Credit Card Fraud

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Charlielyn

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Jul 31, 2005
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Last night I went on line to check out my VISA balance after my recent trip to Puerto Plata. I noticed 2 fraudulent charges on my statement. I have contacted my bank and have had my card cancelled.

There were 2 charges, each 1 day apart, at local gas stations. I do not buy gas or shop at gas stations. Someone filled up a large vehicle each time. $2000 pesos and $1900 pesos.

I used my credit card twice at the hotel that I was staying at - Blue Bay Villas. Once to pay for the safety deposit box and once to pay for an evening pass for a British friend from Santo Domingo. Somehow they made a duplicate of my card and swiped it at the gas stations.

All other transactions were cash deals. I was always in possession of my credit card and have it right now, so it was not stolen. It was duplicated.

The bank is investigating these 2 transactions and I have cancelled my credit card.

If you have been travelling and using a credit card, may I suggest that you check your transactions carefully. You only have 30 days to respond to fraudulent charges.
 
L

leekiv

New member
Mar 5, 2007
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Did they duplicate it

Charlielyn said:
Last night I went on line to check out my VISA balance after my recent trip to Puerto Plata. I noticed 2 fraudulent charges on my statement. I have contacted my bank and have had my card cancelled.

There were 2 charges, each 1 day apart, at local gas stations. I do not buy gas or shop at gas stations. Someone filled up a large vehicle each time. $2000 pesos and $1900 pesos.

I used my credit card twice at the hotel that I was staying at - Blue Bay Villas. Once to pay for the safety deposit box and once to pay for an evening pass for a British friend from Santo Domingo. Somehow they made a duplicate of my card and swiped it at the gas stations.

All other transactions were cash deals. I was always in possession of my credit card and have it right now, so it was not stolen. It was duplicated.

The bank is investigating these 2 transactions and I have cancelled my credit card.

If you have been travelling and using a credit card, may I suggest that you check your transactions carefully. You only have 30 days to respond to fraudulent charges.
Click to expand...

or was the number just manually input. In that I mean can the bank tell you that it was swiped? Can they tell? Just curious and glad you caught it.Best of luck to you.
 
R

rio2003

Bronze
Aug 16, 2006
1,233
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Charlielyn said:
Last night I went on line to check out my VISA balance after my recent trip to Puerto Plata. I noticed 2 fraudulent charges on my statement. I have contacted my bank and have had my card cancelled.

There were 2 charges, each 1 day apart, at local gas stations. I do not buy gas or shop at gas stations. Someone filled up a large vehicle each time. $2000 pesos and $1900 pesos.

I used my credit card twice at the hotel that I was staying at - Blue Bay Villas. Once to pay for the safety deposit box and once to pay for an evening pass for a British friend from Santo Domingo. Somehow they made a duplicate of my card and swiped it at the gas stations.

All other transactions were cash deals. I was always in possession of my credit card and have it right now, so it was not stolen. It was duplicated.

The bank is investigating these 2 transactions and I have cancelled my credit card.

If you have been travelling and using a credit card, may I suggest that you check your transactions carefully. You only have 30 days to respond to fraudulent charges.
Click to expand...

Wow,
Well spotted Charlielyn and how timely is this in view of the recent threads on potential fraud at ATM machines and also the poster asking about using a credit card to pay for things in Puerto Plata?
Villas Doradas is a fairly small hotel (compared to the others in Playa Dorada) let's hope that they catch whoever is up to no good, and quick!
Are you still out there? Enjoy the rest of your trip...

Rio
 
S

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,491
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This is old news. Use your credit cards at your own risk here, or in most Latin countries. Myself, no chance of ever using one here. NONE.
 
Robert

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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I use a credit card all the time in the DR and have never had a problem. I must have done 500+ transtions here.

Credit card fraud and identity theft is everywhere, it's not unique to the DR.
Just like at the USA, it's a massive problem, but people still use their CC's everyday.
 
K

korejdk

Bronze
Dec 29, 2006
647
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Last week I used my debit card at Playero in Sosua, and the transaction was duplicated. Although my bank took care of it immediately, I doubt that I'll ever use any card in the DR again.
 
S

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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It seem to me that the people that live here all the time, like Robert do not have these problems. This is only conjecture, but the non residents stick out like a sore thumb here, and possibly the people doing the scamming would rather pick on someone that is gone quickly.

Just an educated guess.
 
R

rio2003

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Aug 16, 2006
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Credit card fraud

Robert said:
Credit card fraud and identity theft is everywhere, it's not unique to the DR.
Click to expand...

That is very true, but in the US and UK measures are being bought in all the time in an effort to try to combat this and outwit the fraudsters. The old method of a manual swipe and handwriting of the docket is just about obsolete here now but is still very widely used in the DR. I was surprised to see this used when I rented a jeep in January and notified the bank immediately of the amount and that not a peso more could or should be charged.

Rio
 
M

montreal

Bronze
Apr 17, 2006
532
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I know people who have done this (definitely not friends!). It happens to AI tourists all the time. Easy targets I guess.

Employees of places where you use your card take your number down (including resorts and gift shops). These are petty thieves and I doubt they have the knowledge to duplicate cards. Then they go to the gas station (or any store, although gas stations seem to be the most common) where their friend works and pass fraudulent transactions (often WITHOUT ever buying gas). They pocket the cash. This happens all the time in the DR. Some people have 10,000 pesos charges on their cards (too much to be a gas fill-up). Others just have many small charges.

Usually banks are very quick at pinpointing these discrepancies and advise the cardholder almost immediately. At least, because many people do not check their statements ; )

Good thing you caught it Charlielyn! It is a hassle to have to cancel your card...
 
Robert

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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rio2003 said:
That is very true, but in the US and UK measures are being bought in all the time in an effort to try to combat this and outwit the fraudsters. The old method of a manual swipe and handwriting of the docket is just about obsolete here now but is still very widely used in the DR.

Rio
Click to expand...

You must live in a different part of the DR to me :)

If it's so widely used here, why haven't I received a hand written docket in the past 4-5 years? What popular businesses still do this?
 
M

mobrouser

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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In addition to checking your CC statement as soon as it arrives for errors, you should also have one credit card with a relatively low limit on it. $1000.00 to $1500.00 that you use only for what you might think of as "risky" purchases.

On-line transactions, out of country travelling expenses, damage deposit for a car rental--that sort of thing. Fraudulent charges would be easy to spot on the statement, and with the low limit, should the CC company not be as co-operative as Charlielyn's, (highly unlikely) the short and long term effect on your credit rating is minor.
 
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DrChrisHE

On Probation!
Jul 23, 2006
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SKY said:
It seem to me that the people that live here all the time, like Robert do not have these problems. This is only conjecture, but the non residents stick out like a sore thumb here, and possibly the people doing the scamming would rather pick on someone that is gone quickly.

Just an educated guess.
Click to expand...

I think you are right. I've notice that even the hawkers of the DR tourist stuff have stopped asking me if I want to buy anything--even in areas where I don't frequent much here. It could be the tan (although I'm not very tan) or a certain 'look' we give them. Then again, it could be that after 2 years in the DR sun, all my clothing is as faded as the locals!

I'd hate to "jinx" myself but we use our debit card all the time (with normal precautions). My BIGGEST problem so far has been our card companies having a tizzy over the charges in the DR and then issue a STOP on all action down here because they think the card is stolen. They now have little notes in their files, but I still have a daily limit in place for safety.

We've mentioned this before, but one always needs to get and check receipts. This includes ATMS--before you leave the terminal count your money and look at your receipt. Dh has had two times when he's been shorted. Our bank took care of it, but it IS a pain.
 
D

DrChrisHE

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Jul 23, 2006
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Robert said:
You must live in a different part of the DR to me :)

If it's so widely used here, why haven't I received a hand written docket in the past 4-5 years? What popular businesses still do this?
Click to expand...

There are still places in San Pedro de Macoris that use that ancient method. I have been to small clothing outlets and also a school bookstore (both run out of homes) in the city of SPM that did this. I wouldn't say they were popular but they did a lot of business each time (repeatedly) that I was in each store.
 
M

montreal

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Apr 17, 2006
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DrChrisHE said:
I think you are right. I've notice that even the hawkers of the DR tourist stuff have stopped asking me if I want to buy anything--even in areas where I don't frequent much here. It could be the tan (although I'm not very tan) or a certain 'look' we give them. Then again, it could be that after 2 years in the DR sun, all my clothing is as faded as the locals!

I'd hate to "jinx" myself but we use our debit card all the time (with normal precautions). My BIGGEST problem so far has been our card companies having a tizzy over the charges in the DR and then issue a STOP on all action down here because they think the card is stolen. They now have little notes in their files, but I still have a daily limit in place for safety.

We've mentioned this before, but one always needs to get and check receipts. This includes ATMS--before you leave the terminal count your money and look at your receipt. Dh has had two times when he's been shorted. Our bank took care of it, but it IS a pain.
Click to expand...

Right on! Even if you are white and blonde (like many dominicans), if you look like you know where you are going then you will pass as a resident. Tourists on vacation tend to walk around with their heads in the air taking everything in. The sandals, shorts and flower print also don't help though ; )
 
T

trabajadora

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Aug 29, 2007
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Hey Charlielyn, so sorry this happened to you on your last visit. I appreciate the reminder to check all bank accounts, credit card statements, etc. My sister is arriving here for vacation today (POP) and just yesterday she emailed me asking which credit card she should bring (AMEX or VISA) as she was not planning to bring much cash. Just for this very reason (a lot of credit card fraudulent charges), I attempted to defer her from using her card and advised her to bring cash instead. She is hard-headed and is doing what she wants. So I told her that I'd advise her to at least bring 2 cards, not just one, just in case something happens (fraudulent charges) and she has to close one card immediately; she'd still have another one to use. And with your reminder, I'll be doubly sure to tell her to check all of her statements closely. Thanks again for the alert.
 
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rio2003

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Aug 16, 2006
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Robert said:
You must live in a different part of the DR to me :)

If it's so widely used here, why haven't I received a hand written docket in the past 4-5 years? What popular businesses still do this?
Click to expand...

Puerto Plata - Robert

In January this year and June last year I had manual dockets given to me at POP airport by two different car rental companies and again at a restaurant in town..

Sorry, for that reason I thought it was more commonplace than it obviously is.

:ermm:
Rio
 
A

Alyonka

Silver
Jun 3, 2006
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Yes, tourists, especially females, are one of the main target categories for scammers. Those who commit fraud think - her husband is going to pay the bill and will not notice anything or she is not going to pay attention. Hotels where you stay and restaurants add charges for products you have not used or calls you have not made. It has happened to me a couple of times in various places. That is why I only bring cash and stay in hotels I can pay cash for even if they are not the nicest ones out there. I would rather be safe than having to call my credit card company and spend time filling out the paper work about a fraud case. :paranoid:
 
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edm7583

New member
May 29, 2007
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Yes, credit card fraud is a problem in most of Latin America, but it is particulary rampant in the DR. In all my trips, I have used my credit card exactly one time. (at an international hotel chain in Santo Domingo.) The transaction went through, but after I used it, my credit card company put a security block on my card simply because a transaction was made in the Dominican Republic. I didn't realize it until I was back in the States and I tried to use the card and it was rejected. I was told it is their policy to put a security block on cards when transactions appear from the DR.

I would never use a credit card there, except in an absoulte emergency where I had no other option, and I very rarely (if ever) use an ATM there. When I do, it's located right at the bank and during opening hours.
 
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