Holiday scam - Credit Card Fraud?

Mr.Mulla

sallyhug wrote: »

My daughter, a single parent on benefits, was phoned on an 0800 number by a company called Calypso Cay telling her that she had won a holiday through her bank.
They told her that all she needed to pay were the taxes which were £600
She does not have a credit card but they took the details of her debit card.
As soon as she told me I told her to phone her bank and cancel the payment. This was a couple of hours after they called her.
The bank said the payment had already been requested but because it was Friday night they couldn't do any more until Monday.
She only fell for this because is emotionally fragile right now.
What can she do to make sure the payment is stopped?

Another victim? Thats bad.

You just have to wait till Monday since that's what her bank said so. Just be sure to call back on Monday so you could stop the it.

mariposa6009

mharries wrote: »

These people are back.

There are also reports from persons in Cornwall and London recently on a US website 'ripoffreport'

So, they are targeting the UK currently

I spent 23 mins on the phone earlier.

When querying who they were and why I should give them my credit card details I was told a 'Digital Audio Receipt' would be given to my credit card company and to call them to verify the charge for $598.

I called Barclaycard who were perplexed...

I was given a number to call back in the US
00 1 786 879 77 73
when you ring 'this mailbox is full'
The names of the people ringing were Jessica Clarke and Kevin (Director)

It was very convincing until they asked for money - hmmm, why?

The call went downhill when they were challenged on who they are

Beware people

That's not the real Calypso Cay....if you go to their website calypsocay .com
You will see the correct number for them is 0800-091-0910 for UK and US local is 407-997-1732.
(786) is NOT Central FL area code!
Calypso is real and has been a resort since 1999, very beautiful, but the people you talked to were only pretending to be them.

hippey

But to make it more complicated the area code 786 is for Miami-Dade county, and most people in the UK might think..ahh thats a US phone number and it looks right it must be right!

As always if it seems to good to be true it normally is!

Meems

.....

Then she said an unusual sentence, she said "make sure you type in the web address box the correct site name. DON'T GOOGLE THE NAME OR SITE AS IT WON'T GIVE THE CORRECT DETAILS, IT'S NOT LISTED WITH THEM".
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU ARE TOLD - IF SOMETHING SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!!

I wish I'd done what you did - 'cos guess what?
Yes, it was 'Jessica' I spoke to, as well as Thomas Beckert ("I'll spell that for you") and Marcello Anthony, and they said to go to their website to look at the cruise-liner (WHATT???? :rotfl:), but because I've actually had quite a bit of luck with this sort of thing in the past, I just went ahead with it.
Then I saw this lot. :mad:

I've already been onto my bank, as it didn't show up on my statement, but I was told that it had already gone through - I reckon they do it while they keep you talking, you're waiting to be put through for 'the final verification' (yeh, right... ) and as for the recording! I could hardly hear any of it, but that's no excuse.

Oh boy, I can't believe this... Now I'll just have to wait for the package to arrive (thanks for the heads-up on what THAT entails!) then contact them and sent it back.

Hair-raising, indeed. :eek:

Meems

mariposa6009 wrote: »

That's not the real Calypso Cay....if you go to their website calypsocay .com
You will see the correct number for them is 0800-091-0910 for UK and US local is 407-997-1732.
(786) is NOT Central FL area code!
Calypso is real and has been a resort since 1999, very beautiful, but the people you talked to were only pretending to be them.

I do hope you're right, Mariposa. But how do we know?? How does this help? If they send the info, are we to trust it?
I have looked on this page, and the resort itself does look lovely, with the villas and all, but I don't know where we'll be staying while we there, and we're talking about a "cruise" on a ferry!
I know you can't expect much for the money, but surely you don't want to be holed up on a ferry-boat for 4 nights? And where will they put you once you're there?

I did ask a lot of questions, as I did have my suspicions, and I admit that it all sounded fine to me. I'm not that naive to just take everything at face value, but these people have to be very good if they can answer off-the-cuff, ad-hoc things the way they did.

Or maybe it's just practice... :cool:

hippey

Mind you it isn't hard to guess the first 4 digits of peoples credit cards, a few simple questions and a list of BIN numbers soon gives it away.

You would be suprised that the people who fall for these scams are also the people who give an awful lot away on the phone anyway, how many times have I heard these scammers call from 'your credit card' and they find out so much so they can guess the issuer and then say 'Yes this is Barclaycard and for your security blah blah blah.....' and 'I will give you the first four digits 4929....'

Its very easy for these people to do this and when they ring someone who is switched on, they just hang up and try someone else!

Searcherman

I thought I'd already put a comment and request in here but it looks like it slipped through the internet cables.

My mother, 84, was conned out of just under £500 by these people in November 2009. I didn't find out until Jan/Feb 2010, a bit outside the 30 limit to claim back from them.

I have approached Lloyds TSB on her behalf and they asked my to contact Calypso Cay direct and ask for a refund.

Does anyone have a confirmed telephone number or address for these scammers I can have.

Lloyds TSB MUST also have contact details if they are processing their requests, so them or the Police, or both to try to get something back.

Next Madam Fifi the tarot card reader who wants another cheque for £27 to read your future and tell you you haven't won the lottery.

peoples

Don't worry these very nice people are still alive and well. Yesterday at about 5 pm I received a call from Jeremiah telling me my name had been given to them by their holiday partners, Visa and Mastercard and that I qualified for an 8 day holiday costing a mere $900 and I could take 4 people with me. Naturally I was enthusiastic. I then spoke to someone else who told me that holidays for those living in the UK had been filled but he had fortunately been able to transfer some from Australian residents to UK people. I gave him a fake name and address. We got on very well. I was told the holiday was so cheap because part of it was going to look at a time share. Providing 1 out of 10 viewers bought a timeshare this would effectively pay for the cheap holiday. Our chat got a little more difficult when I declined to him any info about my credit card. After about 25 minutes I put the phone down.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

peoples wrote: »

After about 25 minutes I put the phone down.

Amateur! You should have been able to string them along longer than that.

peoples

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

Amateur! You should have been able to string them along longer than that.

Quite correct. I am hanging my head in shame at such incompetence.