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I visited SA, for the day only, on January 19. The only places I presented a credit card were at the Hilton Sandton (day stay) and the Gautrain booth at JNB. I guaranteed my points and cash stay at the Hilton with a card too.

All of a sudden, on February 8, someone started charging my Chase business card (not used at Gautrain) for miscellaneous, clothing, auto-related and dining expenses at a variety of merchants in the Joburg area, racking up over $2,000 USD in four days before Chase notified me and I cancelled the card. This Chase Ink card does not have a chip, so it might have been taken in the back office at the Hilton.

Has anyone experienced something similar? How widespread is this problem in SA?

rolexplatin

Has happen to me ones as well. I used the card at europcar & to withdraw cash. As I always hide my pin at atm's was Europcar the only place the card details could have been copied. At the time pin wasn't used at any retailers. Now with chip and pin I believe it's safe as anywhere. A card only with signature can be a risk if taken without the card owner present. Let the hotel know in writing, they may not be aware of the issue.

LongingForORD

So sorry to hear about your issue. I have stayed at the Sandton Hilton about a dozen times and have never had any issues. I would contact the hotel to let them know.

I know there are a lot of skimming issues in SA (and everywhere) when you use a card in a machine (ATM, gas or ticket), but if the one you used on the train is not the same card as was stolen then that's probably not where it happened.

I also live in the Bay area and in the past year I have had my Amex stolen after I used a Canadian on line pharmacy (bought the dogs heart worm pills) and last month had my UA visa # stolen after buying Christmas gifts at Michael's crafts. So unfortunately credit card fraud is everywhere.

jsnydcsa

Never been a problem for me in SA.

In restaurants, I've noticed that they've started using the machine that they bring to the table more (admittedly higher-end places). And, even then, I'm using my credit card not my debit card (with a PIN). Hotels I'm usually watching them use the card right in front of me. Never seen a potential issue with an ATM (or skimmer at an ATM).

It's been 10+ years since I tried (and failed) to buy gas with a credit card (or debit card). As a result of that experience more than 10 years ago, I always pay cash for gas (or have a SA family member use their "petrol card" and repay them). You can use a card to buy stuff - drinks, food, chips, cigarettes, etc. inside the shop. But, not for gas.

Roger

That's changed.

Just back from SA where I bought fuel with a Visa and a Mastercard. Once was at the BP station close to CPT, the other was at Paarl also BP. I've no idea whether the opportunity is national so I asked before filling up whether they took credit cards and the answer was Yes.

About time too.

johan rebel

About time indeed!

I think it is national, you can at least pay with a card at gas stations in the Kruger National Park, about as far from CPT and Paarl you can get without leaving SA. The do have lots of connectivity issues in the KNP, so backup cash is essential. Both the gas station card terminals and the few ATMs can be offline at the same time.

Johan

Cheetah_SA

It is national. A law that forbade the sale of fuel on credit (for reasons I cannot fathom) was changed.

Regarding calling the hotel: I had fraudulent transactions post on a credit card after a visit to the Philippines. Since I had only used the card once - at the (very high-end) resort I stayed at - I assumed that must have been the source of the fraud. But when I reported the transactions to the cc company and told them I would be contacting the resort to complain, they advised me not to. They said their forensic department would be looking into it anyway and my raising an alarm could be counter-productive.

jsnydcsa

+1

TravelinWilly

I've only had one credit card fraud problem in SA in the many years I've been commuting / going / visiting there. A couple of years ago, I had used a certain card at two places - the hotel I've used for ten years, and the Avis on Rivonia near the Morningside Mediclinic, about .25 kms north of Grayston.

About a week after I got home, I noticed ~US $1,700 in charges made at two different women's clothing stores (note that I'm male, and I don't cross dress) in Sandton City Mall. I called the card company and got it sorted straightaway, however this is unfortunately more common than one might think, according to friends and colleagues in Joburg and CPT.

I know the agent who checked me in at the hotel, as he's checked me in countless times over the years, and he only had the card for a short time and was never out of sight with it. At Avis, however, the man went behind the wall and was gone for a number of minutes (yes, it was very strange, which is why to this day I suspect I know where the number was pilfered).

skaya

My Amex was skimmed in Sandton a few months ago, and I received fraud alert by mail. Several thousand dollars. I had chip, but the skimmed card and the fraudulent transactions were all done with signature.

Had Amex courier me a new temp card wo chip to my hotel in CPT.