When you travel your credit card security is at greater risk of being compromised. Whether through theft of the physical card or copying of its information, it's important to take measures to prevent fraudulent use of your card.A man who was holidaying with his wife in Europe went to his hotel's gym, placing his belongings in one of the lockers. After his workout he showered and when he came out, he saw the locker door was open. He thought he'd locked the locker but a check of his belongings showed his wallet and watch were where he'd left them so he thought nothing more of it.A few weeks later he received his credit card bill... with charges he didn't make totaling $8,847! He called the credit card company to dispute the charges, explaining that he hadn't made the transactions as they always use his wife's credit card when they travel, and insisting on the charges to his card being reversed.Customer care personnel verified that there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen. Of course he replied "No" but then when he took his credit card out from his wallet, the card he pulled out wasn't HIS! A switch had been made and an expired similar credit card from the same bank was in his wallet. The thief had broken into his locker at the hotel's gym and switched cards.To make matters worse, the credit card issuer said that since he didn't report the card missing earlier, he'd have to pay the amount owed to them. When the man asked why there were no calls made to verify the amount being charged to his card the bank's customer care officer advised him that that there were a few dozen small amounts which rarely triggered a "fraud alert". Unfortunately, a lot of those small amounts added up to one very large amount!
Another man was dining at a restaurant at a popular holiday resort. When the bill for the meal came, he signed it and gave the waitress his Master Card. The waitress passed the credit card along to the cashier and moments later returned and handed him a receipt and his card. Like most credit card users, the man would have just taken it back and put it in his wallet, then put his wallet into his pocket. Fortunately, this time he actually looked at the card and noticed that it was an expired card of another person from the same banking institution!He immediately called over the waitress and she took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. Now all the waitress did while walking back to the payment counter was wave the expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card. No words were exchanged between the two, she just took it from the cashier and came back to the man, returning his card with an apology. Very suspicious indeed!
A third scenario that highlights the importance of credit card security even when you're not travelling happened to me when I went to pick up an order I'd placed from a local pizza restaurant.I gave my VISA card to the young man behind the counter, who swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I probably wouldn't have noticed anything out of the ordinary except I'd noticed that his phone was the same model as I have. When I heard the familiar click that sounded when my phone takes a picture I became suspicious.I watched as he handed me back my credit card but kept the phone in his hand, acting as if he was still pressing buttons, wondering what he's taking a picture of. Then it dawned on me! The only thing there was my credit card, so I began paying really close attention to what he's doing.He put his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that signals that the picture has been saved.Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this guy just took a picture of my credit card. Had we not had the same model phone, I probably never would have known what happened. Needless to say, I immediately contacted the VISA credit card hotline who took my details, cancelled the card and set the wheels in motion for a new card to be issued.
Our advice on how to keep your credit cards secure while you travel :
- Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours and check the name on the card every time you sign for something if the card is taken from your sight for even a short period of time. Many people will just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times and whenever you're using your credit card take precautions to reduce the chance of your card details being recorded fraudulently.
- Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card.
- Be aware of cell phones, because many have a camera phone these days.
Leave this travel advice page about credit card security and return to Last Minute Travellers home page.
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