News: RCCL employee accused of burglarizing customers' homes while they cruised

[temple1]

Do you know where your Cruise Agent lives? I do. In this world of internet shopping and 1-800-anonymous, it is smart business to use a local expert. Get to know your local cruise agent, they will look out for your best interest. If you personally know your Cruise Agent, they will do backflips for you, as you are their best source of advertising. And yes, there is a bad apple in every bunch, but you get to be the judge of those apples and you will pick out only the best ones.

 

 

I guess you've never seen a brick and mortar travel agency lock their doors and leave clients in a lurch.

 

I hope there is some form of medication to help if I ever get as paranoid as some of the folks on this board. I am not going to spend my life wondering about every single thing I do, every transaction I make, etc. I take reasonable precautions but I think there is enough real things in the world to worry about without sitting around dreaming up new boogie men.

[Benzbuddy87]

Unbelievable! I wonder if RCI has any liability in the buglaries? Never in my wildest dreams would I think of something like this happening.

--ABSOLUTELY ... at least it is here in Pennsylvania! If an employee uses company equipment for their personal gain, then the employer DOES have liability! Essentially, the information belongs to the employer. THEY are charged with maintaining the integrity of the information.

 

Actually, I have a pseudo-similar case currently in litigation, where a car dealer (employee) stole my identity. The dealership is liable, as is the employee. Funny ... the local police drove into the next town (where the dealership is located). I would have LOVED to have been in the showroom, when the police cruiser pulled into the lot ... then walked into the showroom ... only for the sales manager to refer them them to the internet salesperson (who was not in that day). When the car dealer learned of details of the issue, they terminated the dweeb THAT DAY!

 

People move so much. Boy, if someone had gone to the address on my luggage tags for a few years....they'd have surprised then new owners of my old house.

---Hopefully, your phone number does not come up on Google, Bing, or reverse phone directories!

[Kentchikan]

In the article I read it said, "After months of surveillance..." Couldn't they have fastracked it? I think this is such a violation of public trust. It happened to me once at a bank with a sleazy teller who stole SS #'s, mother's maiden name, etc. and sold them. The bank changed the acc't numbers and gave us a free credit watch service for a year.

I learned long ago:

Never stop your newspaper

Never stop your mail

Don't Facebook that you're gone

Don't put the I'm on vacation thing on your email or phone

Have lights randomly go on and off

We have different people watch the house so that the same person doesn't come by every day.

We also have a motion activated electric dog barking machine.

I always wonder when I check into a hotel or somewhere if I'm broadcasting, "Empty House. Come rob me."

My mother used to tell people that she was going on vacation but her nephew the 6'4" policeman who had a black belt in Karate was staying at her house. There was no such nephew but it made her feel better.

[Kentchikan]

Suites often don't price out online. For standard rooms, I'm sure I could have gotten identical rates via the Web. I just like to deal with the agents especially with regard to stateroom selection.

 

I agree. I've gotten much better rooms by talking to a knowledgeable agent.

[Kentchikan]

Originally Posted by arbyuu

We always book our travel through our travel agent. She knows us- and our travel preferences. She lives in our neighborhood, we know her family. AND, she seems to be able to book the same deals we'd get through the cruise line, so we do not pay any more. I feel sorry for these people who have been ripped off by a cruise line employee, but please- what's the advantage of booking through a stranger over an 800 number?"

 

 

I guess you've never seen a brick and mortar travel agency lock their doors and leave clients in a lurch.

 

I once worked for a travel agency that was burgled. It was a nightmare.

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

 

I am not going to spend my life wondering about every single thing I do, every transaction I make, etc. I take reasonable precautions but I think there is enough real things in the world to worry about without sitting around dreaming up new boogie men.

 

Ditto :D

[Rancher Dave]

There are people who read the obituaries daily for this purpose too. Sad.

 

And wedding announcements with extended honeymoon plans listed.... Hard to believe folks spend their days planning to commit crimes. The RCCL lady really takes the cake in my book....

[alreadypacked]

I recently was on a Celebrity Infinity cruise (March-April, 2010) and was shocked to learn that my credit card info had been compromised and the probable cause was the RCCL employee who checked us in at the departure terminal. Because fraud was being attemped on the card my credit card company told me that I had to close that account immediately, while out at sea. Since this was the card I had used for my shipboard account I had to re-establish my ship account using another less "convenient" card (my company buisness card) Fortunately I had another "high credit limit" card with me or this could have been a very bad situation. How can this happen you ask?? The computers were down at the terminal in Florida when we checked in and RCCL employees had to hand write all of the credit card information on a "credit card information form" and take a manual imprint of the card rather than swipe the card through a credit card terminal. :mad: What made matters even worse in my opinion is that the ship's accounting office was aware of the problem and neglected to advise the passengers who were or might be effected about the situation.

 

Sorry this happened to you. I just want to mention that it's very possible that your credit card had already been compromised on an earlier occasion.

 

I have had this happen to me. I had no idea that my card had even been compromised until I got a call from my bank asking if I had just charged $500 at a store in New York--never mind that they were calling me on my home phone in Florida.

 

I checked my wallet & my card was still there, so obviously someone in a store or restaurant that I had patronized previously had stolen the information off my card--maybe with one of those skimming devices.

 

Point is, it's difficult to be sure exactly where and when the compromise occurred.

[Sarahs_mom]

How lovely. That's two more thieves out of the picture for the present. Kudos to the police department.

[truffles2]

Point is, it's difficult to be sure exactly where and when the compromise occurred.

 

My vote goes to the restaurant! Almost 99% of the time!

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

Sorry this happened to you. I just want to mention that it's very possible that your credit card had already been compromised on an earlier occasion.

 

It is possible that it was the check in agent, but it is not plausible. Think about it. She/he checks you in with thousands of other people and within a few hours they are using your credit card? (Even if they were shopping online it seems awfully quick)

 

More likely is the scenario where someone already had your number and it was just a coincidence on the timing.

[Tucker in Texas]

Many years ago, prior to the internet, our Discover card was cloned. We did not know it until we got the statement which had multi charges in California (we live in Texas).

 

Discover was very good about removing the charges. They said that the crooks know that it takes one week from the closing date until the bill is received from Discover. They just pick some random numbers and crank out a card. So, they live it up for just one week (not knowing our closing date and assuming it is the next day.

 

When hubby got home, I chastised him, first, for going to California without me but, second, what really "frosted my pumpkin" was the $395 he spent at Victoria's Secret on his little side chick.

 

Tucker in Texas

[gillianrose]

I agree. But, if a company does a background check that goes back, say, 20 years and they find nothing, it's probably a safe bet that that person is honest.

 

I think that is naive. Background checks aren't enough. Companies need to design their systems and procedures to make it impossible for reservation agents (among others) to gain access to so many parts of a person's profile and plans.

 

Passengers also need to take steps to protect their own privacy.