Warden Message - U.S. Consulate General,
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Be Aware of Increased Credit and Debit Card Fraud
January 18,
2011
The U.S. Consulate general in Guayaquil advises U.S. citizens living or
traveling in Ecuador of a recent increase in the number of reports
regarding unauthorized charges made on U.S. credit or debit cards.
"Skimming" is the theft of credit card information used in an otherwise
legitimate transaction to make unauthorized charges, typically by a
dishonest employee of a legitimate merchant.
The thief often obtains a victim's credit card number by photocopying
receipts or using a small electronic device (skimmer) to swipe and store
hundreds of victims' credit/debit card numbers. Common locations for
skimming are restaurants or bars where the skimmer has possession of the
victim's credit/debit card out of the owner's immediate view. The thief
may also use a small keypad to unobtrusively transcribe the three or
four digit card security code which is not present on the magnetic
strip.
Restaurants are among the most difficult places to keep tabs on your
credit/debit card. Unless you are sitting in an area of the restaurant
where the credit/debit card reader is kept, your waiter or waitress
could skim the card out of view. If you have the opportunity, take the
credit/debit card to the register yourself; this is one of the best ways
to avoid skimming.
There are other measures that you can take to protect yourself. If you
use a credit/debit card regularly, monitor your bank account or credit
card statement frequently. By doing so, you will know right away if you
have fallen victim to credit/debit card skimming. You should report any
fraudulent activity to your bank or credit card company immediately so
that they can stop the payment as soon as possible. Many credit card
companies have programs in place to protect account holders. You should
check with your credit/debit card issuer to determine their specific
policy regarding unauthorized charges.
U.S. citizens are advised to be vigilant when making purchases and as
much as possible, make sure that you can see your credit/debit card at
all times.
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Americans living or traveling in Ecuador are encouraged to register with
the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's
travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel
and security within Ecuador. Americans without Internet access may
register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By
registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or
Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. Please see the
following links for local warden message information in Quito and
Guayaquil, respectively, http://ecuador.usembassy.gov and
http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov
U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for
Ecuador and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution
at the Department's web site at http://travel.state.gov. Updated
information on travel and security in Ecuador may also be obtained from
the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United
States or by calling 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States.
The U.S. Embassy in Quito is located at Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy Alfaro.
The telephone during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) is (011)
593 2 398 5000 X3800. Within the same city use the last seven digits.
Add the city code for intercity telephone calls. See also the Embassy
web site at http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/. American Citizen walk-in
hours are between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Thursday,
excluding U.S. and Ecuadorian holidays.
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil is located at the corner of
Avenida 9 de Octubre and Garcia Moreno (near the Hotel Oro Verde);
telephone (011-593-4) 232-3570 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.) or 232-1152 for after-hours emergencies; fax (011-593-4) 232-0904.
See the Consulate General web site at http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov.
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