Be Careful! I *think* my CC was compromised at Disney!

[JimMIA]

As an Information Security professional, this was going to be what I would post. Think about the physical security of your card every time you hand it over to a server and it disappears for 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Not only that, but they also have a copy of your signature when you leave the signed slip.

We had a situation here in Miami a few years ago where a police officer noticed an illegal card reader on a department store cash register counter as a clerk wes ringing up her sale. She asked what it was and the clerk got all nervous and said she didn't know. The officer told her what it was, impounded the reader, and sent it to the computer lab.

There was not enough evidence at that time to make an arrest, but when the credit card information from the card reader was compared to that day's transactions from that register, the clerk and another clerk were terminated by the department store. In one day, they'd skimmed more than 40 customers' credit card information.

 

[bom_noite]

Bump

 

[ParrotBill]

That may help, but everyone seems to have access to the information. Front of house and back office.

I don't think that's likely - it is a PCI regulation violation and Disney is most certainly a level 1 card merchant subject to external audit. Only a limited few people in audit and billing will be able to recall full credit card numbers from the computer. Once swiped at the front desk, it will be stored and encrypted. On recall they will only see xxxx-xxxxx-1234. When it's time to charge, the computer can send the number over the secure link to their merchant service.

Believe me, this is how it works. If one card is hacked electronically then hundreds or thousands will be and you will hear a big news story as the compromised company must notify all who did transactions at that time and offer credit monitoring services for 1 year for free.

The most likely cuprit is a single person who is skimming. This happened to us at a car rental in Cozumel. 4 months later someone tried to do a Western Union transfer who called me at 2 in the morning to authorize it!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

How do you quick check out without a CC. Do you maintain a zero balance?

I am curious about this too...

 

[pixie921]

I am curious about this too...

Yup, as JimMIA said above, we just don't charge anything to the room. No balance, no worries.

 

[disneykidatheart]

We have never left a credit card for charging with our key. That is, until our trip in May. We could not get the internet to work at OKC. My husband called the desk and was told they needed a credit card number for the internet to be activated for our villa (yes, we are dvc members).

I went to the check in counter later in the day.

It was somewhat difficult to understand the CM who added the credit card to our key. But what I understood from her explanation was that the credit card is their way of determining who should receive free internet or not.

I feel absolutely certain we did not have a credit card on file for our August 2008 trip. We always pay as we go. Does any of this sound right to you?

 

[dopeygirl76]

As I stated before we have NEVER put a CC on our KTTW and I have taken my laptop on the last three trips and used internet - FREE with no problem. Just another one of those "lesser" informed CMs.

BTW - use the tech support line by Disney if you cannot get connected - they were very helpful as my laptop runs Vista which as we all know is a glitch filled OS that did cause some problems with me getting internet during our first trip.

 

[eliza61]

We always want to come up with the most sophisticated plots (hacking, etc.) and everyone worries about using credit cards shopping on the Internet. But the truth is the riskiest transaction you will ever do with your card is pay for dinner or a bar bill. That is where most cards are compromised.

New York City is sort of the intergallactic capital of credit card fraud, but Florida and London usually fight for second. Almost all credit card fraud in Florida is done either in Orlando or Miami, so WDW is certainly a hotbed for that kind of fraud.

You know, I've always thought that if these geniuses spent half as much time on some thing legal instead of these great ways to steal money, they'd make a pretty decent living. **sighs**

 

[disney queen]

i have had that happen to me. we have a card we use exclusively at wdw for dining purposes. we each have one; therefore, i rarely use mine. we have fraudulent charges that were made using my card! how that happened is beyond me since i was not feeling well that trip and my husband paid for all meals!

 

[Chuck S]

This may be a good reason to use online check-in. I used it for our recent trip, and although the room key printer wasn't working properly, so I has to wait anyway, but since my CC info was entered by me, at home, they did not need to swipe the card at the front desk. The room keys do not actually contain your credit card information, they use a false internal Disney billing number to bill to the room, the resort's computer, in turn, bill out to the CC either upon check-out or when that internal charge account reaches $1500 at DVC and Deluxe, $100 at moderates, or $500 at value.

If you purchase park tickets, and pay for them on your room charge, this also usually triggers an immediate auto billing for the ticket amount to the CC on file.

 

[VallCopen]

Just remember that credit cards can be compromised anywhere. I had a charge last month on our business card, when I called the bank to tell them I hadn't been to San Jose Safeway they told me that hundreds of cards were compromised through the bank itself and that a ring of thieves between Texas and Cali were charging up a storm, and mostly at Safeway's, but after I called the bank they cancelled the charges and started an investigation, but again they did inform me that many many cards were stolen from their system.

 

[Sammie]

The only true way to safeguard a Credit Card is not to have one.

Ours was compromised and it was locked in our safe and had never been used.

Once the card is issued to you, and you activate it, it can be stolen even without use.

It is wise to always check your account.

 

[Jeanine3kids]

I am reading this and getting very nervous I was thinking about using a disney gift card do they take these for room charges?

 

[Chuck S]

I am reading this and getting very nervous I was thinking about using a disney gift card do they take these for room charges?

There really is no reason to be nervous. CC theft can happen anywhere, even those self-serve gas pumps. And under banking rules, we are only liable for $50 at the most. Rules may be different for those al in one ATM/Debit/CC cards, but for a standard credit card, your liability is very limited.

To answer your question, yes, you can use a Disney gift card...but truthfuly, unless you pay cash for the gift card, you are just as likely to have your CC number compromised at a Disney store when you purchase the gift card, the gas station when you fill your tank, the restaurant where you have dinner gas station, or the ATM. Anyone can easily place a second card reader over the slot and collect your info, and most of us would never notice.

 

[Jeanine3kids]

This stuff really freaks me out because I only use Debit cards, I called my bank and they said I could put an alert on my card that I would be away and I can allow only one charge to my resort. Than use my KTTWC, also they suggested that I could go to the bank and put a certain amount of cash on a bank gift card and use that. I am very stressed out not sure what to do?????

 

[Chuck S]

This stuff really freaks me out because I only use Debit cards, I called my bank and they said I could put an alert on my card that I would be away and I can allow only one charge to my resort. Than use my KTTWC, also they suggested that I could go to the bank and put a certain amount of cash on a bank gift card and use that. I am very stressed out not sure what to do?????

The odds are in your favor that nothing will happen. Heavens, I've been to Disney 40 times or so since becoming a DVC member, and I've used the cards in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, using it in vaious shops and restaurants, and never had an incident.. Of course there is always a "first time" when something will eventually happen, but again, cards have limitations as to your liability. If you're really freaked out, then use a gift card or travelers checks. Honestly, your card is more likely to be compromised by a bank security screw-up than through regular use. Look at all the electronic info and back up files from banks that "goes missing" every year.

 

[Sammie]

If at all possible never ever use a Debit card for travel purposes. Even if the card is not compromised are you prepared to have your checking account held for mistakes.

We had a $2000 error on our bill at BCV once and it took weeks to correct it. I would have died had that come out of my checking account instead of a Credit Card.

 

[fla4fun]

Anyone who is really concerned about using a cc on a trip, might want to consider one of the prepaid Visa or MC travelcards. Looks just like a cc, works just like a cc, but it's not linked to anything.

I agree with doing online check in. I had to show my drivers license to get my package, but not the cc. Then you can use the KTTW and charge back to the room without compromising your cc.

I also agree that this kind of thing can happen everywhere. Disney even puts notices in the rooms regarding phone fraud because people were calling up resort rooms and making bogus offers for tickets or shows, or saying there was a problem with their account at the front desk, and getting people to give their cc numbers over the phone. I can't believe people were falling for it - but we do tend to leave our guards down when on vacation. I never, under any circumstances, use a cc in a restaurant any more. I'd go hungry first! I also don't use a cc at the gas pump - too many of those have been compromised as well. It seems here in Orlando, the biggest risk to your cc are the skimmer machines - and they can hide just about anywhere your card is out of sight, even under the counter at a store. Don't let your card out of your sight for a moment!

 

[hmmerr02]

did you guys know that you can put a cash deposit on your KTTW card? We put about $500 cash on the card and we can use it until the money is gone. You need to keep a general idea of your spending or stop in for the occasional folio update printout because your card will be refused once the cash is used up. If you don't spend it all just go to the front desk the night before your checkout and they will give you a cash refund! It's a great way to go. If you CM says they can't do this or looks confused, just ask for a supervisor. We've done it several times. What do you think?

 

[Jeanine3kids]

did you guys know that you can put a cash deposit on your KTTW card? We put about $500 cash on the card and we can use it until the money is gone. You need to keep a general idea of your spending or stop in for the occasional folio update printout because your card will be refused once the cash is used up. If you don't spend it all just go to the front desk the night before your checkout and they will give you a cash refund! It's a great way to go. If you CM says they can't do this or looks confused, just ask for a supervisor. We've done it several times. What do you think?

That sounds like a great idea I just don't like traveling with a lot of cash on me