Thread: IS credit card fraud widespread in Namibia?

Judging by recent reports in the media credit card fraud is a problem in Namibia. It certainly is not unique to the country, or even the region. The following article appeared in The Namibian very recently:

Namibia: Credit-Card Fraud Widespread - Tourism Industry

Denver Isaacs
11 February 2009

THE theft of about N$96 000 from a Portuguese couple who visited Namibia last year is but the tip of the iceberg as far as credit-card fraud in Namibia is concerned, sources in the tourism industry say.

Following the report in yesterday's newspaper of Jose and Ana Alcada, who suspect that Namibian service staff were responsible for the fraudulent withdrawal of about 8 000 euros from their credit-card account earlier this year, similar incidents targeting tourists were reported to The Namibian yesterday.

Windhoek resident Nicola Brodie said her mother, who visited the country from Germany in December, lost about 700 euros in the same way.

She only discovered the fraud when she received her bank statements a month later, Brodie said.

"After returning home she also noticed some transactions that she never made. The two transactions were done at BH Spares & Accessory, a spare shop we definitely never visited.

"Thank God she was insured and after laying a charge at the German police she got her money back," Brodie said.

Brodie, who lives at Brakwater outside Windhoek, says she gave up after unsuccessfully trying to lay charges telephonically at both the Windhoek and Katutura Police stations.

Also speaking to The Namibian yesterday was Sven-Eric Kanzler, public relations consultant for the Gondwana collection of tourism establishments, who said although credit-card fraud is relatively new to Namibia, it has been known in Europe for the better part of the last decade.

Gondwana last year fired a number of staff members following an investigation into charges of credit-card fraud at one of its lodges.

In a statement released by the company in October after questioning the staff involved, Gondwana suggested that about 20 credit-card copying devices are believed to be in circulation countrywide.

It said the staffers had confirmed that a well-organised syndicate was behind the scam.
The device is the size and shape of a car remote control and can be carried in a person's pockets, Gondwana said.

"Should the client hand over his or her credit card for payment, this card will then first be inserted in the box to be scanned and only afterwards be swiped in the correct credit card machine," the statement read.

It was also suggested that the fraudsters exclusively targeted tourists, making it more difficult to capture the culprits.

According to Ana Alcada, Visa has launched an investigation into the money stolen with her card, and has since reimbursed her.

She told The Namibian yesterday that she had used her card at two places in Namibia - at Okaukuejo in the Etosha National Park on December 28, and at the Hosea Kutako Airport's Duty-Free and Premium Travellers' Cafe on January 1.

Her husband had said a day earlier that she had only used her card at the airport.

And this article was published on allafrica.com:

Tourists fall victim to credit card fraud
By allafrica.com | Feb 11, 2009
A Portuguese couple say they lost about 8 000 euros (N$96 000) to credit card fraud after visiting Namibia last year, and they suspect the involvement of Namibian service staff.

The couple, Jose and Ana Alcada, say they only used their credit card once during their trip, then suddenly found themselves billed for a myriad of credit card transactions in Namibia and South Africa.

According to Jose Alcada, his wife had been waiting for her flight at Hosea Kutako Airport on the night of January 1 when she decided to use her Visa card to buy items at the airport restaurant.

She boarded her flight and returned home, he said, and was only reminded of the transaction more than a month later when Visa informed her of irregularities in the use of her card.
"She only noticed when Visa announced (to) her that (her) card was being simultaneously used in Portugal, Namibia and South Africa," Alcada told The Namibian in e-mail correspondence.

Alcada said Visa suggested to his wife that her card may have been cloned when used on holiday, leaving them to suspect staff at Hosea Kutako.
The thieves apparently used Alcada's card to buy goods and withdraw cash from ATMs. Visa has since refunded Alcada for her loss.
No criminal charges were laid.

Contacted yesterday, the Namibia Airports Company's Airports Commercial Officer, Faye Kandjeo, said she had not been informed of any such incident, adding that more could have been done had the Alcadas reported it to the Police.

She offered to have the person running the restaurant contact The Namibian for comment, but by time of going to press, this had not happened.

"Unfortunately when word of incidents like this spreads, Namibia is left with a bad reputation," said Mari Koch of travel agency New African Frontiers, to whom the Alcadas first reported their ordeal.

"It doesn't seem to be an isolated incident. A number of other tour operators have also been complaining of theft and fraud with tourists as victims," she said.

Last week, First National Bank warned customers of new tactics used by con artists and thieves.

Originally Posted by Andrew1

I heard and read about credit card fraud. I'm sure it is not unique to the country, but how widespread is it? Some friends want to visit and it will ge good if they know what to expect.

Stop worry about minor issues. Namibia is like any country in the world. Look at all the European people that enjoy Namibia permanently. That should speak for it all.

If anything happens, to the extend that you might loose money due to certain fraudulent issues, your bank will not keeping you responsible. It happens to me in Madeira. In one way or the other, people get to my banking details and I got a bill of more then £25,000.00.

I inform my bank (HSBC) and they solve the issue.

Let sleeping dogs lay.

is the same here. some tourist and local people get robbed and credit card stolen. keep safe and don't be foolish that's all.

Thanks. From what I see it is a problem and so i will be very careful and not hand my card ot anyone unless they handle it in front of me.