15 replies to this topic

[uwfan]

I happened to do a good thing today. I needed to pay my credit card that I'd put off since returning from a dive trip. The good thing was that when I called to make a payment my credit card company told me both the balance that was due and the amount charged since that balance. Needless to say, the amount didn't jive with what I knew I'd charged. Yep, the fraud bug has bitten again (not the only time I've dealt with ID theft...just the most recent!) Thankfully my credit card company acknowledges that the charges aren't mine...but it brings up the question, what steps do you take to protect your identity while you are out of town and do you have any routines for your return home from a trip away?

[Scubatooth]

When i Travel there are only 2 personal credit cards (never a debit card or business CC) i take with me, and neither are from the same issuer or type (DC, Visa, MC). Then before I go I call the CC company to let them know i will be traveling and that they can expect to see charges from the certain areas. These cards i use have international collect numbers i can call to get ahold of customer service if something seems odd or i need to make a authorization. Another one is that i keep every receipt when I travel so one to keep track of expenses but the other was to reconcile my bill when it comes in as you would be amazed how some places can stick fraudulent amounts in between legit purchases. Finally is try to prepay as much as you can so to limit the exposure to somebody compromising the card.

As for protecting from identity theft I always make sure i never let the card out of my sight (Ie you run it in my presence, without any slight of hand) and no old fashion knuckle busters slips. Then depending on the trip I have called the issuer and had the card number canceled and reissued because of something fishy. Online is easy for me in that the issuers will give me virtual numbers to use for online purchases and those are one-time use so even if compromised no damage can be done once used).

Hope I didnt go over your head. any other questions

Tooth

[finGrabber]

I now have a debit card from CITI that I put funds on before a trip...and it's not tied to my checking account so I don't have to worry about theft either

[georoc01]

I have a capital one card that I use exclusively on trips. That way its the only account effected if something happens on my trip.

This did happen to me on one trip to Cozumel. I came back and they called me about some charges in NYC as I was in Denver. So it was caught and cleared up really fast.

[Bubble2Bubble]

So far I havnt been hit by the crooks while on vacation but it seems to be getting pretty popular to steal identity nowa days. You even have to watch out for the info you post..like your fav pets name and commonly used questions to verify who you are. I would still use a CC for out of town/country purchases because you can at least rebutt the charges, if your cash is stolen.. then its gone for good.

Bubski

[pmarie]

While I have not been personally affected by identity theft I have had to deal with the consequences of it. My empoyer has had his identity stolen in the past and I have had to clear up the aftermath. Not fun!! I am a little more cautious now than I used to be several years ago. I have had numerous calls from my CC company to verify charges as I can have a charge in Orlando and then 5 hours later have a charge in Ft. Lauderdale or other portions of Florida. I am thankful that they flagged and called.

[damselfish]

I hear of this happening a lot in Mexico. I won' t use a credit card down there. I bring cash. ~ D

[shadragon]

I take cash for little purchases, souvies and incidentals. I use the CC for large payments like accommodation, dive packages etc. That is usually in respectable resorts so little danger of having a CC number taken. The rest of the tips are good. Calling the CC company ahead of time and giving them your travel dates is a good one. Lets the security folks discern any untoward charges. Unless you decide to make an unannounced trip to Bali that is...

[Scubatooth]

Shadragon - there are some of us that have no pattern to our spending. I know i have been getting calls from Citi recently because i have been buying items all over the place for tech dive gear as well as photo gear and props for upcoming shoot i have in a month(dont ask, this is the most expensive photo project to date).

Damsel - the reason there have been issues in mexico is the reason i dont let my card out of my sight. In those cases the staff are being paid to collect mag strip info on little devices about the size of a pager that captures all of the info so that they can make duplicate cards and go on a shopping spree. There are a few variations to this but that's the basic idea.

[Divegirl412]

Good point about not letting the card out of sight. I should be more vigilant about that. Otherwise, I save all my receipts, check my credit card and bank accounts online frequently.. and I download to my quicken database and correlate with the receipts. Any discrepancy, and the card issuer is getting a call. I have also started calling the CC company when I am leaving the country. Mainly because once while I was overseas, Amex shut my card down due to the concern over fraud, and then called my number at home in the US to make sure I was the person in Thailand making all those charges... yes, it made absolutely no sense . I was quite pissed off. My two real issues with fraud actually happened in the good old US of A. Not sure how the fraudsters got my numbers, but I was appalled when I went to my gymn to give them my new card number to see the staff member throw the cc slip they had made a mistake on WITH my new number on it into the trash can.. AFTER I had explained I had just gotten a new number due to fraud. Their supervisor got a good talking to LOL.

[Cajun Diver]

I had a similar problem driving back from SC last year - stopped to get gas and my card wouldn't work... thought it was a problem with the pump so went to another and still didn't work. Drove on a ways and stopped again and still no luck . When I called them they said "we left a message at your home number and sent you an e-mail" . I made sure they had my cell number after that....

[dive_sail_etc]

I hear of this happening a lot in Mexico. I won' t use a credit card down there. I bring cash. ~ D

You are wise beyond your years, young lady...
(Or is that sly between your ears? Shy behind your tears? I'm sssoooooo confused... )
Do you prefer to exchange your $$$ for Pesos on any particular side of the border? I purchase meals and souvenirs in P's but usually tip in $$$, I presume even after the last few years good ol' USD still carries a certain cachet with our sombrero sporting compadres.

In a slightly less glib vein, you may ad me to the stung list; only once, years ago and ironically also a week or so after a Coz dive trip. The ID theft risk is real. Caveat emptor, ya'll.

[dive_sail_etc]

*SNIP* ...I save all my receipts, check my credit card and bank accounts online frequently.. and I download to my quicken database and correlate with the receipts. Any discrepancy, and the card issuer is getting a call. I have also started calling the CC company when I am leaving the country. *SNIP* ...I was quite pissed off. My two real issues with fraud actually happened in the good old US of A. *SNIP* ...I was appalled when I went to my gym to give them my new card number to see the staff member throw the cc slip they had made a mistake on WITH my new number on it into the trash can.. AFTER I had explained I had just gotten a new number due to fraud. Their supervisor got a good talking to LOL.

Oh my! Did I ever mention that spirited, assertive, independent women make me weak in the knees?...

[Divegirl412]

*SNIP* ...I save all my receipts, check my credit card and bank accounts online frequently.. and I download to my quicken database and correlate with the receipts. Any discrepancy, and the card issuer is getting a call. I have also started calling the CC company when I am leaving the country. *SNIP* ...I was quite pissed off. My two real issues with fraud actually happened in the good old US of A. *SNIP* ...I was appalled when I went to my gym to give them my new card number to see the staff member throw the cc slip they had made a mistake on WITH my new number on it into the trash can.. AFTER I had explained I had just gotten a new number due to fraud. Their supervisor got a good talking to LOL.

Oh my! Did I ever mention that spirited, assertive, independent women make me weak in the knees?...

LOL. That's great. Good to know that works sometimes!!! I have always wondered why it doesn't work on Kamala. She calls me high maintenance (but stands corrected)!!!!

[drbill]

Fortunately my identity is not something anyone would want to steal!

The only time it has happened was when I was in Miami for 24 hours and checked into a budget hotel that looked very nice in the photos at the Miami Airport. When I got there, it turned out to be a "no tell hotel" and the creep at the desk copied my credit card number when he swiped it to pay for my room (which had not been cleaned after an obvious two person "party"). Fortunately that was the only place in Florida I had used my credit card so when the charges came in (all from Home Depot in various Florida towns), I knew exactly who dun it.