put me on hold and came back telling me that he had cancelled the card, no longer just blocked!He'd send me out a new one. It should be at my Tennessee address within 3 to 5 days! I sid thatis not acceptable. After arguing for a while he passed the phone to another person and I had to start over telling her, that no I coldn't just go into the branch in Chattanooga becoase I am on a tropical island. She then said they could send the card here if I had a viable address. I finished that call and called the landlady and asked if there is an address Icould use for local delivery. SHe gave me an address. Calling he bank back I spoke to another person and when I started to give the case # was told that was not necessary.SO I gav eher the local address having to spell Puerto Plata a dozen times to get her past Puerto Prata SHe then said that according to her info I should have it in 5 to 7 days. ANd not to call before 7 days if it doesn't arrive. That was Wed the 11th. Then after 9PM Saturday I rec'd an email saying that the new card I had requested had been sent and it should arrive in 5 to 7 days. But it didn't say where, Tennessee? Meanwhile I borrowed from this neighbor 500 pesos and from the other 500 pesos. Finally last night I remembered that I had an account with xoom.com that I hadn't used iin quite a while, so I tried to log in there I cahnged my password twice, but still couldn't get in, so I called them at lest they are not so USA centered that they didn't realize that most places couldn't reach them on a toll fee number. I got my password changed with them and sent myslef $80.00! And when their email came it said that since i had not been an active member for a while they would have to take 3 or so days to send the money. I should get it by the 18th of the month! This account does not use my card number to do the transaction but rather the account number itself.
Der Fish

always liked thousand dollar bills...five of them can keep a man alive just about anywhere,,,
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
I tried to call the bank, but the 1-877 number does not work from here.

It's been years since I had to do this since I now have a U.S. number, I guess it still applies.

It's not FREE, you will be charged per minute, cheaper to use the minutes on your cell phone.

Calling 800 numbers from D.R. with Claro phones.

If 800 use 880
If 888 use 881
If 866 use 882
If 877 use 883