credit card rip off at Ercan

mahdel


Joined: 28/05/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 17:35

I recently flew out to London for a short trip, and while at Ercan realized I needed some batteries. I went to one of the gift shops near check in and bought some and handed over a card. They swiped it, then told me it was declined. I dutifully handed over another one, paid and went on my way. Imagine my surprise when looking at my original card bill this week and found that I had been charged TWICE. While it was only a small amount, I am still incensed at the charge. It's not worth disputing the charges, but I wanted to warn other people to be very careful using any cards at these places. I'm sure they assumed I was a tourist and wasn't returning so they could do what they liked for small amounts of money without any repercussions. I suppose it could have been an honest mistake, and so I won't name the shop, but nevertheless, everyone should watch carefully when purchasing items at the shops near check in and preferably use cash. I know I will in the future.

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 17:44

mahdel



Have you contacted your card Company and complained to them? Worth a shot!

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:06

Definitely worth contacting the credit card company and sending them evidence of the duplicate transaction, that should be enough. I recently ordered 3 adult and 2 children tickets online from CTA, the correct price was displayed on the screen but was only emailed the tickets, no invoice. Checked the statement and I'd been charged for 5 adult tickets. Read http://www.ontheisland.co.uk for current status of complaint.

Mal

mahdel


Joined: 28/05/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:10

the charges were for 7 lira each, and it's for a foreign credit card and I'd have to pay a fair bit just to make the calls. I'll contact them and see what I can do, but for less than 10 pounds if the hassle is too much it's not worth it. I wish now I'd asked to get the receipt that said declined, but i'm willing to treat it as a cautionary experience otherwise. I just wanted to make sure other people were careful with those places, as I'm sure it's a fairly common con they pull since they must assume people leaving aren't going to come back and make a complaint any time soon.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:22

And how many other people have they done this to & similarly don't bother to report it? You could report to your credit card company, & Ercan Airport police and management. That should stop it in it's tracks.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:27

You can email or write to your c/c company with the basic details and an indication of your card (not the whole details) and give them you phone number - they will most probably call you.



This sounds like they tried two diffeent machines and it was an innocent error (I have seen it before) the c/c company will arrange to get the TL back for you and should refund any cash handling charge too.

kaysera


Joined: 14/07/2009
Posts: 103

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:45

Mahdel:

I had an incident like this on an on-line purchase, for a considerable ammount of money. The company rang me to check the details of my card as they said it had showed as an error twice. I then paid for the item on another card. My bill came through showing 3 payments for the same item, I rang 'Barclaycard', who explained that the errors come through in a different way and by the time it came to actually pay the bill the 2 error charges were no longer there.

This could be the same case for you, hopefully.

I know I haven't explained this very well as it was some time ago, but I was thinking bad of the company involved at first, but it all came good in the end.

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 18:51

There was a report recently on BBC about CC fraud.



The most common scams were for small amounts, under £5, which most people didn't bother complaining about, or couldn't recollect.



Multiply that £5 by 1m and you have a serious scam.



Hopefully your Ercan error was just an error, but you have to be aware of how major scammers operate.



Rob

mahdel


Joined: 28/05/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 19:17

After reading your replies I will try and contact my card company online. It's an American card, with no chip and pin (why banks in the US still do this when they'd prevent a fair amount of fraud by changing the card is beyond me) and so i think it is possible that it was just a mistake, which is why I chose not to name the shop itself. I'll let you know how it goes. I tried to resolve the issue at the airport when I came back, but the language barrier was a bit much and I was in a hurry.

wanderer


Joined: 05/02/2009
Posts: 1653

Message Posted:
27/08/2009 19:24

So second time in a restaurant this time there was four of us we cam e to pay the bill my card did not work my wife's card did not work the owner said pay me next time

We paid cash it was his machine he had forgot to pay the rental on it of 5or 10ytl

but what a nice man we have been back many times the food is eccellent

bankadan


Joined: 14/12/2007
Posts: 979

Message Posted:
28/08/2009 08:23

Sometimes what happens is a kind of 'test' transaction (not sure exactly why or what they call it). Apparently then it is automatically put back to the card.

This has happened to me on a couple of occasions for a mimnimal amount, after the transaction has been declined the amount has then charged back to the card.

ı would maybe check see if this is the case?

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
28/08/2009 10:41

Report it to your CC company - if they find the same place is doing this frequently, they will remove their CC facilities



Mark

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
28/08/2009 11:03

Also beware that people are ringing round pretending to be from VISA or MASTER CARD Securitys and Fraud department and give a badge number then saying your card had been flagged for Unusual Purchases.

They then tell you a ( fictious ) sale has been made somewhere using your card.

When you confirm that you did not make the purchase they ask you to check your card has not been stolen or lost. You confirm you still have the card and the person then tells you the company was one under investigation and your money will be refunded and will be on your end of month statement.

They tell you to ring the 0800 number on the back of your card if you have any questions AND then ask you to confim you still have the cardf by reading out the seven ( 7 ) numbers on the back of your card.

THE LAST THREE ( 3 ) NUMBERS ARE THE ONES THEY WANT. DO NOT EVER GIVE THESE OUT.

VISA and MASTER CARD never ask for details of your card. They already have them.

Beat the scammers. Pass this on.

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
28/08/2009 16:37

Also Visa and MasterCard don't have credit card customers themselves. If you were to get a call from a fraud department, and they do genuinely call if there are unusual purchases on your card, it would be from your card issuing bank and not Visa or MasterCard.

piggy


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 132

Message Posted:
30/08/2009 21:34

Interesting, I used my Turkish HSBC card at Ercan Duty Free last December and after it was declined, used an alternative card to pay for the goods. Once back in the UK noticed via my Turkish HSBC internet account that a different amount had been taken out of my HSBC account from the same outlet at the Duty Free at Ercan Airport.



Immediately cancelled the card and once back in the TRNC visited the HSBC in Girne and explained what had happened. Although it was a long process and many visits (5 months) I did get reimbursed for the amount which had been taken out of the account.



Next time I visit the Duty Free at Ercan I will be paying in cash!