More fraud charges on my Royal Visa.......

[cruzinlady1947]

Don't know why this keeps happening. I get e-mails from my Royal BOA Visa with all charges that occur on my account. I set it up that way, so I can keep track of them faster in case of this particular problem. This morning I got my usual e-mails confirming my charges. There were 3 fraudulent charges that were pending. All of them very small amounts, which I know happens in some instances until the actual charges are posted. I was going to call once they were actual charges. To my surprise, they called me to ask me about the charges they thought were fraudulent.

 

I was all set to cancel my card, but since they seem to be on top of things, I will keep it. At least for now. I know I hate to keep getting a new card issued, but I appreciate that they take care of the issues so promptly. Just a hassle if you have to get in touch with companies that use your card automatically for purchases or payments. I don't do that for this reason. But, I like the points for cruising. They will send you a new card overnight at your request, without charge, if you want.

 

I don't know how it keeps getting compromised. This is about the 4th time. I have no problems with my other BOA account, just the RCCL one.

 

I know a lot of others have had similar problems.

 

Anybody have any answers as to why this happens so often with this card? Could it be that because it is so widely used overseas and while people are traveling that it gets compromised, or is it just a thing with BOA? I have not cruised since March, so traveling would not be my issue.

 

Gwen

[Clarea]

We have not yet had any fraudulant charges on our RCI Visa card, which we have had for 5 years or so. However, we regularly (about once a year) get new Discover and AT&T MC cards due to fraud.

[cruisinfanatic]

Don't know why this keeps happening. I get e-mails from my Royal BOA Visa with all charges that occur on my account. I set it up that way, so I can keep track of them faster in case of this particular problem. This morning I got my usual e-mails confirming my charges. There were 3 fraudulent charges that were pending. All of them very small amounts, which I know happens in some instances until the actual charges are posted. I was going to call once they were actual charges. To my surprise, they called me to ask me about the charges they thought were fraudulent.

 

I was all set to cancel my card, but since they seem to be on top of things, I will keep it. At least for now. I know I hate to keep getting a new card issued, but I appreciate that they take care of the issues so promptly. Just a hassle if you have to get in touch with companies that use your card automatically for purchases or payments. I don't do that for this reason. But, I like the points for cruising. They will send you a new card overnight at your request, without charge, if you want.

 

I don't know how it keeps getting compromised. This is about the 4th time. I have no problems with my other BOA account, just the RCCL one.

 

I know a lot of others have had similar problems.

 

Anybody have any answers as to why this happens so often with this card? Could it be that because it is so widely used overseas and while people are traveling that it gets compromised, or is it just a thing with BOA? I have not cruised since March, so traveling would not be my issue.

 

Gwen

Your card is a BOA card. Makes no difference what the name is on the front. Not being compromised because it's a Royal Caribbean card. Can and does happen to everyone eventually.

[nana541]

Just have them re-issue your card with new numbers....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Big_G]

We've had three occurrences over the last two years and maybe one other over the past five. BOFA has been so responsive that I'm almost afraid to cancel and go with someone else. They've only been a minor inconveniences except once they had to overnight our cards before a cruise. Even that wasn't an issue. We have two other cards but they're backups in case something goes awry with the RC Visa while traveling. While cruising, we only use the card for our shipboard account. Cash is king for everything else.

[bouhunter]

Your card is a BOA card. Makes no difference what the name is on the front. Not being compromised because it's a Royal Caribbean card. Can and does happen to everyone eventually.

 

Exactly. We've had our RCCL card 10 years with no problems. Happens to all VISA's all the time. Don't waste time thinking it's something related to RCCL......

[cruzinlady1947]

Thanks for the responses. I know it can happen to any card. I don't blame Royal for anything. Just seems to only happen to my RCCL BOA Visa. Maybe because I use that one more often than the others. Of course the other one I have is also a BOA, but never had a problem with that one.

 

The only reason I wouldn't cancel it, is because they are so good at making things right.

 

It is a hassle when they have to give you a new one, but I don't memorize the numbers anyway, so no problem there.

 

I had to have it replaced a couple days before a cruise last year and they had a new one to me overnight.

 

I also call them when I will be on a cruise, so they know I will out of the country, using my card. I don't want them to cancel it when I want to use it.....especially for jewelry in St. Thomas.:eek:;)

 

Gwen :)

[kccrzr]

Ours has been compromised twice over the last 8 years or so - once in Puerto Vallarta and once in New York. Each time BofA has caught it and contacted us before we even received the billing statement. (they have also checked several times on legitimate charges when we have been traveling). They have been great to work with and we have promptly received replacement cards and all accrued points have transferred to the new account without issue.

 

Much easier than having to deal with getting all new bank accounts, changing passwords and running credit reports after DH's employers network was hacked and employees personal information accessed - now that is a real hassle.

[Valiamo]

I work for a bank that has a mastecard offering, and we have a large fraud section, trust me card skimming is a big and frequent problem, and cost the banks billions. It is awesome when your bank catches the unusual transactions, when someone uses your account number and commits fraud.

 

Those you you that have a company that cares enough about you to make sure it is "you" using the card are very lucky.

 

They are looking out for you, notwithstanding how you use your card and it is amazing how lax some customers are with their credit cards, and the locations they will use them in.

 

I'd rather have my card company call and cancel my card, then to have to fight a charge on my next statement.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Valiamo

[Grand PooBah]

Perhaps you might think about changing to the Barclays Arrival Mastercard.

They give you 2 points for each dollar spent, then when you cash them in for travel related charges, they give you back 10% of the points. Dumped my RC visa when I realized how much more I could do with the Barclays points.

Went to book a free balcony room with my RC Visa, was offered the lowest available balcony, no Diamond upgrades etc. Could have stayed in a suite if I had spent the same dollars on Barclays. Goodbye RC Visa.

[cruisegirl1]

Consider yourself lucky that BOA catches the fraudulent charges. It is not a RCCL issue.

 

M

[WestfieldTraveler]

Could be the places you frequent! :eek:

 

Seriously, anyplace where you cannot see the card continuously once it leaves your hand and how it is swiped is a higher likelihood of compromise. Even with keeping an eye on it I'm sure there can be slight of hand involved anyway in skimming the card that would be impossible to stop. When I travel to London/Ireland I'm impressed by the presentation of the card machine in front of me, and that most folks there use a pin at swipe time.

[north29]

Could be the places you frequent! :eek:

 

Seriously, anyplace where you cannot see the card continuously once it leaves your hand and how it is swiped is a higher likelihood of compromise. Even with keeping an eye on it I'm sure there can be slight of hand involved anyway in skimming the card that would be impossible to stop. When I travel to London/Ireland I'm impressed by the presentation of the card machine in front of me, and that most folks there use a pin at swipe time.

 

Almost any where in Europe and other places we have been. The card machine come to you,your card does not go the machine. However it can still be compromise in places you least suspect. BOA is our choice of banks but have had great success with CITI and Capitol one(but with some issues)

I was getting a new card for my lady, and at the bank, the representative said more and more people are moving to CC and dropping the Debit card, except for travel and Aldi LOL, because of the fraud on all cards and Debit cards are harder to prove fraud.

[Videophile]

The only reason I wouldn't cancel it, is because they are so good at making things right.

 

 

 

Why would you cancel it? They'll send you a new card and you just start using that.

 

As others have said, the fraud is NOT because it has RCCL on the front. It is not because it is a BOA card. The fraud is happening because you use the card. Switching to another card won't make any difference.

[JF - retired RRT]

Could be the places you frequent! :eek:

 

Seriously, anyplace where you cannot see the card continuously once it leaves your hand and how it is swiped is a higher likelihood of compromise. Even with keeping an eye on it I'm sure there can be slight of hand involved anyway in skimming the card that would be impossible to stop. When I travel to London/Ireland I'm impressed by the presentation of the card machine in front of me, and that most folks there use a pin at swipe time.

 

Even when it doesn't leave your sight, it can happen. I have a card that I had not used for almost a year. Time to break it out and keep it active. Used it at a garden center, card swiper right in front of me. By the time I got home, the fraud dept. had called to see if I had a time machine. I was in NY and the card was used in CA and some where overseas...all within an hour!:eek:

[cruisenfever]

Perhaps you might think about changing to the Barclays Arrival Mastercard.

They give you 2 points for each dollar spent, then when you cash them in for travel related charges, they give you back 10% of the points. Dumped my RC visa when I realized how much more I could do with the Barclays points.

Went to book a free balcony room with my RC Visa, was offered the lowest available balcony, no Diamond upgrades etc. Could have stayed in a suite if I had spent the same dollars on Barclays. Goodbye RC Visa.

Is a Barclay's credit card fraudulent free??

[notree]

While in on a Caribbean cruise my wife purchased some nice items from a place like "Diamond Or Such" I really can not remember the shop. The credit card company denied the charge until they talked to me. On the line the young lady ask me my security question. I thought just a moment and said to her, That would give you the keys to my kingdom would it not?" She laughed and agreed with me. I ask her if she knew the word and she replied in the affirmative. I said OK that I would start spelling the word and she would have to say every other letter...It is a long name she agreed to that idea. The wife got her bling and I was satisfied I gave the word to a proper person with the credit company

[cruisenfever]

While in on a Caribbean cruise my wife purchased some nice items from a place like "Diamond Or Such" I really can not remember the shop. The credit card company denied the charge until they talked to me. On the line the young lady ask me my security question. I thought just a moment and said to her, That would give you the keys to my kingdom would it not?" She laughed and agreed with me. I ask her if she knew the word and she replied in the affirmative. I said OK that I would start spelling the word and she would have to say every other letter...It is a long name she agreed to that idea. The wife got her bling and I was satisfied I gave the word to a proper person with the credit company

Always call you credit card company prior to leaving for a trip and let them know that you will be out of your normal spending zone.

[Kartgv]

The small 'pending' charges you saw were what usually happens when someone has obtained your card information; they 'test the waters' with a very small transaction, hoping no one will notice, to see if the charge will go through. If it does, then larger charges will start happening very quickly. The reason you keep seeing them is that someone out there already has your credit card number; there are rings of criminals out there who actually sell credit card information to each other. They will keep trying as long as that credit card number is still open. I'd just close it and get a new one before you have bigger problems.

 

By the way, that kind of proactive monitoring is not limited to BofA - we've had the same thing happen with both Chase and Citibank. It's much cheaper for them to try to prevent fraud than to have to absorb large fraudulent transactions.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Kartgv

[fishtaco]

If Fraud department have flagged it as possible fraud they should suspend your card and issue another. If this is not the case then you should be cancelling the card and requesting a new one yourself regardless of the hassle!

 

My card was compromised in early July after a vacation and cruise from Australia to USA but because I informed Visa of my return date to Australia my card was automatically suspended after it was used for small charges outside Australia.

 

All Australian credit cards now have a chip and you must use a PIN number to use the card other than some $30 limit "Tap And Go" machines which I am sure will be made redundant quite soon.

 

A Heavy or uncommon use of "Tap and Go" will result in a card block until customer is contacted. so it will be much harder for card fraud to take place unless they have your "PIN":)

[WestfieldTraveler]

Chase has an "international charge alert" you can set up - not that it will necessarily stop fraud, but just to let you know if you need to "manage" your card replacement if you did not make the charges.

[WestfieldTraveler]

Even when it doesn't leave your sight, it can happen. I have a card that I had not used for almost a year. Time to break it out and keep it active. Used it at a garden center, card swiper right in front of me. By the time I got home, the fraud dept. had called to see if I had a time machine. I was in NY and the card was used in CA and some where overseas...all within an hour!:eek:

 

As we saw with the Target problem you can do everything right and still get your card compromised due to flaws or oversights in the "system". End to end, the fraud is really impossible to prevent, the only thing you can do is have the routine to quickly detect and fix the issue.

[cruzinlady1947]

Thanks for all the advise and information.

 

I know it is no fault of Royal. Just that is the only card that it happen with several times.

 

They did call me to let me know they were cancelling the card and were sending me a new one. I praised them for doing so, even before calling them myself to question about the charges. That is the reason I won't cancel doing business with them.

 

I always let them know when I will be traveling and using my card.

 

My card has the chip in it, but not many places have a scanner that uses it. Walmart just started using them the way they are meant to be used. Also, I will not let my card be taken away from me, as restaurants usually do. I'm always careful, but evidently, that doesn't mean much nowadays.

 

Gwen :)

[fishtaco]

Thanks for all the advise and information.

 

I know it is no fault of Royal. Just that is the only card that it happen with several times.

 

They did call me to let me know they were cancelling the card and were sending me a new one. I praised them for doing so, even before calling them myself to question about the charges. That is the reason I won't cancel doing business with them.

 

I always let them know when I will be traveling and using my card.

 

My card has the chip in it, but not many places have a scanner that uses it. Walmart just started using them the way they are meant to be used. Also, I will not let my card be taken away from me, as restaurants usually do. I'm always careful, but evidently, that doesn't mean much nowadays.

 

Gwen :)

 

Do you now also need to use a PIN code like in Australia? while in USA May and June this year I never once got asked to enter a PIN.

[north29]

While in on a Caribbean cruise my wife purchased some nice items from a place like "Diamond Or Such" I really can not remember the shop. The credit card company denied the charge until they talked to me. On the line the young lady ask me my security question. I thought just a moment and said to her, That would give you the keys to my kingdom would it not?" She laughed and agreed with me. I ask her if she knew the word and she replied in the affirmative. I said OK that I would start spelling the word and she would have to say every other letter...It is a long name she agreed to that idea. The wife got her bling and I was satisfied I gave the word to a proper person with the credit company

 

I wish I had though of it. One can never be cautious enough. Heck I question anyone I talk to related to banking and some other finical issues.