Disney World Credit Card Fraud has happened to me

[marynvince]

We made our first trip home in January to SSR. Great trip. Ev3rything was magical. Being new Disney nuts, I got my wife and I the Chase Disney Credit Card. Long story short, she used it 4 times at Disney and 1 of those times the info was stolen. This past week someone has been charging gas and other stuff in Florida using her name and card number. Chase has been great and noticed this before it became a huge problem.

Beware using credit cards at Disney.

 

[mla973]

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. This is becoming an ever-increasing problem, according to those on the boards here. I wonder how often guests call Disney directly to complain?

 

[goofy4tink]

My Chase/Disney Visa card was hacked into..not at WDW but someplace else. Chase was right on top of it..even before I saw anything on my statement. That's the only card I will now use, especially at WDW. They are so good about tracking stuff and then dealing with it that I am not taking any chances with another card.

 

[alldiz]

Scary....

I'm headed down Thurs.....I will use my card only at the front desk....use my room key for everything else. Hopefully this will keep the amt of access to a minimal.
Thanks for the heads up.
Kerri

 

[nzdisneymom]

I'm headed down Thurs.....I will use my card only at the front desk....use my room key for everything else. Hopefully this will keep the amt of access to a minimal.

We did that when we were there recently; only problem was that when I had to go to the walk-in clinic, I forgot to put my CC back into my wallet. Thankfully I had enough cash to pay my co-pay because Centra Florida Health Care doesn't accept WDW room keys for payment

 

[starwood]

I had a problem last month and we haven't gone yet.

I got my bill and had 3 charges on 3/17 to an online role-playing game for $40 each. Chase was very good about it. They cancelled the account, reversed the charges and sent me my new cards within 5 days.

 

[jekjones1558]

I am glad to hear good reports about Chase. The last 2 times I was at WDW I was paranoid about using a credit card. I will be using my Disney Chase card from now on. I will also keep checking my bill online (hopefully with free internet soon).

 

[tjkraz]

Beware using credit cards at Disney.

Just because it happened at WDW doesn't make that one location and more prone to theft. A more appropriate statement would be "beware using credit cards anywhere."

Chase does have pretty aggressive security measures. We made a trip to WDW several years ago shortly after receiving our card. After about 12 hours of driving, suddenly our card was rejected at a gas station somewhere in Georgia. Apparently the multi-state usage tripped some sort of alarm. Kind of embarrassing having your card declined, but I guess that's the trade-off for protection.

Now we usually call their customer service before any extended trips, and have never had a similar problem.

Oddly enough we also had our card blocked when DVC recently tried to process a payment. Wonder if DVC has lost any sales after Chase gave folks a second-chance to think about their DVC purchase?

 

[Chuck S]

Most credit card companies have decent fraud alert software now. Every time I have used a card in a manner outside my "normal pattern" the card has been automatically shut down until the issuing bank has been able to contact me for confirmation, whether it was Chase, Citi, or my local Credit Union. While it is a little inconvenient to have your card suddenly blocked at a gas station while traveling, I've had it happen more than once, and I always thank the fraud person I speak with for using the software. Several times I've been told by them that a lot of people complain about it, even when explained it is for their protection.

 

[marynvince]

Just because it happened at WDW doesn't make that one location and more prone to theft. A more appropriate statement would be "beware using credit cards anywhere."

My wife and I travel a lot on business and use credit cards quite a bit and this is the first problem we've ever had. Before we went to Disney I was aware of the potential there and have monitored my statements based on others card numbers being stolen at Disney. I do Believe there is a higher instance of theft at Disney and that is why I am bringing it to the attention of other Disney faithful. It is quite possible that there are organized groups stealing numbers at Disney.

 

[UmmGooD]

I'll tell you a story about Chase that distinguishes them from any other credit card I have dealt with.

About 7 years ago I got a letter from Chase. I never had tried to open up a credit card from them but they sent me a letter to my home address stating that someone had tried to open up a credit card in my name at a different address than appeared on my credit report. As a courtesy the application would be put on hold for a set amount of time before the card would be issued unless I called a number they provided. (I think it was 2 weeks after I received the letter). Well I called immediately to cancel the card. I then pulled my credit and there were actually about 6 pings on my credit for credit cards.

Because of Chase I was able to call all the companies and stop the cards before they were opened. I was also able to put a fraud alert on my credit and was able to stop the theft before anything bad happened.

I was extremely impressed with Chase because they were the only card company that bothered to send me a letter at my actual address notifying me of this activity.

Since then I have had some small troubles with phone bills etc... that were opened in my name and not paid. All the companies were gracious and reversed the bill and took the info off of my credit. If only all companies were like Chase and proactively helped with identity theft.

 

[LSchrow]

chase's fraud dept is the only one we've had a problem with.
amex & citibank called, as well as put fraud alert notices on our on-line account when they noticed unusual activity.
chase just shut down the card (causing some of my payments ~ the ones that don't autoverify ~ to be late).
hopefully, they listened, & are contacting the consumers now.

 

[Chuck S]

I really don't think Disney is more prone to theft than any other tourist area.

Disney/Orlando is second only to NYC for the number of overseas visitors, and is probably the number one family domestic vacation destination in the US.

Percentage-wise, I doubt credit card fraud/theft is any higher per person in Orlando than in other locations. But people do tend to leave their normal everyday cautiousness at home when they visit Disney, and be much more open to scams and thieves. The rooms are equipped with safes, but it is amazing how few people lock up their valuables, or if they do, leave the safe key in a common location. I traveled with someone a few years ago who actually left the safe key on the closet shelf in their room so they wouldn't lose it! They didn't check to be sure the connecting door was secure between their lock-off unit. They left their laptop with personal info and cc records in plain view.

While it is possible that there are organized groups stealing info at Disney, this is also true of say, Las Vegas or NYC. The difference is that people tend to be much less self-protective at Disney. Despite the illusion, WDW exists in the real world, and shares the same potential for theft and scam as any tourist area.

 

[doombuggy]

Well said Chuck S and tjkraz! As someone who's had their identity stolen I agree with both of you 100%!

 

[JESW]

So sorry that this happened to you!

I have found Chase to be right on top of things. We have received several calls from their fraud department when we had an unusal high rate of purchases put on our card - usually when dh went a bit crazy with on-line ordering. When we got them on the phone they would go through every item charged to verify that we in fact did purchase them.

Just recently my dh was in Tokyo and purchased me a camera and Chase was right on it calling our house to make sure that our card hadn't been stolen since we had never been to Japan before.

I have found dealing with them to be quite easy and I hope that continues!

Jill

 

[manning]

One thing I like is what is now starting to show up when you use your credit card.

You have to enter your zip code.

It doesn't catch all illegal transactions, but I bet it catches a large number.

 

[ssonley]

With all the international visitors at WDW that wouldn't really be all that helpful.

Ask a Canadian for their ZIP code next time your talking to one...
(Be warned, you'll probably hear them muttering as you walk away 'stupid American')...

Personally the ZIP code thing is a HUGE pain for Canadians - anytime I buy gas in the states I have to go into the store - delaying everyone else looking to buy gas.

 

[Halle]

I too am a fan of entering the zip code.

 

[fkj2]

For the first time, I bought a gift card from the Disney Store to use at WDW. I did give a CC on check-in, but otherwise, I used the gift card.

 

[manning]

With all the international visitors at WDW that wouldn't really be all that helpful.

Ask a Canadian for their ZIP code next time your talking to one...
(Be warned, you'll probably hear them muttering as you walk away 'stupid American')...

Personally the ZIP code thing is a HUGE pain for Canadians - anytime I buy gas in the states I have to go into the store - delaying everyone else looking to buy gas.

There's a way around it if the company is willing to pay for the update. Have the ability to indicate the country.