Big Name Gift Shop Fraud

[ebedore]

I bought three t-shirts from Los Cinco Soles in Cozumel on a credit card for $19.95 and they hit me up for $100.00 on my statement.

Even though it is a Carnival recommended vendor, they still love to steal money!!!

Obviously I say STAY AWAY from Los Cinco Soles.

[cozislander]

There has to be more to the story. Did you sign for a total of $100 or did someone steal your card number to charge something else that brought the total to $100?

You don't say what remedies you've sought.

-You can easily get the email or phone to contact owner Sharon Morales, if you wish. If this is really what happened, I know she would want to hear about it.

-You can, of course, talk with your credit card company and have them rectify the situation.

-You can communicate with your cruise line and tell them about your experience.

I have nothing to gain by defending Los Cinco Soles, but I do think your post should have been a bit more detailed if you're going to make an accusation like that. If what you say is true, you need to follow up on it so that it doesn't happen to others and so that the store owners can investigate this incident.

[ebedore]

Excellent information. Thank you.

You know I never considered that somebody got my numbers and used them. I still have the card and the charge seems to be normal but I suppose somebody could have did something and not necessarily the store itself.

I am having MBNA investigate. They are not worried at all since it is the only thing that wasn't legitimate on my statement.

Advice like yours is the reason I use these boards.

[nauticaz24]

Possibly you signed an incorrect reciept. One time at a gift shop in Myrtle Beach, i bought something that was 5 bucks and they tried to charge me 55. I wouldnt have noticed, i just happend to look at the reciept this time and was able to point the mistake out. Hopefully this isnt what happened, Im not sure what your rights would be if you signed the reciept

[DGinLDO]

check your credit card statement. pesos & dollars use the same sign ( $ ). your statement should indicate if a currency conversion was done & if so, the $100 is really $100 pesos, not US$100.

also, did you check your credit limit? is it lowered by the $100 or by the amount of the things you bought?

[nycny]

While you are trying to sort this out, maybe you should edit the title of your post so in the event it was either your error or an honest mistake, you do not trash a company's reputation. Many people read no further than the first message in a chain and that may be too late. Elise

[newmexicoNita]

[quote name='nycny']While you are trying to sort this out, maybe you should edit the title of your post so in the event it was either your error or an honest mistake, you do not trash a company's reputation. Many people read no further than the first message in a chain and that may be too late. Elise[/QUOTE]
Great idea; it's pretty unusual for the shops suggested by the ships to pull things like this: they really can't afford to, the get much more business from the ships by staying honest.

NMNita

[suefrankw]

I have been shopping at this store since 1985 and have had no problem with charges made. A mix up somehow???

Sue in FL

[DannyS]

Remember that all a store has to do to be "recommended" by the cruiseline is pay for the honor. (They don't actually pay the cruise line, they pay "On Board Media" the company that employs the shopping advisors on pretty much all the cruiselines.)

Here's a good description of how it works, from the company that provides the services to a few of the major cruiselines: [url]http://www.onboard.com/products_promotions.asp[/url]

[KaC-Cruiser]

We had a similar, but different experience with our credit card related to Panchos Backyard - the restaurant that is part of Los Cinco Soles - and let me say that I love both the store & the restaurant, and will go back to both, no problem. The information was apparently taken from our card and used to create a new card that was used in Atlanta, GA ... luckily MBNA called us as the transaction was happening, stopped the charge and we had a new card issues within a few days. We traced back the only time the card was used in Cozumel, and out of our sight, was at Panchos. Sad to say that now-a-days they have scanners that can read the info from your card, save it, and transfer it to a new card. If you use a credit card to book your hotel room, it also is loaded into the keycards for your room - employees have been know to collect the cards and sell them the info on them. Someone will find a way to scam any modern convenience.....