Credit Cards and Getting Cut Off......

[Ron Earp]

And I don't mean on credit.

I have a credit card that I use for a large majority of my purchases. It works fine. I pay my bill in full monthy. I've never been late. All is good.

Except the fact my credit card gets turned off from time to time.

Apparently the credit card company monitors what you do. And, if you do something "odd" they cut off the credit card. Recently this has happened far too much - in England at a gas station on the motorway, in Germany at a bar, in Canada at a bar, in Seattle buying some wine at a winery, because I bought some parts from a company in California, and most recently on a long race trip down to GA buy gas for the tow truck.

Do you guys have similar problems? I've complained to the credit card comapny to turn that crap off, but, they say it can't be done. I've asked to have it "turned down" to deal with the traveling man, but that seems to be imposible. Is there a credit card that is known for NOT doing this sort of thing?

Man, if you had a mistress this would make life sort of difficult.

Anyone have any comments or ideas on how to deal with this stuff?

Thanks!!

Ron

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Same here Ron! -

I had a transaction for a new laptop stopped a couple of weeks ago. Took 2 days to resolve, credit card anti-fraud dept on one phone and supplier on another, BUT, they cannot speak to each other

So much for next day delivery!!!!:dead:

No apologies, just a 'well we are trying to prevent fraud', which in essence is ok, but when they make no attempt to contact me, to confirm the order details in anyway, just seems a poor excuse for a poor service!

I hate banks and credit card companies ALMOST as much as I hate insurance companies and telesales companies...... - Rant over!!

ps - sorry I offerred no alternative solution.

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Actually - in hindsight, I also have a Nat West Black card (Mastercard) that has never been refused and offers a number of additional benefits, but you do pay for it Don't know whether applicable in the US?

 

[Dalton Veitch]

Ron

This is no help to you over there, but I just wanted to comment that here in Sydney, Oz, the credit card people are reasonably helpful. I have been telephoned in the evening to check on unusual purchases (Maybe car parts imported from the US), and if all is well no action is taken. This seems a more proactive approach.

Again, sorry this doesn't help your problem.

Dalton

 

[JohnC]

I had a similar issue with an AT&T Universal Card a couple of years ago, and I told them that since I travel a lot in 3rd world countries, communications are difficult, and it's a huge inconvenience to have these charges refused. They came up with some lame excuse why they couldn't do anything, so I told them to sort it out or I'd close the account, and I haven't had a problem with them since. Apparently the one thing these CC companies are scared of more than anything else is losing their customers to the competition.

 

[Russ Noble]

Man, if you had a mistress this would make life sort of difficult.

Thanks!!

Ron

What are you saying Ron? Has the wife found out?

Cheers

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Ron, I have an American bank account and a credit card attached to it so I can pay $us for purchases overseas. I have had the same problem with the U.S. card (Visa) but never with my Australian card (Am-ex). During my last trip to the States my U.S. card would be rejected by one ATM but accepted by another. I contacted my bank in the U.S. and was directed to their security firm. I was told a stop had been put on the card because of "unusual activity". Unusual because I had not used the card for 12 Months and then started spending big during a Ski trip to Colorado. All to do with security and protecting your money.
Now when I travel I notify the credit card company, tell them where I am going and that my spending patterns will change (especially if Di is with me) and request they do not stop the card. I have not had a problem since.
Hope that helps.

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Sitting on the porch one summer afternoon the phome rings.."Mr. Muck?...Yes, this is Mastercard and we want to confirm a purchase you made in Amsterdam today. Amsterdam, I'm in Buffalo, Amsterdam is 250 miles away and I wasn't there today! No, not Amsterdam, NY..we mean the Neatherlands. OK, let me understand this...a purchase was made in Amsterdam three hours ago, on the European continent and you are now calling be in Buffalo, in the USA. Yes. What's wrong with this picture I asked, I don't think the Concord flies from Amsterdam to Buffalo so did I teleport myself 6000 miles? Silence. I guess these are not your charges then?"

I understand you can tell the credit card processer that you will have Unusual activity" on your card and they will ease the computer program that attempts to ID unusual use.
rick

 

[Ron Earp]

Sounds like you guys have some of the same issues. I think I'll call and ask again if they can turn it down, and if not look for another card and let them know. It is getting worse and it causes problems.

In all the cases I had another card I used that worked perfectly, so, I suppose I should simply get that type of card!

 

[chris parker]

Ron i have a visa card through egg an online bank touch wood it has never been refused if i make strange purchases via the internet or large purchases then i sometimes get their computor rining me at home to make sure the purchase is correct and to enter a yes at the correct question never heard of cards being switched off
chris

 

[Lynn Larsen]

Ron,

Like Chris, I have had some inquiries from CitiBank verifying purchases, but have never been outright denied. While building the GT40, I ran virtually everything through the card for accounting purposes and the inquiries came a lot--at first.
But as my spending patterns stablilized (buying automotive stuff all over the country and world) the contacts dwindled to nearly nothing.

Regards,
Lynn

 

[John W]

Yep, same story here. When travelling some cards are blocked.

I have a card I use for business expenses, which is never stopped. We have another we use for personal stuff like holidays etc, and that regularly used to get stopped unless we had called to tell them we would be abroad, so we changed the card.

The answer is to call and tell them your out of the country.
It is a pain though, when in your case your just out of state, so I'd suggest changing to another card.
In the UK companies are falling over themselves to give people cards, and in many case people swap cards every 6 months.

 

[BenL]

Now when I travel I notify the credit card company, tell them where I am going and that my spending patterns will change (especially if Di is with me) and request they do not stop the card. I have not had a problem since.

Calling the credit card company before you travel is usually a good idea (even if you plan on using the same credit card for paying for your airplane tickets and foreign purchases).

Also, if you plan on having purchases shipped to your office instead your house, call the credit card company first and give them your office info as a "secondary" address. Sometimes the credit card company will ask the vendor for the purchaser's street address as part of the transaction.

 

[Ron Earp]

I don't know, I suppose I'm more "Anti The Man" than a lot of you fellows. I don't want the credit card company watching after me and deciding where and when I should or should not be. Those guys don't call either, they just cut that sucker off!

I know it is for my own good, but it is really more for their own good than mine I think so they don't lose money on defrauded purchases. Remember, nothing is free in this world and if this didn't benefit them then it wouldn't be happening.

I've called, they will do nothing, so I think I need to get a card from someone else other than Capital One. Too aggressive on the suspect activity algothrm if you ask me. I quit calling my mom and telling her where I was going 20 years ago. I damn sure would rather call her than the Credit Card company when I travel!

 

[Peter Jankovskis]

Ron,

I had similar problems with a Bank One (now Chase) card a few years ago. I found that by calling them to pre-clear unusual items I was able to avoid having charges denied. I also warn them if I'm heading out of the country.