If you check in or use a credit card anywhere at Disney World beware of people that work there stealing you credit card number. My boyfriend checked us in with early online registration ten days before we were to arrive. Charges that he didn't make started showing up on his card that very day and charges were made up until a few days later when the bank caught it because there were charges from Ireland on there. My sister had the same thing happen to her about three years ago. She got a Disney World credit card to use there and someone got the number and charged up stuff at a nearby mall.
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Beware of using a credit card
- Thread starter scgirl35
- Start date
charmmy
Member
Thanks for the warning, and sorry to hear about your credit card problem, but are you sure he didn't use the card anywhere else online, or use unsecured wi-fi or a non-secure (http rather than https) session? Or that you don't have any spyware/malware on your computer? A lot of people are quick to pick out one big thing that happened as the contributing factor when it isn't always the one at fault. Card information can be stolen at anytime, by anyone anywhere, not just WDW. I'm not quite understanding how someone charged things at the mall with a credit card number too.. if I went to the mall and said I was paying credit and spouted off numbers, they would look at me like I was nuts. :shrug:
This happened with me as well. I use my Disney card only for paying for our Disney trips so that we get the 6 months of no interest. After using the card a couple of months ago to pay for our June trip, charges started showing up including several PayPal purchases and two American Airlines tickets to Puerto Rico. Visa was very helpful and issued us a new card and assured us we would not be liable for the charges, but still, it's a little disconcerting knowing someone is trying to screw you over.
I wouldn't hesitate to continue using reliable credit cards (Citibank Visa, Discover, etc.), but I advise everyone to NEVER use their check card as once that money is spent it is extremely difficult to get back.
I wouldn't hesitate to continue using reliable credit cards (Citibank Visa, Discover, etc.), but I advise everyone to NEVER use their check card as once that money is spent it is extremely difficult to get back.
SleepingMonk
Well-Known Member
They clone the card.
A clerk/waiter/cashier scans the card and records the info, these scanners can be as small as a pack of gum.
The info is then used with a machine that copies it to a blank card. For most purchases under a certain amount clerks will never even ask to see the card.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
I would look into spyware or other malware on your computer, or a coincidental stolen card info elsewhere. The resort front desk doesn't get your info until a few days before checkin. Until then, it just sits on the secure Disney servers. So at 10 days out, if you do online checkin, the more-vulnerable part would be your own computer.
-Rob
Gojira ゴジラ
Well-Known Member
And don't forget about FireSheep!
thelookingglass
Well-Known Member
Cast Members didn't steal your credit card. This seems fake and slandering.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
The OP stated that the card numbers were used - not the card.
CC fraud is worldwide and not just at Disney, so it is accepted that the card details could have been compromised anywhere - Disney, online, local mall, etc, etc, etc
This is what I was thinking as well. While Disney has had issues in the past all of them to my knowledge have come from either a single CM pulling info from an in-line reader or phishing scams done via the phone in your resort room. I can not think of a single one that has involved the online check in service or any kind of internal/external security breach on Disney's computer systems.
Credit card theft is fairly common, especially if you use it online. I've had my non-Disney card "stolen" (it was never out of my possession) twice within the past few years. My company has always been good about contacting me about suspicious charges, have erased disputed charges (both times the thieves were having a much better time than I :lol
and have issued a new card ASAP.
It's a fact of modern life. Inconvenient at times, but the alternative is to not use the card - ever.
and have issued a new card ASAP.It's a fact of modern life. Inconvenient at times, but the alternative is to not use the card - ever.
mickeysshoes
Well-Known Member
The world is on its way to becoming a CASH only world......cant trust using a credit card anymore and its getting to the point I will not use my check card...would rather a credit card number to lifted over the checking account.
Not a chance. If anything is on it's way out it would be cash. Cards are far more secure than cash. Nearly all of the companies that provide them offer some form of fraud protection. All you have to do is keep an eye on them and report an issue when it occurs. Cash has no such protection.
I will not even get into the issue of cash and online commerce.
Pioneer Hall
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately credit card fraud can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. Best thing to do is be diligent with tracking your purchases (online banking makes it so easy now) and see if anything is out of the ordinary. My card number was somehow taken once a couple of years ago as well, and I suspected it happened somewhere in Disney. It was my Disney Visa card number which I don't often use, and then purchases were made in Southern Florida. The bank realized this was out of the ordinary and called me, and the card was canceled before anything other than a couple of hundred dollars was spent.
This is used in a lot of european locations. It is certainly safer, and if changing our infrstructure wasn't so expensive it would be nice to see here.
Unfortunately, even Cast Members can be criminals as well as seen in a recent credit card situation at Disney. http://www.wftv.com/news/23772659/detail.html
Not saying it is the situation here by any means, but people tend to put up magical blinders while dealing with Disney and visiting the resort.
This is used in a lot of european locations. It is certainly safer, and if changing our infrstructure wasn't so expensive it would be nice to see here.
Unfortunately, even Cast Members can be criminals as well as seen in a recent credit card situation at Disney. http://www.wftv.com/news/23772659/detail.html
Not saying it is the situation here by any means, but people tend to put up magical blinders while dealing with Disney and visiting the resort.
PlaneCrazy1978
Active Member
Credit card theft is fairly common, especially if you use it online. I've had my non-Disney card "stolen" (it was never out of my possession) twice within the past few years. My company has always been good about contacting me about suspicious charges, have erased disputed charges (both times the thieves were having a much better time than I :lol
It's a fact of modern life. Inconvenient at times, but the alternative is to not use the card - ever.
Very true. It's common everywhere. In my town, a local restaurant had it's waiters and waitresses stealing card numbers. I've had my CC number stolen twice - Once by a BMG music rep over the phone and another time someone hacked my online account and had the statement redirected to a residence in NY so that they could get the card number and then use it.
Both times the CC company was very helpful and I had 0 liability. Even if a CM did steal the # (which is hard to believe) it can't deter you from using it. It could have just as well happened at any other store on earth.
Flight Safety
Active Member
Lets not forget that WDW employs over 60,000 Cast Members at any given time. Its pretty easy to find a few bad eggs in 60,000.
Using a credit card ANYWHERE has its inherit risks due to its electronic nature. As another poster already stated, using a major credit card company should be safe even if you do encounter a fraudulent issue as they will refund fraudulent charges.
Using a credit card ANYWHERE has its inherit risks due to its electronic nature. As another poster already stated, using a major credit card company should be safe even if you do encounter a fraudulent issue as they will refund fraudulent charges.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
We've had PIN numbers associated with both Debit and Credit cards for many years and there really is no hassle at all (other than trying to remember different PIN numbers for different cards)
Using cards online is about as safe as it can be - its the people who have access to your details at the other end that can be a worry.
NEVER pass your card details online or over the phone unless you are 101% sure who you're dealing with, or any personal information for that matter. NEVER supply any bank card information to unsolicited telephone callers.
flynnibus
Premium Member
The skimming problem is easily addressed - its just not big enough of a deal to make all the merchants change yet.
In parts of europe -you never give up possession of your card. The waiter brings the CC terminal to you, you swipe it, you type in the amount to charge. You never give up possession of your card.
And to deal with cloned cards - they heavily rely on smartchip enabled cards now.
The US has been slow to adopt smartchips and still has the culture of giving your card to someone else...
In parts of europe -you never give up possession of your card. The waiter brings the CC terminal to you, you swipe it, you type in the amount to charge. You never give up possession of your card.
And to deal with cloned cards - they heavily rely on smartchip enabled cards now.
The US has been slow to adopt smartchips and still has the culture of giving your card to someone else...
britdaw
Well-Known Member
I'm really sorry your card number got stolen. That definitely sucks, and it's always a hassle to get the charges reversed.
Since you booked online, I'd definitely look into spyware on the computer and not jump the conclusion that someone at Disney must have done it. I highly reccomend Norton AntiVirus and Internet Protection.
That definitely sucks, and it's always a hassle to get the charges reversed.Since you booked online, I'd definitely look into spyware on the computer and not jump the conclusion that someone at Disney must have done it. I highly reccomend Norton AntiVirus and Internet Protection.
ddrongowski
Well-Known Member
You trust to much. It does happen. See this link http://www.wftv.com/countybycounty/23772659/detail.html