# New hotel scam!!



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Just been sent this, not sure of it's authenticity.
cabby

NEW HOTEL SCAM!! 

This is one of the smartest scams I have heard about. 
You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. Typically when checking in, you give the front desk your credit card (for any charges to your room) and they don't retain the card.

You go to your room and settle in. All is good.
The hotel receives a call and the caller asks for (as an example) room 620 - which happens to be your room.

The phone rings in your room. You answer and the person on the other end says the following: 
'This is the front desk. When checking in, we came across a problem with your charge card information. 
Please re-read me your credit card numbers and verify the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your charge card.'

Not thinking anything wrong, since the call seems to come from the front
desk you oblige. But actually, it is a scam by someone calling from outside the hotel. They have asked for a random room number, then ask you for your credit card and address information. 

They sound so professional, that you think you are talking to the front desk.

If you ever encounter this scenario on your travels, tell the caller that you will be down to the front desk to clear up any problems. 

Then, go to the front desk or call directly and ask if there was a problem. If there was none, inform the manager of the hotel that someone tried to scam you of your credit card information, acting like a front desk employee.

This was sent by someone who has been duped........
and is still cleaning up the mess.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

They'd have to ask for your name too surely?


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Good point Alan, I missed that one.:surprise:

cabby


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

I got scammed in China in Shangzen. Booked into the hotel front desk and they took my credit card to take payment. The first machine did not work when they swiped it, this was the one on the desk. They tried a second machine that the brought out from the desk drawer. They swiped it again it did not work. So they used the one on the desk again and it worked fine. 

Turns out the first time they swiped it the card was back to front on purpose so it did not read. They used the second machine to copy it. Then they used the first machine to take payment as normal. Got my pin number from a tiny camera hidden above me. 

When I got home had several £10 taken from my account. This raised suspicions with Barclay's and they called me. Whilst I was on the phone a payment of £2500 was being attempted. Got my money back when I went back a few months later the person behind the desk had already been caught doing it to several people so I get my next stay for free. 

Now I use a charge card whilst away.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

You were very fortunate. My bank also texts me if an unusual pattern or payment comes up.

cabby


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Please explain what a charge card is? Till you made the difference I thought charge card was an American expression for a credit card. I'm interested to know what the difference is and why a charge card is safer than a credit card.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

A charge card bills you the full amount every month it has no facility for credit - ipso facto it cannot be a "credit" card.

Diners Club is (or used to be) a good example. 

No idea why it might be safer than a credit card as they still have the money and you do not have Credit whatever Act protection to fall back on.


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

erneboy said:


> Please explain what a charge card is? Till you made the difference I thought charge card was an American expression for a credit card. I'm interested to know what the difference is and why a charge card is safer than a credit card.


It is basically a card I put on any amount on in $ and use it same as credit card. But if I do get scammed the most they can take is what is left on the card. Has to be in $ as they don't seem to like taking Yuan or £

I know a credit card is a safe option and you have protection but I can use this charge card and load it from my bank account on my phone and I only load it up to what I need for that day. So if I am booking into a hotel and they need $300 I can load it with the exact amount and it is taken out straight away. Then their is no more money on it until I load more onto it. They cannot take out any more.

Used it on the last few trips to China and it has worked perfectly.

You have protection on a credit card but you have to go through all the fuss. This way their is no money to take.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I see thanks.


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## Douzeper (Aug 19, 2007)

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/phishing/hotel.asp


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Does this mean that the Caxton card etc are charge cards.What we term as pre paid cards.

cabby


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/n...ween-a-charge-card-and-a-credit-card/0017265/


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

A credit card bills you each month and offers credit facilities to pay off any purchases over time.

A charge card charges (a little hint there as to why it is called a "Charge" card) you each month and you have to pay the whole bill in one go and it also often "charges" you to hold it.

A pre-paid card is just that, a card that you pre-load with a set amount of "credit" that you can use up it is not a charge card because you do not get "charged" each month for what you have spent.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Stanner said:


> A credit card bills you each month and offers credit facilities to pay off any purchases over time.
> 
> *A charge card charges (a little hint there as to why it is called a "Charge" card) you each month and you have to pay the whole bill in one go and it also often "charges" you to hold it.
> *
> A pre-paid card is just that, a card that you pre-load with a set amount of "credit" that you can use up it is not a charge card because you do not get "charged" each month for what you have spent.


I think I would differ on that explanation as to why it is called a 'charge' card. They were mostly originally USA products, and the term 'charge' as in 'charge it'(UK 'Bill it') to an account with the organisation, but if there is no such account with them, then one can use the 'charge card' account.

I am open to correction but this is my understanding.

Geoff


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

nicholsong said:


> I think I would differ on that explanation as to why it is called a 'charge' card. They were mostly originally USA products, and the term 'charge' as in 'charge it'(UK 'Bill it') to an account with the organisation, but if there is no such account with them, then one can use the 'charge card' account.
> 
> I am open to correction but this is my understanding.
> 
> Geoff


I must be missing your point somewhere but I can't see what or where.

It (originally Diners Club and American Express) was called a charge card because it charged in full each month and offered no credit facility. Those 2 cards had an annual fee and in return offered various benefits to holders. 
One of those benefits was that the holder effectively had an "account" anywhere that accepted the card, the benefit to the merchant was that they had access to (generally) high spending customers.



> *Plastic debuts*
> By 1951, there were 20,000 Diners Club cardholders. A decade later, the card was replaced with plastic. Diners Club Card purchases were made on credit, but it was technically a charge card, meaning the bill had to be paid in full at the end of each month.


From .. http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-cards-history-1264.php 
which is about Credit cards but also covers Charge cards


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Stanner said:


> I must be missing your point somewhere but I can't see what or where.
> 
> It (originally Diners Club and American Express) was called a charge card because it charged in full each month and offered no credit facility. Those 2 cards had an annual fee and in return offered various benefits to holders.
> One of those benefits was that the holder effectively had an "account" anywhere that accepted the card, the benefit to the merchant was that they had access to (generally) high spending customers.
> ...


Nowhere can I find that it was called a 'charge card' because the amount had to be settled in full and I see no logical, or linguistic, connection between the customer's obligation and the phrase.

We shall have to differ.

Geoff


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

nicholsong said:


> Nowhere can I find that it was called a 'charge card' because the amount had to be settled in full and I see no logical, or linguistic, connection between the customer's obligation and the phrase.
> 
> We shall have to differ.
> 
> Geoff


Well I distinctly remember about the time that Barclaycard was launched in the UK that Diners Club and Amex were already in use and the credit/charge descriptions were used to differentiate between their status.

Once again this....


> Although American Express was among the first companies to issue a charge card, it wasn't until 1987 that it issued a credit card allowing customers to pay over time rather than at the end of every month.


 from that link clearly uses "charge" to differentiate non-credit cards from credit cards.

It may not be an "official" description or have any formal legal basis but it was a description in wide and general use at the time. It is a description also repeatedly used in that article so there must be some general acceptance of it's validity. 
You are of course quite at liberty to not accept that evidence if you wish.

However before you do so it may be instructive to read this...


> *Charge Cards*
> 
> Charge cards are often confused with credit cards, but they actually function in a fairly different fashion. Like credit cards, charge cards extend credit to you from the issuer, but you're required to pay the full balance at the end of the month. Some charge cards also have an annual membership fee. Charge cards are typically associated with American Express; many store chains often issue their own charge cards as well which can only be used at that store.
> *Advantages*
> ...


From here.......http://www.thesimpledollar.com/pers...ebit-cards-versus-credit-cards-pros-and-cons/
It is unfortunately American instead of British, but I'm sure you will concede that they do have rather more experience of both forms of card than we do - the charge card being historically far less popular here.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I'm wondering if the way the items purchased with the card were paid for had anything to do with the name originally. When did the card company settle the bill? I'm guessing it may have be after the card holder had paid them. Immediate settlement wouldn't have been available when charge cards first came along, in fact that possibility is really quite a recent development.

I'd guess it was called a charge card because it enabled the holder to charge stuff, with payment being guaranteed by the issuing company, anywhere where the card was accepted.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Exactly and that is just how I thought Geoff described it in his post and why I had a problem seeing the point he was trying to make.
I would guess the settlement interval was little different to what it is now for credit cards etc.
Only th4en the delay was caused by the time it took money to work it's way through the system - now when money can be moved instantly any delay is due to the card issuers wishing it to take it's good time reaching the merchant's account.


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