Credit Card Scam Targets Disney Guests

**Stitch** · 02-29-2008, 02:06 PM

POSTED: 5:51 pm EST February 28, 2008
UPDATED: 6:43 pm EST February 28, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Disney visitors fall victim to credit card scams.

Detectives said the credit card scam could be the work of just one man who contacted people staying in Disney hotels and offered them deals that sounded too good to be true.

"He said something like, 'Your dream has come true,'" victim Linda Clark said.

Clark was staying at Disney's Pop Century resort, when she got a call from a man posing as a Disney employee.

"I had been chosen to receive tickets to the Hoop Dee Doo revue for $20 each," Clark said. "And I thought, 'Gee, that's a wonderful thing.' And they said that I would need a credit card number to hold the tickets."

There were no tickets waiting for Clark, and she later discovered her credit card had been used to buy $1,500 in Disney tickets.

"I couldn't believe that I had fallen for that," Clark said.

Clark is one of nine Disney hotel visitors taken by the scam. Their credit cards hit up for more than $11,000 in fraudulent charges.

Most of the victims were targeted between October and last month and were staying at Disney's Polynesian resort.

"White collar crime, identity theft, credit card fraud -- apparently easy to do and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to pull these crimes off," Jim Solomons of the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators are strongly considering the theft the work of a Disney employee.

A company spokeswoman said, "We have placed information in resort rooms to remind guests to protect their credit card information while traveling and to inform them that cast members will never contact them by phone while they are visiting us to request their credit card information."

The story has somewhat of a happy ending.

In each case, Disney helped the nine victims negotiate with their credit card companies to re-credit the more than $11,000 back to their accounts.

The sheriff's office is tracking clues they hope will lead to the person who is responsible.

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**GIOny** · 02-29-2008, 02:18 PM

What a lowlife. I wonder how he got the names of the people and their room numbers to call into the resort. It almost sounds like an inside job

**disneydame2004** · 02-29-2008, 03:10 PM

It didn't say they called the guest by name in the report, so all they would have needed was the phone number to a resort room. They may even have been able to just call the resort desk and ask for room 2319, though I think they usually ask for a name too.

I did see the new warning cards in my room at AKL in January. Basically they said to protect your credit cards and that cast members would not ask for your card # over the phone.

**mritty** · 02-29-2008, 03:28 PM

Someone on RADP was saying another news report claimed the guy was just hanging around the hotel, eavesdropping on conversations to hear names and room numbers. I have no idea whether there's any facts to back up that claim, however.

**mini-V** · 02-29-2008, 03:35 PM

Too bad the tickets that were purchased can't be tracked. They may not be used by the person that stole them, but a trail is a trail.

**Thumper10** · 02-29-2008, 04:49 PM

Oh the things people will do. What a shame. I hope that they will somehow find a way to track the guy down.

**disneyfanatic101** · 02-29-2008, 06:40 PM

WOW! This is just sad...

My personal finance/marketing teacher said the newest scam is people copying the number off the gift cards in the check out line. So when you activate it they can buy stuff. So don't take the first one!

**nicki12** · 02-29-2008, 07:52 PM

That is horrible! Good thing they got their money back. I don't understand why people would do that.

**HauntedGabe** · 02-29-2008, 11:56 PM

This would just ruin my vacation.

**Disney05** · 03-01-2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by disneyfanatic101

WOW! This is just sad...

My personal finance/marketing teacher said the newest scam is people copying the number off the gift cards in the check out line. So when you activate it they can buy stuff. So don't take the first one!

I've heard this for a while. Some people can just ruin it for everyone.

**HauntedGabe** · 03-01-2008, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by disneyfanatic101

WOW! This is just sad...

My personal finance/marketing teacher said the newest scam is people copying the number off the gift cards in the check out line. So when you activate it they can buy stuff. So don't take the first one!

Oh Dear, something else to worry about. Thanks for sharing your education with us, it is certainly something we all need to be aware of.

**blue donkey** · 03-01-2008, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by disneyfanatic101

WOW! This is just sad...

My personal finance/marketing teacher said the newest scam is people copying the number off the gift cards in the check out line. So when you activate it they can buy stuff. So don't take the first one!

Wow!

Thanks for the tip.

I buy giftcards frequently & never thought of that.