A warning when putting a credit card down for room charges!!

[Ergens2]

Disney should offer an option....being groped by Tigger or having your identity stolen.

Seriously....really sorry that happened.

That is too funny!!

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Disney should offer an option....being groped by Tigger or having your identity stolen.

I'd choose being groped... unless that only comes with a package program. Then again, if there was a good code released...

 

[aanthony03]

We got the same thing, only the credit card people called us and asked us about the 3,000. We were staying at the FW, and POR. We had to cancel our cards as well. What a pain!

 

[JustGottaGoDisney]

I just paid for half of our trip this morning. I used my debit card which also has a mastercard logo on it. I gave the account number, exp. date and the 3 digit code on the back.

Wonder if I'll be okay?

Guess I better watch those bank statements!

 

[Ergens2]

We got the same thing, only the credit card people called us and asked us about the 3,000. We were staying at the FW, and POR. We had to cancel our cards as well. What a pain!

I caught it before the credit card comp. did! I was online looking at my acct. and saw it.

 

[ducklite]

Disney should offer an option....being groped by Tigger or having your identity stolen.

Seriously....really sorry that happened.

Can we change the groper to Pheobus? If that's the case, I'll take the grope

Anne

 

[WillCAD]

Do you have to put down a credit card to have charging privd. or can you just put down cash to charge back to the room?

Yes, you can put down cash or Disney Dollars when you check in.

If you put down $300 and only charge $290 during your stay, you get change when you check out. If you ask, they'll even give you your change in Disney Dollars!

Or if you need it, you can go back any time during yoru stay and put a little more money down for room charging.

 

[Chuck S]

I've never had a problem in 30+ trips to WDW leaving my card number at the desk. Of course, it can happen anytime you use your card anywhere. But, by using the room charge, you don't have to wonder which merchant or location may have a dishonest employee. And while circumstaces suggest this may be a BW/BWV internal problem, I'm wondering how many other folks in accounting have access to that information, just as at any other company.

I know my cards, when the front desk charge does post, shut down the card, with the transaction on "hold" until I contact them, just in case it is a stolen card. They do this with any "large" transaction that does not fit my "normal" spending habits, or even a series of out of state of internet transactions.

Overall, I feel safer using room charge than individual charges throughout my stay. I would NOT under any circumstances, carry enough cash to use at WDW for purchases, nor would I carry enough cash to pay for an extended hotel stay (I don't "pay" for WDW hotel stays, I have DVC, so our only onsite transactions are meals etc. charged to room) .

 

[goofy4tink]

Since I am going by myself and won't need a ton of money in Nov....rather than put a charge card down for room charging purposes, I can put down say, $400, right? So, what happens if I only spend $250? They give me the cash back? I really don't want to have to carry cash around with me, for the obvious reasons, but don't want to just use my debit card for every little thing either. I would much rather put my cash in one place and charge against it. Should be easy, right?

 

[LoveMickey]

We got the same thing, only the credit card people called us and asked us about the 3,000. We were staying at the FW, and POR. We had to cancel our cards as well. What a pain!

This thread is interesting. Did anyone else notice that aanthony03 signature said he was there in August at Fort Wilderness and Port Orleans Riverside. And the other posters said September/October at BW.

I Wonder if any CMs worked both at FW in August and BW in Sept/October?

 

[Brygida]

I just paid for half of our trip this morning. I used my debit card which also has a mastercard logo on it. I gave the account number, exp. date and the 3 digit code on the back.

You should never use a 'debit card' online, or over the phone. Debit cards should be used only when you want cash back (at an ATM, supermarket, etc). Otherwise, use a real 'credit card'. Debit cards do not have the same protections on it and they are usually tied into your savings/checking accounts. Bad news if they get stolen. Whereas your are never liable for any 'credit card' purchase not made by you.

A debit card with a Mastercard or Visa logo is still only a debit card.

 

[my3kids]

Brygida: Branded debit cards offer the same protections for consumers as true credit cards. Granted, the loss of your checking account funds would cause a short term problem, but the funds would be restored once you contacted the issuing bank, just as with a true credit card investigation.

 

[sanibelover]

Never wait for bank and credit card statements to check your accounts. I go on every day and check all of my accounts - bank and credit cards. I will say that the few times (at least 4 now) that my info was stolen, the credit card companies actually knew it before I did. (And I knew the day it happened.) They really do have good procedures in place to catch this stuff, but you have to be on top of it at all times.

 

[Ergens2]

Never wait for bank and credit card statements to check your accounts. I go on every day and check all of my accounts - bank and credit cards. I will say that the few times (at least 4 now) that my info was stolen, the credit card companies actually knew it before I did. (And I knew the day it happened.) They really do have good procedures in place to catch this stuff, but you have to be on top of it at all times.

I couldn't agree more!! That is how I caught it before my cc comp.. I was online checking my charges.

 

[Sammie]

I just paid for half of our trip this morning. I used my debit card which also has a mastercard logo on it. I gave the account number, exp. date and the 3 digit code on the back.

Wonder if I'll be okay?

Guess I better watch those bank statements!

Our bank does not recommend using a debit card when you travel, unless the card is tied only to a credit account. Mainly because a debit card tied to your personal bank account can sometimes allow the criminal access to more than they would have with just a credit card, with a certain limit and credit card companies are more likely to notice unusual charges than a local bank.

A friend used his debit while traveling and his numbers were stolen. Before he realized it they had cleaned out his checking account with a large amount, and a savings account that was also tied to the account.

My financial advisor advises to have one major CC that you use only for travel that way charges or abuses are easy to track and stop.

 

[lordhavemercy]

Cash Cards are a neat deal. My daughter went to Universal this summer with a family. We didn't want to give her cash...too easy to slip out of her wallet or pocket...so we gave her American Express Cash Cards. You use them just like a "debit/credit" card at the venues/restaurants. You put whatever balance of $$$ on them that you want...and then you withdraw against it...as you will. Like traveler's checks...but much easier. They are also completely replaceable if lost or stolen and they are not tied to any of your other personal accounts...so they're not traceable back to "you"....
we're thinking seriously about using these in the future...instead of cash, traveler's checks....credit cards....

 

[momimouse27]

Ok folks, I called and spoke with a manager and then was trans. to security (just like you said Ducklite) They have filed a report and will investigate. The security officer said this was not the first report from my time frame at the resort and an investigation is going on. I feel better now that I have talked to them but am worried for others who might have fallen prey and are unaware of it!
I was at BWV Sept 30- Oct 8.

Ewwww, that is scary. We were also at the BI during that time. We paid for our room with Travelers Checks and a credit card(my moms room). However, they had my credit card on record for the deposit and other payments. You have to watch everything you do nowadays. My mom got her debit card stolen from a restaurant server and they charged about $1200 worth on it. Luckily she got the money back from the bank, plus the overdraft charges.

 

[Sammie]

Has anyone else had any problems while at Disney with this type of problem. Let's hope it's an isolated issue.

 

[WDWBetsy]

Our bank does not recommend using a debit card when you travel, unless the card is tied only to a credit account. Mainly because a debit card tied to your personal bank account can sometimes allow the criminal access to more than they would have with just a credit card, with a certain limit and credit card companies are more likely to notice unusual charges than a local bank.

A friend used his debit while traveling and his numbers were stolen. Before he realized it they had cleaned out his checking account with a large amount, and a savings account that was also tied to the account.

My financial advisor advises to have one major CC that you use only for travel that way charges or abuses are easy to track and stop.

I totally agree. I do NOT use my ATM/debit card while traveling. The majority of all purchases I make at home and when traveling are with a credit card.

One of my co-workers had his debit card number stolen and the thief charged hundreds of dollars for overseas porn websites - which means those hundreds of dollars were withdrawn from his account. It took him months to get the money back into his account. Not a good thing.

 

[Ruth B]

i recently booked 2 night stay at AKL though hotel.com, the site took CC details but said that the full payment would be made at the hotel.
I then tried to book theatre tickets online and my card was refused- i used a different CC and it went through.

The next day i got a call from my CC company asking me about a payment for £143 to 'EAI' that that they wanted to confirm. It was a payment in $.
I explained about booking the AKL but siad i didn't expect money to be taken. I said i'd contact hotel.com and confirm.

I emalid the company twice and then called and got though to a central house( diff name) who took my details and confirmed the booking but said that no money had been taken and if it did the charge would appear under hotel.com.

i called the CC back and explained.
They gave me a few more details and said that the money had gone to 'Bunavisa disney land'( something like that??) and she couldn't tell me the exact amount(£) as it depended on the exchange rate.

I have emailed hotel.com twice more and so far had no responce?.
My CC suggested waiting for my bill to arrive and then reporting it to them if i was still concern that the payment was false.

i have never had a fake charge on my CC before so feel concerned.

i'm confused as the amount would be roughly right( dep on excahnge rate and charges) to one night AKL acc. Should i call AKL directly, not sure they will even have my reservation?
i am tempted to cancel with hotel.com and then book directly with disney but am concerned about cancelling as so far i haven't recive any reply for the hotel.com.

Any advice would be great.
Thank you
Ruth