35 foreigners were fraudulently added to her card during a cruise, but a US postal service was instrumental in preventing a potential disaster

In August, Jodi Hayes and her husband were taking a leisurely walk when things took an unexpected and disturbing turn. While they were still aboard the ship, Jodi received an alert from the US Postal Service’s Informed Delivery program. The email showed that 35 credit cards were on their way to her home – all in the names of people she had never heard of.

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Each of these 35 strangers was added as an authorized user on her Marriott Bonvoy Chase Bank credit card, and each could charge up to $19,000 on her card or withdraw $950 in cash, leaving Jodi responsible for a massive debt.

“I know I have good credit, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” Jodi said, clearly frustrated. “This fiasco spoiled the end of our holiday.”

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As ABC7 reported, she quickly called Chase Bank while still on the cruise ship to report the problem. However, their response left much to be desired. They initially brushed it off as a possible bug in the system and said they would stop activating the cards. They didn’t offer much more than a new card and account number without explanation or investigation.

When Jodi reached out to ABC7, hoping to get more answers and help, the situation came to the attention of the US Postal Inspection Service. Matthew Norfleet, a postal inspector, explained that this was likely an identity fraud scheme. Using the mail for such schemes is a serious crime that can lead to up to 20 years in prison.

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However, the deception did not end with Chase. Jodi soon received credit applications from additional banks, including Capital One, Discover and Citibank, all of which were rejected due to insufficient credit history. The repeated use of the same fictitious names demonstrated the persistence of these scammers when they “smell” an opportunity.

Jodi protected herself in many correct ways despite the danger and absurdity of the situation. She tracked her mail using the USPS Informed Delivery program and secured her mailbox with a lock box to deter thieves. To further reduce the chance of mail theft, the Postal Service even advises you to keep your mail at the post office while you’re on the road.

The story continues

This situation demonstrates how essential it is to monitor your accounts and personal data. While Jodi’s quick actions and use of Informed Delivery helped catch the problem before it got worse, not everyone is so lucky. Identity theft can happen to anyone, but tools like Informed Delivery can help identify potential problems early.

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This article 35 foreigners were fraudulently added to her card during a cruise, but a US postal service was instrumental in preventing a possible disaster originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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