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Hotel Credit Card Fraud

The following incident just occurred to a friend of ours staying at a Dayton House resort in Myrtle Beach. It was a last-minute girl’s weekend at the beach. Our friend called the hotel, made a reservation, provided a debit card, and headed to the beach. Everything was normal with check-in and she got to the oceanfront room booked. Shortly after check-in, she received a phone call claiming that the front desk had an issue with the card provided, and they needed to run her card again. Without thinking, our friend gave them the card number over the phone. Luckily her traveling companion thought it might be a good idea to get an updated receipt from the front desk. At the front desk, they were told they did call her room. The desk agent then confirmed this was a known scam that was hitting area hotels. When asked why she did not warn them at check-in, the desk agent said it’s something that just happens, and they are not responsible. This was on a Sunday, so she was limited to locking her account. She then had to take time out of her vacation to visit a local branch to request a new card.

It is true that this happens regularly, and it is not normally the fault of the hotel. However, the hotel was aware of the problem. This is no different than signage placed in the parking decks to warn guests to lock doors, removal valuables, and that the hotel is not responsible for the loss. Signage is there to limit liability for the hotel and to provide a basic warning. So, what is the liability for attempted fraud in the hotel's name, if the hotel is aware of the issue? It is a good idea to check the state Attorney Generals' consumer for guidance. Per the consumer protection section of www.findlaw.com:

Generally, a hotel will not be responsible for crimes committed on or near the hotel’s premises. The exception to this is if the hotel should have anticipated the crime and failed to prevent it. A common example of this would be if the hotel were located in a high crime area, but didn’t put any safeguards in place (such as locked windows and bright lighting). Hotels must also warn of any known criminal problems around the hotel.

In this case, the hotel staff confirmed that this was a known issue, and confirmed they failed to notify the guest at check-in, but felt they were not responsible. To confirm if this was a property management issues or just the fault of a single employee, we checked the hotel's safety tips, and a generic comment is made about people physically attempting to access the room, but it does not mention any attempts to collect payment in the hotel's name.


To avoid a similar issue, we recommend the following tips:

• If you received any call after checking into a hotel claiming that there is an issue with your card. Always return to the front desk.
• If the person pushes back or threatens you, let them know that you provided a credit card to check-in, and will settle issues at check out.
• Although convenient, avoid giving credit cards over the phone. If the company you’re working with has a website, use that as an option, or just book a room. If the hotel does not have online booking, use a third-party website as an alternative.
• If you prefer paying at the hotel, websites like Booking.com, hotels.com, and Travelocity.com offer options for paying at the hotel instead of prepaying for the booking.
• If you do must give a hotel a credit card over the phone to book, I recommend using a prepaid card. You can request one from your bank or current credit card company. The prepaid card is issued in your name, offer cash back, travel, or rewards points, and provides a buffer between you and your backing information.

Walmart Layaway 2020

Walmart Holiday Layaway is available in stores during the holiday season. All supercenters offer layaway year round for jewelry purchases only. Layaway is not offered for online purchases.

How it works:

• There’s no opening fee
• All you need to do is make a small down-payment of $10, or 10%, whichever is greater.

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The rules:

• Minimums - Individual items must be $10 or greater. Total purchases must be $50 or greater
• Terms - Layaway begins August 28, 2020. Final payment and pickup must be made on or before December 9, 2019, at the same store where layaway was initiated, if not the Layaway account will be canceled. Excludes all wireless phones.

• In addition to our Every Day Low Prices, Walmart stores offer even more opportunities to save money while holiday shopping: 

Be sure to check out the online Savings Center where Walmart highlights their best values, including items on Clearance, Rollbacks, Special Buys—many of which can be put on Layaway in our stores. To get to the savings, simply visit the page at www.walmart.com/savingscenter

 

• Cancellation - If the account is closed or canceled, items will be returned to inventory. Down payment and payments made will be refunded, less $20 or $20%, whichever is greater. The cancellation fee does not apply in Ohio, Maryland, Rhode Island, or Washington DC. Cancellation fee in AL will not exceed $25. Cancellation fee in NC will not exceed $50
• Returns - Walmart Returns Policy applies to all layaway transactions

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Pickup & Pay:

• Location - Layaway may be initiated at the Pickup Desk, Photo Center or Garden Center. Look for signs at the entrance or see the Pickup Desk for details. Payments can be made at any register. Upon final payment, customers may be asked to pick up Layaway merchandise at a separate location such as the Garden Center

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Restrictions:

• In stores only (not available for online purchases)
• Available for Electronics, Auto Electronics, Large Furniture, Toys, Infant Toys and Furniture, Select Sporting Goods, Small Appliances and Jewelry
• Excludes all wireless phones
• Layaway not available on Thursday, November 26th

Worried about booking due to the Coronavirus - Airlines Waiving Change Fees

There is fine print, of course. The biggest, in all the change-fee waivers to date: you can’t buy a nonrefundable ticket under this policy and request a refund if your plans change or you don’t want to travel. You can change or cancel the ticket for free. If you cancel, you’ll receive credit for a future flight.

An airline-by-airline look:

American Airlines: American’s waiver allows travelers who purchase tickets between March 1 and March 16 to change or cancel them without paying fees that start at $200 per person. The new policy covers tickets purchased for travel through late January 2021.

On American, the fee will be waived for changes made up to 14 days prior to travel. So if you buy a ticket for a summer trip and need to change it for lingering coronavirus concerns or any reason, you just have to change it at least two weeks before departure to avoid the fee.

Fare differences will apply: If you book a $150 round-trip ticket from Chicago to Orlando and the going rate is $300 when you change the ticket to another date, you’ll pay an extra $150.

Delta Air Lines: Delta’s waiver covers travelers who buy tickets between March 1 and March 31 for international travel, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Flights within the U.S are not covered. Tickets can be purchased for travel as far out as February 2021. Fare differences apply to changed tickets.

United Airlines: United’s waiver covers travelers who buy tickets between March 3 and March 31 for travel to any destination. Travelers can change their ticket to another flight (fare differences apply) or cancel the trip and receive a credit that is good for a year from the date the ticket was purchased.

JetBlue Airways: JetBlue’s temporary change fee waiver, which applies to tickets purchased between Feb. 27 and March 11, covers travel through June 1. Travelers will receive credit for a future flight. Fare differences will apply on the new tickets.

Alaska Airlines: Alaska’s waiver covers tickets purchased Feb. 27 through March 12 for travel through June 1. Fare differences will be applied to any changes.

British Airways: British Airways’ “Book with Confidence″ policy covers tickets purchased between March 3 and March 16. Changes can be made any time before departure, but any fare difference will apply.

Is the $98 Vacation Village Offer too good to be true?

Vacation Village is offering a $2300 7 day / 6 night, two city vacation for $98. This is a timeshare. If you can handle the 2-3 hour sales pitch, this is a good deal. Keep in mind the units range from $5000 to $37,000, plus annual maintenance, and the biggest red flag is the company’s F rating with the BBB. 

https://bit.ly/2lO0uhd

So what do you get

3 nights accommodations in South Florida and another 3 nights in Orlando. All units have kitchens and living areas. On the downside, check in is after 4:00, and usually takes 2-3 hours, and check out is by 10:00, or you will risk being charged a late fee. Given that you will need to travel to Florida, and between South Florida and Orlando, this will need to be added to the cost of the trip. But discount carriers like Allegiant or Frontier can help cut cost. 

Well, is this worth it? 

No! You work hard, and should enjoy a stress free trip to Florida. As we mentioned above, the above low cost, and many standard airlines are offer discounted flights into Florida. If you want to go, but would like to cut travel cost, book early and go in the mid to late fall to avoid crowds or in the spring. With both time periods, you can take advantage of discounted o oneway rentals into or out of Florida. 

Like snowbirds, rental car companies’ move their fleets south for the winter. Instead of paying a fee to move the cars north, they offer special one-way rentals out of the state of Florida. This is a great opportunity to take in a Florida vacation for a fraction of the price, by combining a one-way fare to Florida through a low-cost carrier like Allegiant, or Spirit, with a one-way car rental home. 

We ranked the following offers starting with Alamo. We felt they offered the most flexible options and was the first to post complete program details. That said if you can earn points with one of the other companies, by all means, stack a cheap rental with points towards the next free rental or reward level.  

1. Alamo – Base Rate $9.99/Day

• Available on one-way rentals picked up at participating Florida locations and returned to a participating Enterprise location in the Continental US outside of Florida.
• Offer valid for reservations picked up between March 26-May 31, 2018 from the following participating Florida locations:  Fort Myers, Sarasota, Naples, Punta Gorda, Orlando, Disney Hotels, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, and Sanford.
• Offer valid for reservations picked up between April 1-May 31, 2018 from the following participating Florida locations:  Tampa, Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm, Key West and Boca Raton.
• Offer rate as low as $9.99 base rate per day applies to an Economy through a Full-Size vehicle, as low as $19.99 base rate per day applies to Intermediate and Standard SUVs and as low as $24.99 base rate per day applies to Minivans.  Base rate excludes taxes, fees, and surcharges.

Although Alamo advertises a base rate of $7.99, lower rates are available, depending on the renal location. The program may also be available through select National Car Rental and Enterprise locations, however, it is not advertised. We list Alamo as #1 because it offers the most flexibility for outbound locations.

2. Hertz – Base Rate $7.99/Day

• Pending Confirmation: Their offer is usually a little better than Avis. We will update as soon as the program terms are published. Be sure to subscribe to this post for updates. 

3. Avis – Pending Confirmation Usually has a base rate of $10.00 Per/Day

We have no details, and nothing has been set, but with a rate that is often lower than Budgets advertised rate, we fell that whatever they offer will be better.

4. Budget Car Rental – Base Rate $14.49/day

• Valid for rentals April 1, 2018 – May 31, 2018, with BSD Code BCD code S374100
  
  
• Vehicle must be picked up at a participating Florida location and returned to a different participating U.S. location outside the state of Florida; excludes pick-up from Pensacola and Jacksonville

Participating drop off cities include: Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, San Antonio, St. Louis, Boston, Buffalo, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Washington/Baltimore, Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Raleigh Durham, Albuquerque, Northern California, Portland, Seattle, Southern California

The base rate is higher than the other offers, with a short offer window. The one plus is the option of going coast to coast for a flat rate; which may work for college students heading home, or someone relocating. But the offer is available through Alamo for a lower price with a better vehicle inventory. 

Convert your old Cell Phone into a Home/Travel Security Camera

Ever wondered what the hotel maid does in your room when you are not there, want to know if the kids made it home from school okay or you just want to watch the house while on a long trip? I wanted to do the same while on a weekend trip leaving a mischievous senior citizen and a teen alone. I know about all the paid options, but I needed an alternative to the quick and easy $200 options. I also did not want the networked security system. 

My first thought was a dash cam, (we have several installed for the above teen driver), but that would require removing the cameras from the car, but it is a viable options depending on your monitoring goals. My next thought, phones. There just has to be an app that will let me turn old phones into a security system. As luck would have it, there are several free or low cost options. 

But in looking for a low cost, (free), option, I checked and most free aps should have the following basic options:

• Uses the phone/tablet’s camera to detect motion and record full video/audio.
• Instantly upload photos to a free cloud storage account if connected to a network of WI-FI. 
• Notifies you via email, text that recording has started or alarm has been triggered.
• Options to start an alarm after a period of time,with or without sound. For example, if you are using this while traveling, you may want to opt for a silent alarm in order to not alert the hotel staff. This would just let you know they are in your room.  

To get started 

You will need a smart phone running Windows, iOS or Android. If you do not have an old off contract smart phone, buy a prepaid Android or Windows phones off eBay, or through your local big box store. Most phones will run $20 - $30; with a few sales that can place basic smart phones as low as $10. Just skip the network activation.

What are you goals

The following are considered the best security camera apps by the operating system with free basic service with some type of paid option. This is a good start, but you should do your own research to determine what will work best for your situation:

Salient Eye (Android) 

• Captures pictures on motion detection
• SMS and email alerts (optional)
• Push notification alerts (optional, requires registration and remote control app: remote.salient-eye.com)
• Sounds alarm (optional) - Example, you want to monitor activity in a hotel room, or to use as baby monitor
• Scheduler - pre set the days and hours in which the system will start and stop automatically
• Auto active of led light (=Flash) on low light conditions
• Photos are available immediately online (optional)
• Start/Stop/Take picture remotely (optional, requires subscription on the remote control app: remote.salient-eye.com)
• Keeps working when screen is turned off
• Password Protection
• Works up to 10 hours with no power supply (on battery)
• Very easy to setup and use

Manythings (iOS 6.0 or later)

• Rasy set-up - simply install the app on both phones. 
• Live video streaming - CCTV functionality to see what’s going on in real time. 
• Motion activation - camera will automatically record on movement.
• Cloud-based DVR - past events are automatically backed up to the cloud. 
• iPhone, iPad and web viewers - gives access from anywhere. 
• Motion activated alerts - receive alerts on movement use as a driveway or burglar alarm. 
• Talk functionality - for two-way audio communication.  
• Facebook Live Broadcast (optional) - choose to share your live feed with others over Facebook.
• Secure - private feed, share or download important clips from the app. 
• Adjustable motion sensitivity - ensure you only capture significant events.  
• Motion detection zones - only monitor the areas you need to. 
• IFTTT integration - for home automation and enhanced alerts. 
• Connectivity - use over wifi or your spare phone’s data connection. 
• Stills only mode - for time lapse and still capture. 
• Clip chart - share and view the best clips from manythingers around the world.  

Security Camera (Windows 8.1  & 10)

The app is free with limited cloud storage, but offers a paid subscriptions starting at $1.50 a month.

• Use your Windows Phone as a Cloud Security Camera.
• Record image snapshots to the cloud.
• Set image resolution and upload frequency.
• Continuous recording or motion-triggered recording.
• Offers paid Cloud Surveillance service.
• Live view or playback from any devices or web browsers.

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• Global coverage and great eCPM rates
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Gift Card Exchange

CardCash 

Received a gift card you never plan to use, exchange it for one you will use, or sell it for cash. 

So what is the catch? You will not receive full value of the card, but if it was not a card you planned to use, this is a good alternative to letting it go to waste, or worse, attempting to re-gifting it.

Here is how it works:

• Enter merchant name and card balance for a quick exchange offer. In seconds, see how much you can get in exchange for your gift card! 
• Enter card number, pin and the basic personal information. Once your order is placed, your card balance will be verified behind the scenes to ensure the fastest and most secure process possible.
• Your eGift Card will be emailed to you in a printable format once your order has been approved. Approval time generally takes 1-2 hours but can take up to 24 hours.

The program is now available; click here to get started.