These cruise ship passengers say they lost $30,000 to scammers in Nassau

A Carnival cruise ship passenger says a beauty shop in Nassau somehow extracted $30,000 from her and her husband during a port stop. They’re the latest victims of the free facial scam to contact me in recent months. But the story she has to tell is much more sinister than the others. She says these bad guys drugged her and then filmed her thanking them and praising their products.

Here’s her harrowing tale and what cruise passengers need to know if their ship is heading to the Bahamas.

*Editor’s note: As these two are victims of a crime, they’ve asked that I conceal their identity.

Taking a short cruise to the Bahamas

Last fall, Lisa and her husband Bart booked a five-night cruise aboard Carnival’s Freedom. The closed-loop journey would embark from Port Canaveral and head to Grand Turk and Bimini before returning to Florida. 

Ironically, Nassau was never part of the plan for Lisa and her spouse. 

But after several days of sunshine, tropical drinks and a generally good time, storm clouds began to move in. The captain informed the passengers that Carnival Freedom would be changing course to avoid bad weather. 

“Due to the storm we were rerouted to Nassau rather than to Bimini as planned,” Lisa told me. 

That twist of fate soon delivered the couple directly into the hands of scammers who were more than happy to receive them.  

The cruise ship passengers arrive and the scammers rush to greet them 

When Lisa and Bart disembarked from Freedom in Nassau they had no real plans. They intended to wander around and look at some of the shops before returning to the ship. And because they had not expected to go there, they hadn’t done any research about the destination.

Unfortunately, meandering aimlessly in Nassau made them prime targets for the con artists who were lying in wait. They hadn’t gone far when a friendly lady approached them on the street. 

A young lady named Selena introduced herself and told us she was affiliated with Mariah Carey’s skincare products. She was excited because she said Mariah was due to arrive there very shortly. Selena invited us to come into her salon right around the corner to try some of the free samples and a facial. It all seemed innocent enough.

Lisa explains how they were lured into the shop in Nassau, the Bahamas

It definitely wasn’t innocent at all. Nearly immediately after entering the empty beauty shop, the booze began to flow.

It was just after 9 a.m. when Lisa and Bart had their first round of shots to celebrate Mariah’s impending arrival.

Things were just getting started.

Bad news: A cancer diagnosis in a beauty shop in the Bahamas

As Selena began a long explanation about the skincare line and the multiple celebrities behind it, the open bar continued. And then, a man named Shirley appeared on the scene. 

As soon as we finished one drink, another drink would appear. This guy, who introduced himself as Shirley, arrived and began to apply facial products very close to our eyes. He didn’t look friendly. He seemed very concerned about something.

But it was all part of the act.

Shirley then explained to the couple that they were in bad shape. In fact, this beauty shop employee gave a preliminary medical diagnosis of cancer. He admitted he wasn’t positive, but Mariah’s dermatologist was on the way to confirm, and he would suggest possible treatment.

Charlie, who said he was Mariah Carey’s dermatologist, appeared. He said he didn’t have much time because she [Mariah Carey] was landing in 15 minutes. But he told us our conditions were grave. Then he whispered to me that my husband had cancer, and he didn’t want to ruin his vacation with the news.

That was the bad news. But of course, Charlie and Shirley had good news as well.

Not surprisingly, one of the devices these scammers were selling could fix the skin problems Bart and Lisa were suffering from – even the cancer. And Mariah Carey herself might show up just in time to demonstrate the device, Charlie told them. 

Of course, while they waited for the superstar to arrive, they could relax with some additional cocktails. 

Confusion and fear after too many drinks at the “skin care clinic”

Things then took a dark turn, and much of what happened next is blurry, Lisa admits. She was separated from her husband and led away to another building with more products to sample. Bart went somewhere else with another group of men. 

“Shirley told me that Bart was receiving treatment for his skin cancer now,” Lisa recalled. “I felt really confused and scared, but they told me not to worry and to have another drink.”

So that’s exactly what she did. 

Suddenly instead of fear, Lisa says she began to feel elated. She was still confused but was now strangely convinced that the products and devices would cure Bart’s previously undiagnosed cancer. It was still unclear to her what she was suffering from, but she was most concerned for her husband. 

Shirley or Charlie, she can’t remember which, then confirmed that Lisa and Bart would be invited to a celebrity-filled party thrown by Mariah in their home city a few weeks later. There, they would meet not only Mariah but also Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon.  

To prove this to be true, these scammers showed her a photo of Mariah Carey in a magazine. All the while, Lisa was agreeing to purchase more and more products.

Lisa is fully aware of how ridiculous this sounds today, and that’s why she’s sure she was drugged. She had lost all sense of reality and common sense. 

Calling home to ask for a loan to buy more skin care products

Suddenly, amid the flurry of purchases, the scammers hit a roadblock. Lisa’s credit cards had maxed out. She couldn’t pay for all the stuff they wanted her to buy. The crooks then suggested Lisa call home and ask someone for another credit card. 

In her compromised state, this sounded like a good idea to her.

Bizarrely, I called my housesitter from the beauty shop and asked her to give me a loan so I could complete my purchases. She knew something was wrong and refused. Charlie even got on the phone and promised her free facial products if she would help me. She rejected his offer and asked me what was going on. She says I assured her I was just shopping and that everything was fine. She told me later that I sounded spaced out.

I feel the only explanation for my [lapse from reality] is that the face cream had some kind of drugs like GHB laced in it (the eyes and skin absorb drugs more quickly than anything orally ingested).

Faced with this insurmountable roadblock to extracting any more money from Lisa, the scammers reluctantly gave up. Bart suddenly reappeared, and the predators packed up all of their purchases. 

After five hours of being plied with alcohol, and what Lisa firmly believes were drugs, the two were escorted out the door.  

Predictably, Mariah Carey never showed up.

Waking up on the ship with thousands of dollars of unwanted purchases

Lisa told me that neither she nor her husband remember walking back to the cruise ship. Nor do they remember making their way to their cabin. But later that evening they woke up in their bed with foggy memories. They both were very sick. 

It wasn’t a hangover feeling. I just knew we were drugged. How else could we have fallen for all that nonsense about magic lotion that treats cancer? These people don’t know Mariah Carey; they’re just part of a crime ring.

But then, with a sinking feeling, a fuzzy flashback popped into Lisa’s head. At some point during the 5-hour ordeal, two of the men asked her to participate in a video testimonial. They gave her a script and she read it into the camera, touting the creams and products. 

With dread, she looked across the cabin and saw bags full of lotions and devices. The scammers had seemingly unloaded their entire inventory onto Lisa. She had no idea how much all the products cost because there were no receipts.

It would be a few days before Lisa would discover the shocking amount that Shirley and Charlie had charged to her credit cards: $30,000.

Unfortunately, the couple didn’t report the incident to Carnival while onboard the ship. They stayed in their cabin for the rest of the night and, in the morning, disembarked and drove home. 

“I think we were in a state of shock,” Lisa told me. “In fact, we still are.”

FYI: Filming victims praising their products and schemes appears to be a new type of tactic for scammers. In the Facebook Messenger-fueled government grants scam I reported last week, those criminals had filmed elderly people who appeared half asleep, possibly drugged, thanking Facebook for nonexistent lottery winnings. And last year, a woman scammed on Instagram told me that criminals had forced her to make a fraudulent testimonial video to regain control of her Instagram. She did, but they still refused to give back her account. It was all a lie. Then they used the video to scam additional people.

But back to Lisa and Bart.

Heading to the police department to report a crime

When they arrived home, the couple immediately went to the local police department to file an official report.

Of course, there wasn’t anything for the local police in the United States to investigate, but Lisa wanted to document the crime.

Next, she filed a report with the FBI and called her Senator to relay the awful experience. Lisa also belatedly notified Carnival about the incident.

She understands that none of those reports are likely to result in anyone being held accountable for this crime. But Lisa hopes her efforts will shine a light on the dangers lurking just off the main drag in Nassau.

The scammers aren’t done with their victims yet

There was even worse news on the horizon. Those scammers from the Bahamas weren’t done with the couple yet. 

Charlie called us several times at home, and we’re really afraid. They have our social security numbers because, at some point, they were trying to get a loan for us from Affirm. They obviously have our home address and I believe these are really bad guys. I’ve been carrying a gun with me to work now. I am terrified because I firmly believe these people drugged me and I don’t know what else they’re capable of.

And, of course, Lisa is quite concerned about the existence of a video of her praising the products — and Shirley and Charlie.

“I don’t know what they intend to do with that video, but I’m sick knowing it exists,” Lisa told me.

Unfortunately, I know exactly what the scammers will do with that video. The next time a cruise ship arrives in Nassau, they will use Lisa’s testimonial to lure additional victims into their scheme.

Lisa, licensed in a medical profession, shared with me that what happened during the port stop is impacting every aspect of her life. She believes she’s now suffering from PTSD.

The $30,000 in credit card debt and all those lotions and devices still sitting unopened in their living room are constant reminders of that awful day in Nassau. Although Lisa doesn’t want any of that stuff, many legitimate retail outlets sell the pricey products in those bags — including an $8,000 heat therapy wand. The credit card companies aren’t going to reverse the charges because she signed the receipts and brought the haul home with her. It appears she will be saddled with that giant bill.

Unbelievably, more products arrived by Federal Express the same week Lisa contacted me to share her terrible story. 

“I’ve canceled all my credit cards and have told FedEx we refuse all shipments from that skincare company,” Lisa told me. “This has been the most traumatic experience of  my life. I hope telling people my story will save someone else from the same fate.”

Her final advice to cruise passengers:  “Consider staying safe onboard the ship if it stops in Nassau.”

Tips to avoid becoming a scam victim in a cruise port of call

I recently penned an article over at The Points Guy covering all sorts of cruise scams and schemes. The truth is that the free facial scam is just one of many con games found in tourist areas all around the world.  

Here are some tips to ensure you don’t become a victim of a scam that will undoubtedly ruin your cruise and possibly create long-term consequences.

Check with the Department of State

If you’re unfamiliar with your destination(s), it’s always a good idea to visit the website of the Department of State before your trip. That site provides information about every country worldwide, including health and safety concerns. Frequently reported crimes to be aware of are detailed on the destination’s FAQs. There, You’ll find the entry requirements and a variety of other useful details about where you’ll be traveling during your vacation.

As an added bonus, The Department of State also maintains a special page dedicated to cruise ship passengers.

Google your destination with the word scam

Another good way to become acquainted with the common scams operating in the places where you’ll be traveling is by googling the destination plus the word scam. Had Lisa googled “Nassau, the Bahamas, scams” before her trip, likely, she would not have accepted the free facial during her cruise stop there.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until she got home from her ordeal that Lisa googled those words. That’s when she learned about another couple who had nearly an identical experience in Nassau — a year earlier.

Always report suspected crimes ASAP to onboard ship security 

I’m always surprised when cruise passengers tell me that they believe they’ve been drugged or kidnapped during a port stop, but they never reported the incident to ship security. This is a mistake for many reasons. 

• Related: You should not buy jewelry during your cruise. Here’s why

First, the medical personnel on the ship can provide a drug screening to determine what is actually in your system. If you wait until you get home to report your suspicions of being drugged, it will be impossible to prove what you ingested. 

Second, events are better reported when fresh in your mind. Those details can help security to create an incident report to provide to local police. Remember, your recollection of what happened to you will not improve as time goes on, so it’s critical to report all those details ASAP. 

The more victims that come forward with similar tales, the more likely it is that the cruise lines will provide mass warnings to their passengers prior to disembarkation in troublesome ports of call (or possibly skip them all together).

Finally, if you want to have any chance of your credit card company reversing charges that you believe were made while you were being victimized, you’ll need proof. The best way to get that proof is by reporting the crime immediately.

The bottom line

Before disembarking from your cruise ship in any unfamiliar port of call, always do some basic research about your destination. Keep in mind that scammers are lurking everywhere that tourists congregate. Their only goal is to victimize you before you sail away.

Don’t let that be you. Be smart, be safe, dodge those scammers and enjoy your cruise!   (Michelle Couch-Friedman, Consumer Rescue)

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