Lessons We Learned After Multiple Credit Card Fraud Alerts on the Road

There are some lessons you hope you never have to learn the hard way.

For us, one of those lessons was credit card fraud.

Over the past three months, our credit cards have been compromised four different times while traveling full-time across the country. Fortunately, every fraudulent transaction was caught quickly by either Navy Federal Credit Union or First Bank before we became responsible for any charges. Even so, replacing cards, updating automatic payments, and wondering how our information was stolen became an unexpected part of life on the road.

We’re sharing our experience because if it happened to us, it can happen to anyone who travels frequently.

We hope that the lessons we learned will help you better protect yourself while traveling.

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How It Started

The first clue that something was wrong began during our trip to New Orleans.

We parked in a paid parking lot that required payment at an unattended kiosk. At the time, my Navy Federal credit card was pretty worn from years of use and really needed to be replaced. When the kiosk wouldn’t read it, I assumed the worn card was simply the problem.

Since my card wouldn’t work, Lisa used her Navy Federal credit card instead.

Later that same week, I used my backup First Bank Mastercard at that same parking lot.

Not long afterward, both cards were eventually compromised.

Can we say for certain that the parking lot was responsible? Absolutely not.

We have no evidence that the parking lot or its payment system was involved in the fraud. It may have been nothing more than a coincidence. However, having two different cards from two different banks later became compromised after being used there, certainly made us more cautious about using unattended payment kiosks whenever another payment option is available.

We’ve been members of Navy Federal Credit Union for more than 30 years, and they’ve always been quick to detect suspicious activity and alert us whenever fraud has appeared on our accounts. We also had an excellent experience with First Bank, which responded just as quickly when our other card was compromised.

The Fraud Looked Nothing Like We Expected

When most people think of credit card fraud, they picture someone buying expensive electronics or making large purchases.

That’s not what happened to us.

One of my compromised cards was used to attempt several online subscription purchases, including:

• PeopleFinder
• A yoga app
• A lifestyle app

Before another transaction could go through, the fraud detection system recognized the suspicious activity and immediately blocked the card.

Lisa’s most recent compromised card followed a different pattern.

Even though we’ve never used Walmart.com, her account suddenly showed pending Walmart.com transactions. It started with a small authorization for $9.72, followed by two attempted charges of $42.74 each. Before another transaction for $28.85 could be completed, the card was shut down.

One of the biggest lessons we learned is that credit card fraud often starts with small transactions.

Criminals frequently test stolen credit card numbers with inexpensive subscriptions, digital services, or small online purchases before attempting larger transactions.

Those small charges are often the first warning sign.

Fortunately, none of the fraudulent charges resulted in financial losses for us, but replacing multiple cards while traveling was inconvenient and served as a wake-up call. It made us rethink how we pay for purchases on the road and what we could do to better protect ourselves in the future.

Living on the Road Creates More Opportunities

As full-time RVers, we probably use our credit cards in more places than the average person.

In just a few weeks, we might use our cards at:

• Fuel stations
• Campgrounds
• Restaurants
• Grocery stores
• Tourist attractions
• Parking kiosks
• Local shops
• Visitor centers

Every new stop introduces another payment terminal, another payment processor, and another opportunity for criminals to obtain card information.

That doesn’t mean traveling is unsafe, but it does mean we’re exposed to many more merchants than someone who shops in the same hometown every week.

What We Changed

After experiencing multiple fraud alerts in just a few months, we took a hard look at how we use our credit cards while traveling. While nothing can completely eliminate the risk of fraud, these changes help us better protect our accounts and catch suspicious activity sooner.

We Use Tap-to-Pay Whenever Possible

Whenever a business offers contactless payment, that’s now our first choice.

Even better, we’ve started using Google Pay much more often, and we’re planning to get Lisa set up with it as well. Instead of sharing your actual credit card number with the merchant, Google Pay (and Apple Pay) uses a secure, one-time payment token for each transaction. That means your real card number isn’t stored by the merchant, adding another layer of protection when you’re on the road.

We still carry our physical credit cards because not every business accepts mobile payments, but whenever we have the choice, we tap our phone instead.

We Think Twice About Unattended Payment Kiosks

Parking kiosks, self-service payment machines, and unattended terminals are convenient, but we’ll look for alternatives whenever possible.

If there’s an app, a staffed payment booth, or another secure payment option, we’ll choose that instead.

Again, we’re not saying our New Orleans parking kiosk caused our fraud, but the experience reminded us that it’s worth being cautious anytime we use an unattended payment terminal.

We Keep Transaction Alerts Turned On

This is probably the single best thing we’ve done.

Every purchase generates an immediate notification on our phones.

Instead of discovering fraud days or weeks later, we know within seconds if something doesn’t look right.

We Keep Receipts From Every Purchase

It’s a simple habit that makes it much easier to verify transactions, spot unauthorized charges, and answer any questions if our bank contacts us about suspicious activity.

We Carry Credit Cards From Different Banks

One thing our experience reinforced is the value of having cards from different issuers.

If one bank has to shut down a card while you’re traveling, you still have another available.

When you’re hundreds of miles from home, that’s a huge advantage.

We Review Our Accounts More Often

We no longer wait for our monthly statement.

Instead, we quickly review recent transactions every few days.

It only takes a minute, but it gives us peace of mind.

We Replace Worn-Out Credit Cards

One lesson I learned personally was not to wait until a card is barely working.

My Navy Federal card had become worn enough that some readers struggled to recognize it. I had been meaning to replace it, but kept putting it off.

While the worn card itself didn’t cause the fraud, replacing aging cards before they fail is one less thing to worry about when you’re traveling.

What About RFID Blocking?

One of the first things we wondered was whether someone had somehow scanned our contactless credit cards.

After researching the topic, we don’t believe that was the most likely cause of our fraud.

Modern contactless cards use dynamic security features, and most credit card fraud today comes from compromised merchants, payment processors, skimming devices, or stolen card numbers rather than someone secretly scanning your wallet.

While RFID-blocking wallets and sleeves may provide additional peace of mind, they’re not a cure-all.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Throughout all of these incidents, both Navy Federal Credit Union and First Bank did an outstanding job detecting suspicious activity.

Every fraudulent transaction was identified quickly, we were notified promptly, and the compromised cards were shut down before any significant fraudulent purchases could be completed.

Replacing credit cards while traveling isn’t convenient, but we’d much rather deal with that temporary inconvenience than spend months trying to recover stolen money.

We’re grateful for the fraud protection and quick response provided by both financial institutions.

Our Biggest Takeaways

If we could go back and give ourselves advice before all of this happened, it would be this:

Final Thoughts

Credit card fraud can happen whether you’re full-time RVing, taking a weekend road trip, or flying halfway around the world. While we may never know exactly where our cards were compromised, the experience reminded us how important it is to stay vigilant and have a backup plan.

Today, we rely more on contactless payments like Google Pay, carry cards from different banks, monitor our accounts more closely, and always travel with a backup payment method. These simple changes give us greater peace of mind every time we hit the road.

Have you ever experienced credit card fraud while traveling? We’d love to hear your story in the comments below. Your experience may help another traveler avoid the same situation.

And if you found this article helpful, be sure to explore more of our travel tips, RV gear reviews, and real-world experiences here at GoFullTimeRVing. Safe travels, and may your next adventure be memorable for all the right reasons!