Rey Anthony H.
Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol May 6 (PIA) -- A manager from a luxury
resort in Panglao has asked the PPOC for the right protocol in reporting a
probable scam, which may have also affected similar establishments in
Bohol.
Former president of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(BCCI) and now South Palms Resort manager Marietta Gasatan raised this concern
during the the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting
last week, as she expressed alarm over credit card scammers who may have
found an all too convenient way to dupe resorts of money.
"In the resort, somebody makes a weeklong reservation,
swiping credit cards," she said.
Banks upon whose credits the cards are linked however, "takes
time to process [the transactions]," the former lady banker added.
Seemingly, in between the period, the cards are swiped at the card
reader and the process when banks can identify if the card is genuine or not,
the bogus customer would have already checked out, leaving behind a list of
fraudulently charged bills.
Within that span of time, the establishment would have
enough hunch to doubt about the transaction, but Gasatan wants to know
"how establishments would react and who would they coordinate to stall the
suspicious customer."
For the law enforcers, City Police Chief Superintendent George
Vale shared how credit card skimming has become a popular mode of stealing
personal data and even making duplicate credit cards.
Vale, who had such an experience while starting off as enforcer in
the National Capital Region, warned card owners: do not leave your cards out of
your sight.
He added, some syndicates use waiters and skimming devices kept
just out of sight that a simple swipe can immediately duplicate all data.
"To be assured, ask for proper identification cards,"
Vale urged.
To those manning luxurious establishments, however, asking
for other corresponding identification could be read as impropriety.
To this, the PPOC, through a motion from Prosecutor Macario
Delusa, resolved to create a special task force, and to ask the proper
authorities to cascade trainings to law enforcers who could be assigned to do
particular tasks. (rac/PIA-7Bohol/PR)