My credit card has been cloned !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Africaida]

Been there.

Where did you use it? I got whacked after using a debit card at Ochoa.

My bank, USAA, sends text messages whenever the card is used. And when a suspicious charge appears, refuses the charge and a rep calls my cell.

This security measure has caused a couple of problems when trying to use the debit card, but at least I know they have my back, and the situation is easily and quickly resolved..

Mainly Supermarkets in Las Terrenas with withdrawals at banks (all have a security guard).

All was quickly resolved....I will be more careful next time.

Plus, with all that is happening right now, when you have your Debit card used on Turkish Airlines and in the Middle East, I am not trying to have a Swat team break my front door in the middle of night :nervous:

 

[sanpedrogringo]

For future visits and safety,not just here, but anywhere,+ enter the bank branch and visit a teller. Don't play with ATM's.

 

[Nucita]

The title said it all! After a trip in December/January, my visa debit card has been cloned.
3 fraudulent charges appeared 2 weeks after my return: 1 in the UK and 2 in Dubai totaling 3,000 USD

I have always used my card in the DR and never had any problems in DR over the years despite the warnings. I withdraw in banks and used it in 2 supermarkets and sometimes restaurants.

I will be more careful next time, I learned my lesson. I should be reimbursed soon, but still, BEWARE !

Where did you use your creditcard? in which part of the country do you live?

 

[Africaida]

Where did you use your creditcard? in which part of the country do you live?

I don't live in the country, just a frequent visitor. I used my card in Las Terrenas for 3 weeks over the holidays, mostly in supermarkets (Super Pola and Lindo). Made a few atm withdrawals and used it in restaurants a couple of times too.

 

[NALs]

Its always a good idea whenever you travel outside of your home country to visit the website of your credit card (and your bank for that matter for your debit card, if your bank is your CC issuer too then that cuts the process) and find where you can put in a travel notice. They usually ask you to put the country and the range of dates you will be away. That way not only do they not put a hold on your account if they think whatever charges abroad are fraudulent when in fact they are not (this can cause problems if you need to use your CC abroad and then you can't), but in the case fraudulent charges are made in the country you visited AFTER you returned home, the CC company will be alarmed and will contact you. Some companies take it upon themselves to put a hold on your account prior to contacting you.

I don't know if Africaida did that with her CC company, but given where the charges took place it was kind of obvious to the CC company that something fishy was going on. Had those charges taken place in the DR after Africaida went back home, if the CC company didn't know that she was going to be in the DR and in the likelihood they didn't put a hold as soon as a charge was made in the DR, then the fraudulent charges would had gone through. In that case, Africaida herself would probably pick up on the fraud when she receives her next statement or the next time she checks her account online/through an app. If the CC company knows you will be in certain place during certain dates, they will simply block any charges made there afterwards before you even know something is wrong.

 

[william webster]

I did that once  NALS and when I said DR , the girl on the phone gasped.

Oh, she said as if she had had prior issues.

 Not a good sign but makes you aware of the reputation 

 

[bob saunders]

I used both my Canadian CC and my Dominican CC throughout South America , 6 countries in total without having a single issue. I informed both banks before going.

 

[windeguy]

For future visits and safety,not just here, but anywhere,+ enter the bank branch and visit a teller. Don't play with ATM's.

I have never been able to make an ATM withdrawal inside a bank. That would be a credit card advance, which incurs additional fees, if you use the card inside the bank. ATM withdrawals have not been a problem for me. Using Credit Cards is what I no longer do here.

 

[The Professor]

I've used my credit card extensively in DR over the past 3 years without a single issue, that is, until I used it at the gym last month. Shortly after giving it to them to auto-renew my membership, fraudulent charges started to appear, and my credit card company blocked the card. I went back to the gym with a new card and decided to watch what they do for the automatic renewal. Sure enough, I saw that they want you to write your card information on a paper, which they keep on file in the gym. Needless to say, I refused to do that and switched to paying by cash every month, even though they charge RD 400 more to do that!

I will continue to use my credit card here for convenience sake, but will certainly be more careful. I never worry about using it in the grocery store or any place where I maintain control of my card. I also don't worry in places where I have to hand over the card, but can keep eyes on whoever is running it. Lastly, I also will continue card use in restaurants that I frequent and trust, even though I can't watch the person I give the card to. However, I would never agree to my card information being written down and retained back in the U.S., let alone in the Dominican Republic! How anyone can think that's a good idea here, I don't know.

My feelings are that credit card use here is mostly ok, but you must always usar la sabiduría.

 

[SantiagoDR]

... Needless to say, I refused to do that and switched to paying by cash every month,
even though they charge RD 400 more to do that!

Charging more for cash payments?
Usually paying cash here gets you a discount!

 

[SKY]

Charging more for cash payments?
Usually paying cash here gets you a discount!

Yes, but here they need to card for cloning purposes. So they give you a discount for the card info.