US Embassy Warning via Credit Card Fraud

[Yachtmaster]

My Visa credit card was abruptly closed by Visa and a new card with a new number was issued. Visa quoted the reason as "A Third Party Compromise". I suspect it might possibly have something to do with the VisaNet thing. I was in Santo Domingo in early June and used the card several times. There were, however, no third party charges to my card. Visa closed the card in time, before any charges could be made against it.

I will continue to use a credit card in the DR. I believe it is one of the better ways to deal with payments, in spite of what just happened, as my liability for fraudulent charges is limited with the card.

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by Yachtmaster

My Visa credit card was abruptly closed by Visa and a new card with a new number was issued. Visa quoted the reason as "A Third Party Compromise".............

Three days after returning from the DR in early August the same thing happened to me with my MasterCard. "A Third Party Compromise" was the same reason given to me. The only place I used my MC was at Alamo/National (SDQ location).

[rubio_higuey]

My Leon Visa debit card was blocked, within a whole batch of Leon credit and debit cards, on Friday. I only got to know about if when trying to make a purchase today at a local supermarket and the response on cardnet came back as "Refused - Pick up Card". I have to go to the branch on Monday to get a new debit card.

Now if I was out of country it would have been terrible, as I would have no access to money on the account - debit cards have to be picked up in person.

The bank also did not inform me even though they have my phone # on file.

Also I was charged RD$ 200 "Fraud protection fee" supposedly an annual fee on the same Friday. There comes the "free issue of replacement card" I was told by the Leon's authorization center today.

[LindseyKaufman]

Same for me. My US bank called last weekend to say that my card was compromised. They FedEx'ed a new one to my EPS address and by Thursday, I had my new card.

They showed on the ABC news a couple of weeks ago what happens when "cards are compromised." Not having read this entire thread, perhaps this has already been discussed, and I don't want to repeat information.

Long story short, the credit card numbers are auctioned off on the internet. Buyers then have machines that make the cards and simply make a new, white card with your numbers.

Lindsey

[Yachtmaster]

Originally Posted by rubio_higuey

Now if I was out of country it would have been terrible, as I would have no access to money on the account - debit cards have to be picked up in person.

The bank also did not inform me even though they have my phone # on file.

My bank did not inform me that they had canceled my credit card. I found out the hard way - by trying to use it at the airport to pay some fees at the ticket counter. I was flying to New York, Tokyo & Taiwan on a business trip!!! Fortunately I have a second credit card with a different bank, otherwise I would be in a serious predicament as I normally travel with a basic amount of cash.

[yess]

yep got me too (or three or eight or whatever) Had my bank call and email me to say the cards were compromised

I wish I got around as much as my credit card number these days. It was
shopping and dining and buying gas all over the south

the only credit card use I did while in DR was at a car rental for security deposit and it was not charged but running it through was enough to compromise it