Credit Card fraud after paying for parking at Manhattan Port

[Brighton Line]

It happens, last week I got a call from my credit card asking about charges made online. I hadn't used the card since February, online to by cruise insurance from a company on the link that is so highly recommended here. The card has never even left my house, in the drawer by the computer but someone was able to use it for online purchases.

I never even saw the statement with the charges as the bank called me and shut the account down and changed the number.

So the card wasn't cloned by maybe back in February online someone got the number.

 

Please let us know what happens.

[puggrandma]

ROSCO

 

Have thought about posting on the NCL board as a heads up to future passengers? Might also be a heads up to NCL

 

Puggrandma

[Roscoe197]

My original post was on the NCL board, but was transferred to this forum by the moderator. I have alerted NCL and the Port Authority to the problem. I'm still not sure if the people performing the check-in process are employed by the cruise line or the Port Authority.

[njhorseman]

The check in personnel are not NCL employees, nor is the cruise terminal owned or operated by the Port Authority of NY and NJ. The cruise terminal is owned by the NY City Economic Development Corporation, and operations at the terminal are managed under contract by Ports America, a privately owned port operations company. At least in the recent past, the agents themselves are employees of yet a different company (sorry, I haven't been able to find the name of the company, although I knew it at one time).

 

So, you're not going to to get anywhere with the Port Authority or NCL.

 

You have to understand that unfortunately theft of credit card data is a problem that happens world wide, sometimes carried out by local criminals, sometimes the work of sophisticated gangs of thieves and computer hackers. There's not much corporations or local police precincts can do to stop it. Catch one person today and someone else will be doing it tomorrow. You've already done all you can...reported it to your credit card issuer, which then closed your account and reversed the charges. No sense in beating your head against the wall reporting it to this company or that...they can't do anything to stop it.

[luvtheships]

The check in personnel are not NCL employees, nor is the cruise terminal owned or operated by the Port Authority of NY and NJ. The cruise terminal is owned by the NY City Economic Development Corporation, and operations at the terminal are managed under contract by Ports America, a privately owned port operations company. At least in the recent past, the agents themselves are employees of yet a different company (sorry, I haven't been able to find the name of the company, although I knew it at one time).

 

So, you're not going to to get anywhere with the Port Authority or NCL.

 

You have to understand that unfortunately theft of credit card data is a problem that happens world wide, sometimes carried out by local criminals, sometimes the work of sophisticated gangs of thieves and computer hackers. There's not much corporations or local police precincts can do to stop it. Catch one person today and someone else will be doing it tomorrow. You've already done all you can...reported it to your credit card issuer, which then closed your account and reversed the charges. No sense in beating your head against the wall reporting it to this company or that...they can't do anything to stop it.

this is the real problem...sub contracting out to companies that are not hiring reputable employees.

 

maybe they are hiring the fired TSA employees that were caught doing a less than stellar job?

[njhorseman]

this is the real problem...sub contracting out to companies that are not hiring reputable employees.

 

maybe they are hiring the fired TSA employees that were caught doing a less than stellar job?

 

What company knows who will be a "reputable employee"? Companies are defrauded all the time by their own employees.

[luvtheships]

What company knows who will be a "reputable employee"? Companies are defrauded all the time by their own employees.

 

The best argument yet for vetting a company before giving them the contract. The real question to be asked is will anything be done about this issue or will they be afraid to ruffle feathers

 

 

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[njhorseman]

The best argument yet for vetting a company before giving them the contract. The real question to be asked is will anything be done about this issue or will they be afraid to ruffle feathers

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

There's no issue that anything can be done about. It's impossible to guarantee that everyone you hire will be honest.

[luvtheships]

There's no issue that anything can be done about. It's impossible to guarantee that everyone you hire will be honest.

 

Agree. But we are all getting to be too accepting of criminal behavior these days and just shrugging our shoulders. This complacency will only serve as a downfall In The future

 

I am guilty of saying nothing can be done as well but somehow I think that those that want to turn us all into "sheep el " are counting on his complacency

 

Sad state of affairs but that is for another discussion

 

 

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[meo100366]

I had the same thing happen to me and luckily I was put in contact with pretty high up people at Norwegian. I only used the card at check in. Were you checked in by a young black guy? He was arrested on Sunday..

Edited July 12, 2013 by meo100366

[Gershep]

I'm glad to hear he was arrested. Hopefully there are no others still working there but usually it's a whole ring of these people working together.

[Roscoe197]

Kudos to Mr. Sheehan and his team at NCL!

 

 

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[Budget Queen]

or use a card with a zero balance and only put that charge on it.

 

 

I don't know of any advantage for this? What about this "zero" balance prevents it from being stolen?

[luvtheships]

I use a card that I do not use for anything so this is the only charge. My preference. If you notice fraudulent charges while away and notify the bank the card is frozen and useless to you. If you need to freeze the card best it be a card you don't use often. Don't have automatic charges going to and one that you are not depending on for the trip you are on. Again my preference

 

 

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[luvtheships]

I don't know of any advantage for this? What about this "zero" balance prevents it from being stolen?

 

Read my post #39. Just part of my travel methods as I always have plan b. c. And d at the ready

 

 

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[Plp4398]

My credit card was also compromised at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal parking. We cruised from that terminal in April of 2014. I had the option of paying cash and parking in the furthest lot or paying with my credit card and parking closer to the ship. I opted to pay with my credit card. Big mistake. The young man scanned my credit card with a hand held device. Needless to say, someone purchased many different things online while we were on our 7 day cruise to Bermuda. I notified the three major credit companies and canceled all my credit cards. It was a hassle. I love the convenience of parking right at the ship but in the future I would only pay cash for parking.

[njhorseman]

My credit card was also compromised at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal parking. We cruised from that terminal in April of 2014. I had the option of paying cash and parking in the furthest lot or paying with my credit card and parking closer to the ship. I opted to pay with my credit card. Big mistake. The young man scanned my credit card with a hand held device. Needless to say, someone purchased many different things online while we were on our 7 day cruise to Bermuda. I notified the three major credit companies and canceled all my credit cards. It was a hassle. I love the convenience of parking right at the ship but in the future I would only pay cash for parking.

 

Having parked at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal more times than I can count, I have to question your statement " I had the option of paying cash and parking in the furthest lot or paying with my credit card and parking closer to the ship. " There is no such option...you get to park in the same place regardless of your method of payment.

 

Also, there were no Bermuda cruises that departed Manhattan in April, 2014. The first Bermuda cruise of the 2014 season sailed from Manhattan on May 4 .

 

Finally, if one of your credit cards was compromised, why would you cancel all your credit cards ?

 

Frankly, your story has more holes than a piece of swiss cheese.

[Plp4398]

I am responding to Njhorseman. My only error in my post was that it was a Bermuda cruise. My wife and I have been on 20 or more cruises and have only experienced this problem once. I was trying to inform people of my bad experience. Do you really think that I would make it up. The cruise I went on in April of 2014 was to the Bahamas. As I drove up the ramp to the parking area, a man stopped us using a hand held device for credit cards. He told me if I wanted to pay cash I would have to park in the first dock parking and pointed to it directly in front of me. He told me that if I pay with a credit card I should keep driving to the next dock where the ship was docked. I gave him my credit card and he swiped it in the device. This was the first time they have done it this way for us. When we came home we started receiving calls about online purchases that we never made. Needless to say, someone had my personal information and opened up new accounts in my name. I am insulted that someone on this post would think that I was lying. I was just trying to make people aware that this has happened to me, so they can make their own choices. Good luck!

[njhorseman]

Even if your card was skimmed at the port, that still only provides the information necessary to clone that individual card for fraudulent use. It wouldn't compromise any other credit card you owned.

 

If someone was opening new accounts in your name then the data necessary to do that had to come from a credit card server that was hacked. Unfortunately this a huge international problem, with criminal gangs, often from Eastern Europe or China hacking into servers and selling the data to other criminals, or using it themselves.

 

People have the mistaken idea that when something goes wrong it must have been the direct result of where the card was last used. If your data was obtained from a hacked server, the theft could have occurred months before new credit accounts were opened.

Edited August 17, 2014 by njhorseman

[Plp4398]

Even if your card was skimmed at the port, that still only provides the information necessary to clone that individual card for fraudulent use. It wouldn't compromise any other credit card you owned.

 

If someone was opening new accounts in your name then the data necessary to do that had to come from a credit card server that was hacked. Unfortunately this a huge international problem, with criminal gangs, often from Eastern Europe or China hacking into servers and selling the data to other criminals, or using it themselves.

 

People have the mistaken idea that when something goes wrong it must have been the direct result of where the card was last used. If your data was obtained from a hacked server, the theft could have occurred months before new credit accounts were opened.

thanks for the info. I guess it was the timing of it all. I never use this credit card. It's a NCL credit card and we only used it twice. Once to park and next to check in for our cruise. The whole credit fraud experience has been horrible. I guess it could have been hacked from anywhere but the first purchase was for a hotel in New Jersey very close to the port terminal. Just makes you think.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

sorry u had that problem ..

[patticake1129]

I am wondering if getting a prepaid credit card would be a solution? Can someone reply with either good or bad experience trying it? Thanks

[luvtheships]

I am wondering if getting a prepaid credit card would be a solution? Can someone reply with either good or bad experience trying it? Thanks

 

So if they hack your card it is your money lost and not the banks?

 

Use a bank credit card and pay the bill when due

 

Your money stays in your pocket until you are ready to pay

 

If there is a problem you can dispute it

 

But you are not out a penny that way

 

Use other people's money (OPM) first!!!!

Always and every time

 

Just pay your bill when due.

 

Keep your cash!!!

 

 

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Edited August 19, 2014 by luvtheships

[Got2Cruise]

If someone opened up accounts in your name you are a victim of identity theft. It is going to take some time to clear your credit. Subscribe to a credit locking service might prevent problem in future

[Langoustine]

I am wondering if getting a prepaid credit card would be a solution?

 

No, it's a terrible idea. If that gets hacked, it's your money that's going to go missing, not the bank's money. Use a credit card, notify them if there's a problem, and let them deal with it. They are very used to dealing with this problem. The truth is, your CC can be compromised anywhere you use it; restaurants, online purchases, etc. I once had a card cloned and used several times in Japan, a place I've never been, despite the fact that I had just received it and hadn't used the card at all. They cancelled the account and reissued the card with a new number, and it was fraudulently used again before I even received the new one. After the third time it was reissued, the fraud stopped. The criminals doing this are very, very skillful. The good thing is that the bank didn't hold me responsible in any way for the charges, and it never affected my credit rating.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Langoustine