Check your credit card statements -- fraud during and right after ProgPower

[sccaldwell]

I just found out that the credit card we used while in Atlanta has been locked for fraudulent purchases. CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARDS!!!

We stayed at the Residence Inn (the one a block away from Center Stage), and used the card in exactly 2 places:

Residence Inn itself
Sausolitos (the place with the awesome burritos)

The two people working Sausolitos when we were there were the same ones as last year (& maybe the year before)...likely the owners, so I'm less likely to suspect them.

I also think it was Residence Inn staff, for this reason:

Someone at Residence Inn tried to charge $60.00 three times on Thurs (the day we arrived), as well as $40.00 twice on Friday, $20.00 on Friday, and $40.00 twice on Sunday. It was declined every time by our bank because I'd forgotten to put a travel notice in our account that we'd be in Atlanta. Fortunately.

Here's why I think it was a ResInn employee doing fraud:

1) The even dollar amount is odd, for starters...and the numerous attempts at different values.
2) I pre-paid for our entire stay using Marriott Rewards points, so there shouldn't have been any charges AT ALL.
3) if it was legit, why did they never attempt to contact us?
4) we weren't given a statement when we checked out, and when I turned in the room keys, I asked if we were all good and she said "yes."

So....why the charge attempts?

But it gets better...

Someone tried to use a *counterfeit* card on our account in Fort Mill, SC the Thursday after PPUSA, to purchase $481 in groceries at a Bi-Lo store. Again, since we live 200 miles away, have never been to Ft Mill, and have never shopped at Bi-Lo, it was declined by our bank.

The timing suggests that it was someone in Atlanta that got our card number, likely at Residence Inn. Give it a few days to get the fake card made and mail it to their cousin/brother/whatever in Ft. Mill.

Our account is closed now, and no harm done to us except the hassle (bank didn't even lose money on the fraud since every charge attempt was declined).

I'll be contacting Marriott to file a formal complaint and request an investigation of their staff at that hotel, but I wanted to warn everyone here to CHECK YOUR STATEMENTS!!

Hope this helps someone!!

Craig & Michelle

 

[sccaldwell]

BTW, before someone asks, the only reason I even gave Residence Inn my card when we checked in because she said they needed a card on file "for incidentals." I pointed out that the room was pre-paid, and she said they still needed one "for incidentals."

 

[jaimek]

BTW, before someone asks, the only reason I even gave Residence Inn my card when we checked in because she said they needed a card on file "for incidentals." I pointed out that the room was pre-paid, and she said they still needed one "for incidentals."

It's so you don't go on a rampage making long-distance phone calls, drinking everything in the mini-bar, and destroying hotel property, forcing them to chase you down.

Sorry you had to deal with the attempted fraud, though. Nothing is safe anymore.

 

[sccaldwell]

It's so you don't go on a rampage making long-distance phone calls, drinking everything in the mini-bar, and destroying hotel property, forcing them to chase you down.

Oh, I'm familiar with that, and I know it's normal. I was expecting someone to ask "well, if you prepaid with Rewards Points, why would they have even had your card number?" so I figured I'd answer it up front.

 

[templeofmax]

Never leave your keys when you check out! A while ago I found an article online about how your credit card info is stored in that key card. I never leave my cards when I check out and no one asks for them either. I come home and destroy them.

 

[euleria]

Never leave your keys when you check out! A while ago I found an article online about how your credit card info is stored in that key card. I never leave my cards when I check out and no one asks for them either. I come home and destroy them.

Nope.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

 

[templeofmax]

It says its a myth with no research to prove it and all it does is say the same thing instead of disprove it.

 

[PromisedLand]

It says its a myth with no research to prove it and all it does is say the same thing instead of disprove it.

http://www.themarysue.com/hotel-key-myth/

"Hotels don’t store your personal information on your key, because why would they? In most hotels the key is just that — a key. It’s used to open your room, or maybe access the pool area. Some more elaborate hotels may link your room key to your account so you can use it at an on-site restaurant or shop. In this case, it might be assumed that your credit card information is stored on the key, but it isn’t. In those cases, the hotel stores a marker on the card which tells any scanners that there is a credit card on file for that room.

So yes, a hotel keycard can be used to store personal information — or any information for that matter — but hotels don’t encode them with that information, because there’s no reason for them to do that. All it would do is open their customers up to potential identity theft, and that would be bad for business."

 

[templeofmax]

Ok, now I know!! So it wasnt that!! ! Was thinking if staying there next time to save some $, plus its very close to the venue...I have changed my mind.

 

[LunaTEKKE]

Thanks for the heads up. Just checked my recent credit card charges, and all is legit - so the only robbery associated with my stay at the Residence was the outrageous nightly room rate.

My credit card company did send me a fraud alert, though, for my Wednesday afternoon Publix run!

 

[Bamafan]

My CC statement was also clean. After seeing my outstanding balance after PP and purchasing a mattress and anniversary gift, I had hoped to find some fraudulent activity that I could have removed from my balance.

 

[No Username]

Last year, my CC info was stolen and someone attempted to use the card all over Atl BEFORE the show...I am thinking that the lift occurred when I called in the reservation directly to the hotel. If they are not using a corded phone, you can bet someone is listening in...

Either way, there appears to be a real problem in ATL when it comes to using CC.

Highly recommend everyone have ONE card for the hotel, and one for everything else; and let the CC company know in advance what is going on.

EDIT: I stayed at Residence for 11 years and never had this problem; it occurred at the Hilton last year with my Amex.

 

[metalprof]

I checked my statement after the original post, and all I discovered was how much my wife has recently charged to the card, too!

 

[Stevie WOnder]

Got the same but it was my buddy who paid for the room so it can't be the Res Inn. The only other place I used it was at Taps from what I remember.

Anybody else?

 

[SF Metal Man]

Atlanta Braves All Star Grill at the airport tried to charge over $2,000 to my credit card and I got a fraud alert while I was still in the restaurant. The restaurant said it was a mistake and recharged the correct amount. However, my credit card company put my card on hold and froze my account until I contacted them and worked it out with them.

 

[No Username]

I checked my statement after the original post, and all I discovered was how much my wife has recently charged to the card, too!

When my ex-wife's cc was stolen, I never turned in the crooks. They were spending less than she did on it.