Lilly2016

laurieco I don't know why janisj is harping on this either...

Thank you for all your input, I was just saying It may not be a good time for me to apply for a new zero exchange fees card.
We used to go to Canada a lot for shopping and our groceries, additionally when we travel we go from Canada...so between travel and shopping expenses we did pay hundreds of dollars in exchange fees on one statement (no exaggeration). our credit cards charge us 3% so does our ATM 3% for withdrawals.

Thank you for the heads up and advice. Regardless at this point with this mess - we will suck up the fees instead of opening up the new card. This is a very expensive trip for us (way above what we budgeted but I guess that is what happens when you have to move up your trip in high season, and now restart flights that have drastically increased in price.

Lilly2016

hi

thursdaysd

If you know that you are unnecessarily paying 3% in foreign transaction fees, why on earth are you still doing so? Apply for a Capital One credit card now, Master Card or Visa, doesn't matter too much which. Forget Discover and mostly AmEx in Europe. Worst case they say no, which seems unlikely.

Take some deep breaths, stop panicking, make a list and start working one item at a time.

MoBro

Should you cancel this trip, re-group, and start planning another trip that makes more sense?

Flwrhead

(Emphasis added). I think you nailed it, a quick perusal of posts over the past two years shows last minute, rush, rush, helphelphelp, and whew! Stresses me out just reading the titles.

MoBro

P.S. I just remembered a similar scam that my daughter got caught up in. She was traveling alone in South America, and discovered at the airport in Peru that her plane ticket was phony. She had purchased it through a third-party, of course. She'd used her debit card, so was out the money and had to pay $$$$ to catch a flight that day.
Lesson learned: don't use a debit card, for one. Avoid third-parties, also, unless it's Expedia or a known vendor like that.

mlgb

I suggested the OP FREEZE her credit due to Identify Theft. So if you have a FREEZE on your credit you can't get a new card. That's the RISK, that you don't keep the FREEZE on your credit and your identity is used to open new accounts, ruining your credit and resulting in a string of harassing phone calls from collection agencies down the line.

Interesting that so many of you didn't understand the RISK following what is obviously ID Theft due to Phishing.

Maybe applying today and then putting the FREEZE on after approval (if your credit is still good today it should be instantaneous).

thursdaysd

I don't remember seeing anything so far that says ID theft has occurred, only that it is possible. She can apply for a new card and then freeze her accounts. If it is actually ID theft then damage has presumably already occurred.

suze

No one is "harping" on anything. No one has told you to carry around thousands of dollars in cash. There is nothing that indicates there has been identity fraud.

Everyone, well most posts anyway, are simply trying to help.

sdtravels

Did you recheck with the airline? You card had not been charged the last time you checked.

mlgb

The fact that her card has been charged but she doesn't have tickets would be a clue? That the reservation agent behaved in a decidedly sketchy manner? Agree with sdtravels that now that she sees a charge she needs to check for tickets (or at least a reservation code). Chat with the airline and ask instead of calling.
Not unusual for any credit card charges to post a day or two later.

She can FREEZE her credit and then if the tickets are found, lift the FREEZE. There is still time to apply for another card, no rush. When there is ID theft, the charges don't show on your card. They sell the info and open new accounts in your name (for example, cellphone contracts). Some damage may or may not be done, but more damage can happen later as they wait to see if there is any action on the theft.

SHEESH.

Heimdall

I’m having trouble following this. Was the reservation agent psstravel.net, the one that supposedly lives in a 1000 sq ft house in a rundown neighbourhood in Big Spring, TX?

laurieco

A compromised credit card is NOT identity theft. Identity theft occurs when people open accounts in your name, have your social security number, mother's maiden name, etc. I've had plenty of credit cards compromised. It's a pain in the ass when you have recurring charges to a card, such as monthly cable bill, but it's just a matter of calling the bank or card provider, having them close that account and issuing you a new card. Change the monthly charges to the new card. It has never stopped me from applying for a new card and I have never placed a freeze on my credit.

kureiff

Same.

KTtravel

This confused me as well. When my credit cards were compromised, we were issued new cards. If I was worried about using that bank's card, I used another. This is why I saw no reason why the OP couldn't apply for a new card that wouldn't cost her as much in fees.

Sassafrass

Want to make sure that it is clear:
1. I was not recommending Pisa as a base, only to spend the night there before a flight from Pisa airport, if flight time was better than from Florence.
2. That if it is one ticket booking you through from Italy to Canada, with a layover, fine. The airlines will take care of it if a flight it delayed or missed due to delays or cancellations.
3. However, if it is separate tickets, you should spend the night in Frankfurt before the flight home because a delay or cancellation of the first flight that causes you to miss the (second) flight home will create a big problem and the airline will not help.
4. The general travel rule is to always spend the night before an international flight in the city of departure unless all tickets are part of the same booking, so the airlines is responsible for issues that arise.

If you do make it to Florence and it is overwhelming, take the bus or a taxi up to Fiesole, a small town on a hill overlooking Florence. There are a few ruins and a (pricey, but worth it for the views) restaurant with wonderful views overlooking Florence. We took the bus up and it is quite an enjoyable way to easily experience a bit of Italy in a cooler outdoor setting.

IMHO, the advice you are getting about getting a new credit card is good. It should be no problem. DH and I always each have a couple of credit cards and an ATM card, just in case something goes wrong with one card. Getting another credit card might be a good idea. If one that you have is compromised, you are still good for the trip. BTW, let your bank and credit card companies know that you will be out of the country and where you will be using your cards, you don’t want them to put a hold on your cards because they see suspicious transactions in another country.

Don’t feel bad about what happened. Just deal with it one step at a time. I think I am pretty aware and usually smart, but in a moment of enthusiasm at seeing an ad for a great sale on something I had been wanting that was out of my budget, I ordered multiples. As soon as I hit send, it hit me that it was a scam. I called my credit card company immediately and they were able to stop the transaction, and keep my credit card.
Identity theft is a different issue. It may not become obvious for months, but in your case, I don’t think that is what happened. They only had a credit card, not all your personal information.

mlgb

I have no confidence that whoever took the reservation doesn't have a lot of the OP's personal details, given her lack of sophistication, who knows?

laurieco

Well, if she gave her social security number, mother's maiden name and passwords, then yes, I would worry. But barring that, it sounds like a compromised credit card, nothing more. No big deal and very common. Card issuers are used to it and eat the charges.
ETA: the one big deal is, it drives up the cost of fees when card issuers have to pay for unauthorized charges. And I hate that thieves get away with it much of the time.

Sassafrass

Unfortunately, I hope not, but you could be right. The OP has not said. She is so stressed, it is possible she was not thinking clearly. People make poor decisions when they are feeling rushed as well as stressed. Perhaps her DH needs to step up and say, “I’ve got this for you.”
I do most of our trip planning because, TBH, I am happier to be making the decisions, (read: l like to be in charge, don’t trust other’s choices, etc., etc.). However, if I do get stressed, DH steps in to at least give support, and sometimes even rescue when I actually screw up. Plus, everyone in my family is happy to have it done by someone else, and just goes with the flow, not too upset if things go South once in a while.

Sassafrass

Not just with your luck. With anybody’s luck, carrying a wad of cash around in any country is frankly, not just not wise, but stupid and a risk to their bodily person. All you need is enough for a drink, a gelato, perhaps a sandwich. Use a credit card. Put any information in yourself. Do not let it out of your sight. Use a money belt and hidden passport carrier or leave it locked with your hotel.

Another note for you. I have not been in Italy for a few years, so this may have changed. Someone can correct me if it has. If you use a bus in Italy, be sure to stamp your ticket when you get on the bus. The ticket is not enough. It must be Stamped.

If you do not have one, pick up a good guide book for Italy. You can read it while traveling through Germany and Switzerland. All these little things are helpful.