LatinPass/GlobalPass - Credit Card Fraud

Has anyone else besides our family have had their credit card that was given to Global Pass for tickets frauduently used for other purchases?

interestingly, having never in my life had such a problem, not long after my email to GlobalPass, the CC number I had sent was used for a fraudulent purchase. struck me as odd but I made no (possible) connection until I saw this post, now I wonder...

Our family's was called in! There is somthing very fishy here!

Has anyone else besides our family have had their credit card that was given to Global Pass for tickets frauduently used for other purchases?

Yes, my wife found 2 charges for $250 each at a Sears store in Florida about 4 days after we faxed in the information to the Globalpass fax number. I am going to have her report this forum information to Bank of American Fraud department which is handling the cancellation of your Visa card and the issuance to her of a new account number.

see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451066

I have had fraudulent use on two different credit cards, each approximately 30 days after a transaction with GlobalPass.

Haven't had it happen to us yet, but it's got me checking my credit card statement online virtually daily.

This is a really serious issue, and it seems to me someone who has been affected already should try to get this information to Guy Booth via some channel other than the customercare e-mail at GlobalPass. (Since, if it goes there, it's likely to get intercepted by the same person(s) who are intercepting and fraudulently using the credit cards numbers.

There was a $1000 charge made to a Circuit City Store in Boca Raton six weeks after I paid Global Pass. Hmmm... My credit card is now closed.

I just received a call from Bank of America security department asking me whether I made three charges today on my Alaska Airlines Business Visa card. The answer was no and it is particularly clear in this case that the security leak was at Globalpass because I only used that card once, the day after I received it and that was to pay a Globalpass fee on August 3rd. The rest of the time that card was in my drawer. I have a few more tickets to be issued so I am going to call GP tomorrow and request that I pay them by money order as this is the third card in our family that has had fraudulent charges lately and had to be closed. Also my nephew, who put some GP charges on his card, found when he came back from Peru, that his card was subjected to fraudulent charges.

Fraud here too!!! Suggest ANYONE who's given their cc number to GP immediately notify their cc issuer to have it changed. Has anyone spoken with Guy Booth about this?

The card I used for GlobalPass has been hacked.

Received a call yesterday from the fraud department at Chase Bank.

Two fraudulent charges were made yesterday in Texas using a fake credit card with my account number - one for $290 and one for $64.00

Haven't had it happen to us yet, but it's got me checking my credit card statement online virtually daily.

This is a really serious issue, and it seems to me someone who has been affected already should try to get this information to Guy Booth via some channel other than the customercare e-mail at GlobalPass. (Since, if it goes there, it's likely to get intercepted by the same person(s) who are intercepting and fraudulently using the credit cards numbers.


you should put a hold on the cc for a while or at least alert the cc company. Second thought, just call and ask for a new cc number.

Fraud here too!!! Suggest ANYONE who's given their cc number to GP immediately notify their cc issuer to have it changed. Has anyone spoken with Guy Booth about this?

I did not speak to Guy Booth, but last week I spoke to one of the agents at GP and she told me that they already investigated and tried to assured me that they had no leak... but after that the card I gave her that day was compromised!

I did not speak to Guy Booth, but last week I spoke to one of the agents at GP and she told me that they already investigated and tried to assured me that they had no leak... but after that the card I gave her that day was compromised!

Which is exactly why I suggested someone who has been affected (not me, yet, fortunately) speak with Booth. Someone in the chain of people taking your credit card numbers over the phone and/or through the e-mails is the one (or more) stealing the numbers and putting the card numbers into fraudulent circulation. So it is unlikely they are going to report themselves.

I sent another email to John Jackson today with updated information about this problem. (see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451066). I would be happy to send any email to Booth about this, but don't have his email address.

The Agent at GP who I spoke to today called me back after checking with their "ticketing department" and she informed me that, yes, they would accept money orders. She informed me that ticketing would call me when they were ready to ticket and would give me the total amount of the remaining charges for all of the tickets that they need to issue against my and my wife's account. They would then allow me to mail into them a money order (they would not need me to send it into them via Express delivery service).

Harvey108,

Thanks for the info. I definately don't want to give them any more credit card information after having to close 2 accounts already.

Shelley

Told my friend to call his credit card proactively after mine was used fraudently.

He called and sure enough his had two bogus charges at the Home Depot in Miami yesterday for $485 and $625.

Looks like they are hitting everyone who used GlobalPass.

I just found out that the Canadian Mastercard I never usually use was blocked from use and then cancelled yesterday due to fraudulent activity. I can only remember using it twice this year, once to buy a ticket on Air Canada online and once where I submitted the number and expiration date to GlobalPass through their website messaging system.

I am not sure if it is correct but it does not bounce back e-mail either:
guy@globalpass.com

Have been a lurker since my April 2000 LP million mile run, but this thread has prompted me to finally post. Used CC to pay GP taxes/fees on two KLM AMS-JNB-CPT-AMS tixs. On 6/28/05 my CC fraud department called me in California stating that my CC had been used that morning at a Staples in Florida for a $700+ purchase. Go figure!?!?

Wonder if it was Sergio Vigoa, the person (or ficticious person) who used my credit card to purchase $1496.83 at Staples in Sarasota! I received a copy of the Staples receipt in the mail today from AE and his name and signature are all over it.

Thought I'd mention that the copy of the receipt I got in the mail today from AE looks like it has an imprint of my AE card, with the expiration date and Servio Vigoa's name also imprinted. And I know that that card hadn't left my wallet in years, and it certainly wasn't in Florida in June. I had assumed that this charge was made via the internet, but it was made in the store.

Might someone be reproducing fake credit cards? How else would they be able to make an imprint with my number and their name?

My credit card fraud department told me someone had a Visa card with my CC number on it and made two purchases in Texas last week (even though I live in Los Angeles and it hasn't left my sight.).

Yes me too!

S[omething] is about to hit the fan tomorrow.
Stay tuned and buckle those seats belts

vandykes44: Wish you'd have mentioned the topic over breakfast in AA :D

>> Might someone be reproducing fake credit cards? How else would they be able to make an imprint with my number and their name?

Rocket science it ain't. Card blanks are stolen all the time (dirty little secret) -- imprint machines have been around since forever, and have turned up on eBay... It's not hard at all.
The 'trick' is getting the mag stripe to encode -- but how many times have (we) seen a swipe-reader fail, & the clerk just punches-in the number ?

>> .. after having to close 2 accounts already.
Curious -- closed? (seems kinda drastic) -or- a number change ?

@:-) Suggestion to all: Find out if your card provider has a 'virtual card' feature.
On the 'net (or phone-in orders), I'll give 'em a 'temporary' number that's valid for maybe $1 over, and/or for x months. Once it's used (or maxed) - that's all there is -- dead number. Think 'gift-card'.

Very handy for those 'subscription-billings' that are *impossible* to stop (AOL ?) .. or .. ahemmm .. hotel bookings.

/.

There is something rotten in this state of GlobalPass - something very rotten.

How large could this fraud problem be? The only GP membership count I could find online* is a bit old but Mr. Guy Booth makes the claim that the program had 1.5 million members. If only 1/4 of 1% of them are affected and the average fraud is $1,000 then that makes the total close to $4,000,000.

What need be demanded of them [GP] is an audit of all GlobalPass Awards that can be linked to card fraud - How can this be done?

Simply. GP can e-mail/or contact otherwise/ all of its award recipients over the past year/2 years/whatever and simply query them: "After making a GP award transaction was there any fraudulent activity on the cc that was used to pay GP for whatever charges involved in the award transaction?" GP seems not willing to do this -not willing to clean its own house.

Had GP not pulled its midnight == no more-awards == coup most of us would never have considered linking cc fraud/id-theft with what is so dear to our traveling hearts: an award program.

I have seen the "me too's" grow on this forum over the past weeks. I was never a poster - but have always enjoyed the banter and tips offered here- I give thanks to the Forum for exposing this fraud.. Our trust in GP has been abused.

[I] - I need to be forthcoming at this point -
after reading posts on the Forum I contacted CapitalOne the issuer of the card where fraud ** had occurred shortly after a GP award [MEX-LIM-MEX TA C class] had been issued. Indeed that was the card I used to pay $25 to GP. Thanks to the Forum I think the fraud can be definitely linked to GP. I contacted Mr. Guy Booth via an overnight express courier and suggested that 'for the damage done' --- (a ruined wedding celebration in the US) I'd agree to settle my injuries in a gentlemanly way. *** There was no response from GP [15 Aug 05].

OK - a game of bluffsmanship for sure and I was out for myself [hoping to get my lost 472,393 miles back*** and use them under new rules or get a cash out] but as we all know that is the game****. I am/have this morning/begun to take GP to task by filing a complaint with the Florida Attorney General's office ***** and advising CapitalOne of where I think the fraud/id-theft originated. I encourage all other affected GP members who have had the same Award/Fraud-ID theft experience to follow. With sufficient reporting a common denominator will emerge and the actual culprit revealed - although probably the acts of a dishonest individual rather than a corporate practice, the culprit will nonetheless be a part of Globalpass which has a duty to protect our identities and personal information from abuse. It can be argued perhaps that we suffer no actual financial damage as the card companies cover us - but indeed everyone is victimized by this as the costs of fraud are spread over all card holders. There is no free lunch.

If I may add a personal note to Mr. Guy Booth who will I'm sure be reading this: paraphrasing the recent IF interview: "what part of promotion don't you understand?" Your attitude toward your customers is in question. We did the deal you cooked up. My crew and I gave back 1,000,000 miles in charitable donations so don't take us as greedy sob's -you had a weak promo that should have been debugged first -a simple through ticket using IATA rules was easy to write - in my case MEX-GUA[KL!]-SAL-MGA --side trip MGA-MIA-MGA same day-- then SJO-GYE-LIM-//IQT-LIM-UIO-BOG-SJO-GUA [KL again]-MEX and the bus home. LP was lucky the Pudding Guy was more interested in tooting his horn in the WSJ than letting a great deal fly on and on. Well, maybe he did us all a favor - more Million Milers could have grounded LP before anyone got airborne on an award.
==

Khunbill, Guanajuato GTO MEX

* http://www.southfloridaceo.com/archives/2003_Issues/September2003/Pages/FEATURE_AVIATION.html
A great bit of bluster with such lines as: “If we do these deals, we’ll be 100 airlines by the end of the year,” says Booth. “That will really put GlobalPass on the map.”

**[Ross Stores in Sarasota and several declined authorizations [[all from FL ]] as my card had been maxed. As I paid off the card balance it maxed again.******]

*** oh, in a crazy side-note: my remaining 472,393 miles had expired [due to inactivity] a few days before GP's midnight coup.

**** I come from the mile-run school of -follow the rules/do the deal/keep quiet/enjoy the awards-

***** LINKS:
Florida Consumer Complaint form:
http://myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/Contact?OpenForm&Section=Economic_Crimes
also For identity theft - reports to FTC
https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU03
"ID Theft occurs when someone uses your name or other identifying information for their personal gain."

.****** Prior to a US trip in June I paid off this card so I could have full use of it during the trip. But the card maxed again. I have limited credit and needed this card to rent cars/buy dinners/etc for an important wedding my wife and I were attending outside of DCA.

I'm not trying to jump to conclusions here as I think I need to investigate a bit further, but you can add my name to the list of people whos credit cards were compromised for a $600+ "Florida electronics purchase". My card was denied yesterday for a purchase I was making and I called the CC company who promptly shut down the account after I confirmed that I didn't make the fraudulant charge. This is the second time this has happened with me. I'm trying to search for a LP correlation in the events.

22 AUG Having reviewed my post (#27 above) I noted that the * references were missing. These have now been added as well as links the the Florida Atty General's website where an on-line complaint form can be found. There are also links to the FTC website and its on-line complaint form and another link to the blustery Guy Booth in a South Florida CEO article on the future of GP where he predicts 100 airlines in the program.

Keep us posted. I was lucky and no Cr. Card problems, so far.

You may want to get others input, if they are willing to share by PM to back up your allogations for the case. Maybe send a PM to them to ask for any info they may want to share.

My biggest, but not only complaint, about GP is that they did not announce by email or letter of the end of program. Lucky for us FTers, some of us saw it and cashed in. Think of those that call up this month to get a trip with their 550K miles and get the ¨sorry the program ended on end of June¨ response!!

Good luck

GP always seemed to operate under the "squeaky wheel" approach to "cust service". I wonder how many folks who rec'vd the infamous e-mail from GP in early July (essentially blaming TACA for not issuing the awards), never bothered to complain, and now aren't going to get their award tickets?

"...So far, the company hasn't heard of any reports of thieves attempting to use the data."* In many of the big identity theft cases of recent months there has been no "use" of data stolen. Here in this GP arena, although the actual numbers may be smaller than some of the biggies, our data [card numbers]are being used.


* from May 24 '05 Wall Street Journal atricle found at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05144/509620.stm

I'm not trying to jump to conclusions here as I think I need to investigate a bit further, but you can add my name to the list of people whos credit cards were compromised for a $600+ "Florida electronics purchase". My card was denied yesterday for a purchase I was making and I called the CC company who promptly shut down the account after I confirmed that I didn't make the fraudulant charge. This is the second time this has happened with me. I'm trying to search for a LP correlation in the events.

Well, if you mean that one of the credit card numbers that you gave to GP was later used fraudulently, that is enough right there to show a "LP correlation" considering all of the other similar complaints. If you are not sure that you ever gave the compromised card number to GP, then please check your old credit card statements and give us a definate on this. Otherwise, I don't know what you would "investigate".

On June 20th, I provided GP with my CC number. The next day my card was suspended. I called the bank and they recorded unusual activity in Home Depot, Maine. I could not understand how this could be as I just arrived in the USA from Trinidad 2 days before and the only place I used my card was with GP.

I never gave it another thought until I read this thread. I live in Sudan where CC are not accepted, so my use is already restricted. That particular card only had three charges on it:

1) Costa Rican Departure tax
2) SWISS airlines
3) GP

You take your pick where you think the number got swiped. I guessed Costa Rica but I think I was wrong.

I can see it now, GlobalSupplies.com buy by us and earn free tkts to Central/South America.

How else did you expect Guy to pay for the tkts from Taca?

The Florida Attorney General's office sent this to me today after my complaint of a few weeks ago. This is a first step. They will take no action unless they determine that there is a pattern in this - thus all of you who are affected by GP+CC fraud after an award issue are encouraged to follow the links in the e-mail and file additional complaints.


From: AG
Date: 09/07/05 09:02:26
Subject: in response to your email


The Florida Attorney General's Office is in receipt of your email
regarding your concerns with your GlobalPass credit card. Attorney
General Crist asked that we respond.

Complaints are used to develop information about patterns of business
activity which might indicate the need for formal investigation or legal
action by our office. We will keep your correspondence for future
reference. If a pattern is discovered, what originated as a private
dispute between buyer and seller may become a matter of broad public
interest and thus warrant the Attorney Generals intervention under the
states consumer protection laws.
Regarding unauthorized credit card charges, the Federal Trade Commission's
website provides important information about the Fair Credit Billing Act
and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which may prove helpful to you as
you dispute the charges with your credit card company:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcb.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit/index.html

Also, there are steps you can take to detect, prevent and report identity
theft. The Attorney General's website includes information regarding
identity theft at:

http://myfloridalegal.com/identitytheft

Also, you may wish to visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) website
regarding identity theft. This site outlines steps to take as the victim
of identity theft or fraud. You may wish to file a complaint with the
FTC's Identity Theft Clearinghouse, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest,
Washington D.C. 20580, toll-free telephone (877)438-4338. The website is:

http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

You may file an online complaint at the FTC's website, which also includes
the addresses and phone numbers for the three major credit reporting
agencies, as well as information on the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

In addition, Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act does
provide individuals with a private remedy to bring an action for damages,
attorney's fees and court costs. If you need help finding a lawyer, The
Florida Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service which you may contact
toll-free at (800) 342-8060.

The following is a list of agencies which you may wish to contact as you
seek to resolve your individual complaint:

Federal Trade Commission - Toll-free (877)382-4357
Internet: http://www.ftc.gov

BBB of Southeast Florida (serving Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach
areas)
Phone: (561)842-1918
Internet: www.bbbsoutheastflorida.org

County Consumer Protection Office
Miami-Dade County - Phone: (305)375-3677
Internet: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/csd/

Thank you for contacting Attorney General Crist's Office. We hope this
proves helpful.

My credit card was used in Florida too. This is my first time ever dealing with a fraudulent credit card purchase. Despite being aware of the thread here, I had been traveling and hadn't looked at the card until I got ready to pay the bill. This certainly leaves me with a truly negative impression of this entire LatinPass/Globalpass chain of events over the past three months.

:td:

I am getting the feeling this is an inside job. I had nearly $1,000 in charges from a Home Depot in Florida on the same VISA card I used to make June bookings. Cancelled that card, filled out fraud report, and thought that was the end of my problem.

Master Card bill just came in today with charges from Office Depot in Ft. Myers, Florida, in excess of $600 posted to it for purchases I did not make last week. I have not been to Office Depot or Home Depot even in my home state of California in more than a year. I have not been to Florida in more than five years. Looking thru old bills I note a legitimate charge from Global Pass on the same Master Card in January of 2005.

Now while it is possible someone else got access to my cards, I find the coincidence of all fraudulent charges occurring in Florida a bit suspicious. What is worrisome is the fact the credit card thieves may have access to old GP records. I also have a AMEX card I have used for old GP charges and I am about to cancel that account as well. What a pain in the ***.

I don't want to assign blame but it is possible some former employee is involved. It is also possible someone hacked into GPs network and has information. Somehow our records were not safeguarded! My advise check your credit card bills carefully.

I received a call from GP yesterday as they needed to bill me an extra $10 to send my tickets by courier to Canada, where I'm presently staying. I reluctantly gave them the number of my new Mastercard, i.e. the one which has never been used in the US and which replaced a compromised one about a month ago. Anyone care to place a bet as to how long it will take for a fraudulent charge to show up?

Can't believe they'd continue the fraud charges........but you never know.

Any updates ?

I know Im late to join this bandwagon but I rarely read the GlobalPiss forum anymore. Yes, I had fraudulent charges made in Florida as well with the credit card I used to pay for my ticket taxes.

Old Navy in Tampa for $533 and Staples for another $500 or so. I was fortunate as my card issuer removed the charges promptly and reissued a new account number for me.

What seems strange to me is: It doesn't seem the Cr. Card companies are trying hard to catch the perps. A number of years ago I had a Cr. Card stolen at a mail drop. I felt I knew it was one of the employees there and tried to let the Cr. Card company know so they could get the police involved and make an arrest. They probably could have looked at the signature and matched to the employee handwriting (there were only about 5 employees). But they did not seem interested in hearing my theory, even though I had some good reasons for my ideas.

Seems like a common link here and the Cr. Card companies and police could follow up. Anyone gotten feedback from them?? Just interested.

By the way, the Cr. Card company removed all charges from my account.

How on Earth is someone able to make purchases in a retail store with just a credit card number written on a piece of paper???? :confused:

How on Earth is someone able to make purchases in a retail store with just a credit card number written on a piece of paper???? :confused:


Good point, but my Cr. card was stolen when being sent to me.

My point is if these purchases, over the internet or phone, were traceable to a common address or area the merch. was shipped to or common name -- maybe some way to track back to an employee at GP (if that is the common connection for these "fraud" cases).

These fraudsters are using credit card blanks to make a credit card with our numbers and their name. American Express sent me a copy of a $1500 charge receipt (with the imprint of my card number and exp date) from Staples that was posted to my credit card account with a ficticious name.

Well, good news FINALLY!!

The FL Atty General has stepped up and started looking into the allegations....after all, we do have an election year coming up.......

Article was in today's Miami neghborhood weekly paper....not in the Herald though...somewhat disappointing..but at least it's starting!

Do they name the FL Attorney General so we can send their office our information.

I suppose no help or interest or replies from GP?

And these folks expect loyalty?

Do they name the FL Attorney General so we can send their office our information.


Here is the link so you can put in a complaint online:

http://myfloridalegal.com/contact.nsf/contact