CNN warning about cruise line employee setting passenger burglaries

[SwissMyst]

From CNN: RCCL employee set up home burglaries while customers on cruises:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/06/11/vacationers.burglarized/

[maxout]

I think you were on your cruise when this thread was hot...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1217057

[DutchByAssociation]

I think you were on your cruise when this thread was hot...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1217057

I think you called it.

I saw the thread name and went "AGAIN?!?! :eek::eek:"

then I saw the OP was out of town when that news went down

[SwissMyst]

Ooops, but at least there were others out there in HAL Land during that time also so indisposed. So re-run time, and appreciate the heads up this is a been-there, done that. :o

[world~citizen]

One of the ways around this problem is to set up a post office box for your credit cards etc.

No one has to know your home address.

Smooth sailing...

[m steve]

when parking at the pier if they have valet parking, only leave the ignition key, not the whole ring w/ house key. They might find your address like on a registration card and have a week to go shopping while you are away. Using your car and gas.

[catl331]

when parking at the pier if they have valet parking, only leave the ignition key, ... Using your car and gas.You can prevent that last part by not using valet parking, and taking all your keys.

[serendipity1499]

One of the ways around this problem is to set up a post office box for your credit cards etc.

No one has to know your home address.

Smooth sailing...

Oh Lord...I just said to myself not again! :eek:It's been all over our Florida Papers weeks ago...

Actually, had nothing to do with the Credit Card...It was a RCCL Vacation Planner, who was required to have clients home address & passport info for Homeland Security....You can't get around that, or you don't board the ship..

Cheers....:)Betty

[richwmn]

With the number of people who have access to your information, it is surprising that this connection is not made more often.
How did you book your trip? The agency, not just the agent, has your name, address and vacation plans -- for that matter your credit card number.
Did you fly to the port? If so, airline employees, from the porters that take your bags to the people that load the bags on the plane know you are going to be gone. Do you have name/address tags outside your luggage -- think camera phone. Did you put the cruise baggage tag on your baggage -- you are going to be gone at least a couple of days.
Did you have your mail stopped, or is someone getting it for you? If you had it stopped many in the Post Office would know how long.
Do you still have a newspaper delivered? Did you stop delivery -- who knows that other than the delivery person - how many in the office?
Did you turn on international roaming on your cell phone? Someone at the carrier did that and would have access to your address.
Back to the credit card -- did you let your provider know you were going on a cruise? That person now knows your address, the dates and maybe the places you will be.
Could someone else at the credit card company put together the charge to HAL and an address and figure out the dates?
Did you board any pets, or hire a pet sitter?
Did you take your kids out of school for the week?

Just some things to think about

[KirkNC]

Don't most people have and use a burglar alarm?

Kirk

[Two@Sea]

In my GEFL (Gainfully Employed Former Life) I owned a small property and casualty insurance agency. One day I received a frantic phone call from an insured, advising me that someone had broken into their home while they were on vacation, and all their valuables were gone. "I don't know how they managed to get away with so much! Everything is gone! Oh, my gawd...!"

I calmed my client as much as possible, gathered the info I needed for the claim, assured him his homeowner coverage would compensate for the loss, and ended the call.

Ten minutes later my phone rang again. You guessed it. "Well, now I know how they managed to take everything! I just went into the garage... and my car is gone too!"

The moral of my story? When on a cruise, wash your hands often, and make sure your insurance premiums are paid.

[serendipity1499]

With the number of people who have access to your information, it is surprising that this connection is not made more often.
How did you book your trip? The agency, not just the agent, has your name, address and vacation plans -- for that matter your credit card number.
Did you fly to the port? If so, airline employees, from the porters that take your bags to the people that load the bags on the plane know you are going to be gone. Do you have name/address tags outside your luggage -- think camera phone. Did you put the cruise baggage tag on your baggage -- you are going to be gone at least a couple of days.
Did you have your mail stopped, or is someone getting it for you? If you had it stopped many in the Post Office would know how long.
Do you still have a newspaper delivered? Did you stop delivery -- who knows that other than the delivery person - how many in the office?
Did you turn on international roaming on your cell phone? Someone at the carrier did that and would have access to your address.
Back to the credit card -- did you let your provider know you were going on a cruise? That person now knows your address, the dates and maybe the places you will be.
Could someone else at the credit card company put together the charge to HAL and an address and figure out the dates?
Did you board any pets, or hire a pet sitter?
Did you take your kids out of school for the week?

Just some things to think about

If we think about them, we'll become paranoid & not travel at all..:D So I would rather not think about it & hide my head in the sand..;)

I'm willing to take that chance..LOL

Cheers....:)Betty

[serendipity1499]

Don't most people have and use a burglar alarm?

Kirk

We don't..:)

Cheers..Betty

[jtl513]

Don't most people have and use a burglar alarm?

KirkJudging by my family and friends "most" don't! :)

[richwmn]

If we think about them, we'll become paranoid & not travel at all..:D So I would rather not think about it & hide my head in the sand..;)

I'm willing to take that chance..LOL

Cheers....:)Betty

Thats the way I feel as well, and those were just the ones I thought of while posting. I thought of a bunch more after I posted it.

[mindydaile]

Don't most people have and use a burglar alarm?

Kirk

I honestly do not know anyone that DOES have one.

Then again I live in a small town...we didn't even have a lock on the doors to the house until I was in my late 20s. :D

[jtl513]

Thats the way I feel as well, and those were just the ones I thought of while posting. I thought of a bunch more after I posted it.I even have to tell my lawn-spraying guy to postpone his every-other-month visit during our next cruise, or at least not stick his bill in the front door handle like he usually does! Also, since it's a month before the election, there might be some political flyers there giving away the fact that we're not home. :( More than what burgulars would get from our house, I'm afraid that kids looking for cash or stuff they could fence would trash the house in anger when they found nothing! :eek:

[serendipity1499]

I honestly do not know anyone that DOES have one.

Then again I live in a small town...we didn't even have a lock on the doors to the house until I was in my late 20s. :D

Our neighbor, who resides in Baltimore full time, has a small vacation home next door...They have basic Fla furniture with one TV..They don't keep jewelry, PC's or anything valuable or expensive in the house, since they only come down, 3 or 4 times a year for a weeks vacation..However they have an alarm which has gone off several times..We get the calls & the Police or Fire Dept come by to check on the problem ...Nothing was ever amiss, & it actually was the silly alarm...They finally got the alarm company back to re-install it properly & it's been quiet for the past 6 months..:D

Now, we live in a larger house full time & have some things worth stealing but don't have a burglar alarm...However we have a little 15 lb. Wire haired dachshund with a Big dog Bark! When someone rings the bell & hears her bark, they immediately leave the small screened in entryway & wait for us to answer the door..:eek: When we travel & send "Brandy" to the Sitter, we close down the hurricane shutters on our house... No burglar wants to take the time to break into our house...

Cheers....:)Betty

[Typhoon1]

Don't most people have and use a burglar alarm?

Kirk

Any professional, as these two appear to be, can easily bypass those systems.

[iancal]

The technician who installed our alarm system several years ago advised us not to bother with monitoring. He claimed that in our area the pros are in and out in 10 minutes....the police arrive in 15-20. After three break ins, the local police suggested to my sister that the best deterent for her would be a dog....better than her alarm- according to the police constable. Who knows. We put our jewelry in the safe deposit box when we travel. They are welcome to the rest of the stuff.

[KirkNC]

Any professional, as these two appear to be, can easily bypass those systems.

Maybe but most burglers are far from professional. If they were they would concentrate on a place where they could really get something, not a TV and a DVR. In order to disable ours they could try to cut the phone lines, cut power to the house and than the back up cellphone and battery pack would still allow the alarm to go off when the motion detectors pick them up. It automatically calls the police. Is it full proof? Of course not, I am sure someone determined enough could use an electrical pulse to disable everything but don't you think they might just see the sign out front and decide to go break-in some other house? I am surprised more people don't have them, they are not uncommon here. I would say maybe 30% of the houses in our neighborhood have them. You get something like a 10-20% discount on your insurance at a cost of $300/year for the service. Plus you get a lot of piece of mind both while you are home and away. Might be something to think about. ;) The damn horn that goes off when the alarm is tripped is so loud I don't think anyone would even want to stay in the house with that thing.

Kirk

[Baystate]

I even have to tell my lawn-spraying guy to postpone his every-other-month visit during our next cruise, or at least not stick his bill in the front door handle like he usually does! Also, since it's a month before the election, there might be some political flyers there giving away the fact that we're not home. :( More than what burgulars would get from our house, I'm afraid that kids looking for cash or stuff they could fence would trash the house in anger when they found nothing! :eek:

I would worry about him also. We never stop the mail nor the newspaper. Instead we have a family member come by and place it all on the kitchen table.

[richwmn]

Maybe but most burglers are far from professional. If they were they would concentrate on a place where they could really get something, not a TV and a DVR. In order to disable ours they could try to cut the phone lines, cut power to the house and than the back up cellphone and battery pack would still allow the alarm to go off when the motion detectors pick them up. It automatically calls the police. Is it full proof? Of course not, I am sure someone determined enough could use an electrical pulse to disable everything but don't you think they might just see the sign out front and decide to go break-in some other house? I am surprised more people don't have them, they are not uncommon here. I would say maybe 30% of the houses in our neighborhood have them. You get something like a 10-20% discount on your insurance at a cost of $300/year for the service. Plus you get a lot of piece of mind both while you are home and away. Might be something to think about. ;) The damn horn that goes off when the alarm is tripped is so loud I don't think anyone would even want to stay in the house with that thing.

Kirk

Actually, according to some studies, the sign is just about as effective as the expensive alarm system you have. Thieves will always pick the easiest target. Sign in yard, stay away -- don't take a chance. Barking dog -- too difficult. Random lights or tv on / off. Don't take the chance. None of the above - easy pickins

[KirkNC]

Actually, according to some studies, the sign is just about as effective as the expensive alarm system you have. Thieves will always pick the easiest target. Sign in yard, stay away -- don't take a chance. Barking dog -- too difficult. Random lights or tv on / off. Don't take the chance. None of the above - easy pickins

I agree though at $300/year minus insurance savings, I don't consider it expensive.

Kirk

[DaveOKC]

All this talk about alarms - have to add my 2 cents.

We have had them for 20 plus years - always monitored. It might not be worth it to monitor, but given the insurance discount it is not very expensive and worth it for piece of mind IMO.

What really gets me is people who have the alarm and then do not bother to set it when they are home (sometimes due to wanting the windows open). My friend did this and was broken into TWICE while he slept through it (he lives in an upscale area too). IMO stealing my stuff is one thing, but keeping my family safe is another - I keep the alarm on every night.

DaveOKC

[gkny]

Instead of robbing your house while away, any employee can use your credit card on file. Thats what I worry about the most.

[Baystate]

Instead of robbing your house while away, any employee can use your credit card on file. Thats what I worry about the most.

You can always put down cash instead of a credit card if you're worried about that.

[serendipity1499]

Instead of robbing your house while away, any employee can use your credit card on file. Thats what I worry about the most.

Understand that can be a concern...We take precautions & hope that will not happen by keeping only 2 Credit cards jointly, one with DH as the Primary card holder & one with me as the Primary card holder..

In addition we each have a CapitalOne Card, with two different account numbers...Both of these cards has a low Credit Limit....We use those cards for purchases in Foreign Countries to avoid the Currency Exchange Charge..On the ship we use one of our other joint cards..

About a week before departure I call each company & ask them to put a restriction in our files with the itinerary & dates...They always do that for us..

In port we each carry a different card & leave the others in the safe...

One time when we returned home, I tried to use one of our joint cards the day of arrival....Before accepting the charge from the merchant the Credit Card Agent asked to speak to me & asked me a series of questions, before approving the charge..

My big concern is those blank checks the Credit card Companies send out..:eek: We hate them & immediately shred them..Have tried to ask them to stop this practice, but occasionally still get them..We also never carry interest charges & pay our entire bill each month...

Cheers....:)Betty

[madelinerose]

With all of this talk about "safety", what about "safety" right here on these boards? It's amazing to me the personal info that can be found on CC. IMO, way TMI is disclosed on all the boards here.

From the CC Guidelines:
It is best not to post your real name, address or phone number publicly on the boards. Also, keeping as much information about yourself private should be your first priority. think carefully before posting too much other personal data on any public message board forum, such as your stateroom number.

I frequently see posts, signatures, photo sites, blogs, etc. disclosing full names and locations. Sometimes, these same posters may join a Roll Call, announcing to the world when their homes will be vacated.

Occasionally, a simple Google search is all it takes to get an address.

I also find it interesting how CCers seem to trust only other CCers when it comes to hotel reviews, while fully discounting other review sites where "strangers'" review.

Unless we've met face-to-face, aren't we all strangers? ;)

I'm not paranoid, just a realist with little naivete. ;)