American Express attempted fraud

[Aus Traveller]

Our solution was to get a 2nd credit card which has a much smaller balance and we will be only using this one when we go overseas in future.

We have a second credit card with only a $2,000 limit that we use for any on-line or phone purchases. If that card is compromised, we still have our main credit card. :)

 

With two reports on here of a credit card possibly being compromised after being used on a ship, I wonder if somehow the information being transmitted from the ship to its head office has been intercepted or scammed. I would not like to think it is anything to do with the cruise company.

[perditax]

We have a second credit card with only a $2,000 limit that we use for any on-line or phone purchases. If that card is compromised, we still have our main credit card. :)

 

With two reports on here of a credit card possibly being compromised after being used on a ship, I wonder if somehow the information being transmitted from the ship to its head office has been intercepted or scammed. I would not like to think it is anything to do with the cruise company.

 

 

I've never assumed anyone thought RCL had anything to do with it, but rather that they had some employees running a scam.

 

Meanwhile ... My favorite travel card, my Chase Sapphire, was compromised for the fourth time in a row just this morning. I'd only had the latest replacement card for about three days, kept in an rfid wallet, had never used it online, etc. I use lots of different rewards cards, including other Chase cards, and none of them ever get hacked, nor does my debit card. I gave up and cancelled that account this morning. So weird.

[Aus Traveller]

I've never assumed anyone thought RCL had anything to do with it, but rather that they had some employees running a scam.

I meant an employee of RCL, obviously not the company. They could not afford to. :) Sorry I did not clarify that.

 

Your latest incident is quite a worry. :(

Edited December 10, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[perditax]

I meant an employee of RCL, obviously not the company. They could not afford to. :) Sorry I did not clarify that.

 

Your latest incident is quite a worry. :(

 

 

After the last time it was compromised, which was only about two weeks ago, I did some googling. I think I mentioned upthread but I'm a fairly savvy consumer, and even if I wasn't, it's super weird that out of all my cards only this one gets compromised. (Then, while I'm waiting for replacement cards, I use some other card *in the exact same pattern* and never have a problem with that one.) Anyway, point being it seems like at least some thieves are just doing "brute force" card number attempts, and my best guess is I keep getting caught up in some series of numbers they're hitting that is linked with Chase Sapphire.

 

Sorry--probably not really relevant, wouldn't ramble on like this if my card hadn't got hacked *again* during just the existence of this thread. And I suppose putting it out there for other Chase Sapphire holders. Watch for little $1.00 auths you don't recognize, that's the sign that they are checking to see if the number is valid before they load it up.

[Aus Traveller]

After the last time it was compromised, which was only about two weeks ago, I did some googling. I think I mentioned upthread but I'm a fairly savvy consumer, and even if I wasn't, it's super weird that out of all my cards only this one gets compromised. (Then, while I'm waiting for replacement cards, I use some other card *in the exact same pattern* and never have a problem with that one.) Anyway, point being it seems like at least some thieves are just doing "brute force" card number attempts, and my best guess is I keep getting caught up in some series of numbers they're hitting that is linked with Chase Sapphire.

 

Sorry--probably not really relevant, wouldn't ramble on like this if my card hadn't got hacked *again* during just the existence of this thread. And I suppose putting it out there for other Chase Sapphire holders. Watch for little $1.00 auths you don't recognize, that's the sign that they are checking to see if the number is valid before they load it up.

I find your posts very interesting and thank you for letting us know what is happening. :)

[Aussieflyer]

We have had cards compromised over the years though they have not always been used illegally for actual transactions. The bank has contacted us if they have been notified that the credit card numbers have turned up on a list of card numbers. These lists are sold on the black market so as soon as the number is identified the bank will move to cancel the card.

We have had some where there were attempted transactions, but luckily were declined. We have also had our cards frozen when making the first of an international transfer even though there was an authorisation code sent to my phone. Also had a text message from the bank to say that the card will be frozen unless I reply that a transaction was legit. Again, an overseas transfer. I suppose it is better to be safe than sorry and it is not overly inconvenient.

 

To the OP, that transaction for your cruise deposit being sent to Monrovia sounds very odd, suspicious in fact, especially as there was no paperwork provided. I would really love to get to the bottom of what occurred.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Aussieflyer

[raks]

Having worked previously in banking for many many years I have seen all sorts of credit card fraud. (And had my own cards compromised).

 

I think a lot of credit card fraud is big business. Card number lists are brought and sold "on the black market" for lack of a better phrase.

 

It is very true that your cards are often compromised months before the actual fraud happens, unless it is an opportunistic crooked employee, working on their own, who takes your number and then uses it on the internet later that night or a few days later as an example.

 

If your card is skimmed somewhere and the bank is made aware of a skimming event (this information is often passed on by police etc) somewhere then all cards used at the compromised atm or shop will be cancelled as a precaution.

 

As for information a bank employee gives you about how they think the fraud happened, unless they are a supervisor in the fraud department they really would have no idea, I am not saying this to bad mouth bank employees, far from it but in my years of experience it was very rare for general staff to know the ins and outs of specific frauds, but it was very common for staff to make assumptions that were incorrect, especially when they were dealing with a customer who, naturally, just wanted to know how it was possible. Credit card fraud can be very complex behind the scenes.

 

Always check your credit card statements because not every fraudulent transaction is picked up by your credit card provider only the obvious ones.

 

Glad your bank did pick up this one for you, what a hassle it is to change card numbers though if you have all your bills directly coming off the credit card. This happened to us a few days before a holiday recently and while I had back up cards to use it took me ages to finally change all of our auto pay items over to the new card and I was swamped with payment reminders when we returned home.

 

As for you funds being transferred to a strange country, big businesses often have their accounts in far flung places, and while this may seem strange to us, this is a possibility.

 

Good luck sorting out your future cruise credit.

[Mike Courier]

American Express has now refunded my future cruise deposit on RCI to my credit card. I am now going to send to RCI the hand written, unsigned piece of paperwork that was handed to me by the future cruise desk on Explorer, with no booking number, no assigned cabin number, no name of the adviser with no date notated, all due, so I was told at the time, to their computer system "having issues" (for 2 days)!!!

 

I have enclosed with the "receipt" other information that may interest RCI.

 

I have to say that from now on I'm only going to book future cruises (if any) with my Australian travel agent. At least then, I should enjoy more peace of mind than I have experienced since we disembarked from the ship in Fremantle some weeks ago.

[Kruzein]

The only time I used my Amex card on our recent cruise on Explorer Of The Seas was to book a future cruise.

 

When we disembarked in Perth I used my lap to to log into my emails as I had been forewarned by others on board the ship to give the $US20 a day email deal a miss as it wasn't worth it.

 

One of the emails was an urgent notification from American Express asking me to contact them in Sydney which I duly did.

 

They explained that an attempt had been made in the USA to use my card details for the purchase of $US2000 of clothing and they noted that such a purchase was outside of my usual buying activity and they also noted that I had informed where I would be on cruise.

 

They stopped the attempted fraudulent purchase. I explained to American Express that the only time I had used the card was to put a deposit on a future cruise four days earlier. They said that 11 hours after I had used the card on board the ship the fraudulent attempt was perpetrated.

 

Also the Future Cruises desk did not issue a receipt for the deposit on the future cruise claiming there was a glitz in the system. Eventually they issued a hand written receipt. I have asked American Express to give me refund for the deposit as I have completely lost faith in RCI.

 

Has anyone else had credit card issues with RCI, particularly on Explorer Of The Seas as I would be very interested to know?

 

we did the Legend of the Seas from Hong Kong and I know of at least 5 credit cards from different Financial Institutions that were compromised and the only place the credit cards were linked to was RCI.. We left HK on 20/11 and when we got to Darwin to get AU$ we were referred to contact the financial institution so we went in and sure enough there were other people in there with the same problem and our cards were cut up but the accounts were all compromised 21st and 22nd Nov and accounts closed on 23rd to prevent further frauds and all the transactions were the same except the amounts ranged from $100's to $1000's..

 

When we arrived back at the ship it was raised with the head of security onboard who referred us to Guest relations who told us that it was an "onshore" problem so nothing they could do...

 

I have advised RCI about the incident because If credit card information can be accessed i am concerned of identity theft as well.. RCI have never responded, which is of no surprise because they have the worst customer service of any of the cruise lines... So in future i will not be attaching a CC i will be paying in cash as this is the only place the card is/was used.

 

My CC was also compromised 2 weeks prior to the cruise and the only place i use that card is to attach to my personaliser, mine was also for clothes and another product to the value of $2000 and luckily my banks security system flagged it.. I would be interested to know what your transaction was to see if it matched the transaction on mine.

 

Cheers

[sayaguru]

The thing is, with new scanning technology you don't even have to use your card to have it skimmed.

 

This happened to me. I never even took it out of my wallet the whole trip.

get a scan proof card case or wrap it in foil. I carry a spare wrapped card now.

[Kruzein]

The thing is, with new scanning technology you don't even have to use your card to have it skimmed.

 

This happened to me. I never even took it out of my wallet the whole trip.

get a scan proof card case or wrap it in foil. I carry a spare wrapped card now.

 

 

The card was kept in an RFID wallet and never left that wallet until we used it at checkin.. We have separate Travel cards which were used on the land leg of our Holiday...

 

So that was not how it happened.

[MMDown Under]

Further to the foregoing I have been advised by American Express that the deposit I paid with the future cruises desk on Explorer Of The Seas for the future cruise on Radiance in 2017 was sent to an account in Monrovia, Liberia.

 

I have continued to try to get some form of contact from RCI on the matters outlined but I have not had one form of communication, either oral or written.

 

As a new cruiser does RCI actually reply to emails or is there another portal I need to access in order to get some answers?

 

As a consequence, Amex has cancelled the card for the transactions on Explorer and will be issuing a new one within the next few days.

 

Have you put this information on the Royal Caribbean thread?

 

Suggest you write to CEO of Royal Caribbean, as fraudulent use of your credit card following the payment of a future cruise deposit is a real worry for the cruiseline as well as passengers!