Credit cards and ATM cards
 

I'm sure most of you know to notify your credit card issuers when you travel internationally. They watch charges and may cut off credit if they aren't sure it's you using your card in, say, Kathmandu. But did you know that banks will also shut off your ATM card if they detect "suspicious" activity? I was just chatting with my banker today (ordering an extra ATM card) and had her put my itinerary into the computer.

excellent thought kathie (as we expect from you)....i have always done the credit but never the atm or debit...new pre-trip work to do...

we did have a card taken in koh samui last summer...when we went into the bank 2 days later, it was in someones top drawer...i showed the banker the matching card and he gave it back to me...all very unconventional....the card should have been destroyed immediately...
by the way some debit cards do not work in some "troubled" areas....by troubled i mean places that are known for lots of fraud with cards, like some asian countries....ask your bank for a list of countries that have prohibbitions against them...thailand and indonesia are two of them...

Great...my wife had her credit card turned down when we bought gas at a service station in the middle of nowhere in Turkey in the late '90s. The attendants seemed ready to lynch us. Fortunately we had alternative means. Since then we have always made the phone calls for both credit and ATM cards.

Bob, excellent point about the debit cards. I NEVER use debit cards, and in fact, had my ATM card changed to be just an ATM card and not a debit card. The danger of debit cards is that if it's stolen, someone can clean out your bank account. While you can appeal to get your money back from the bank, you're stuck with an empty bank account - not something I would relish anytime, but especially when I'm on an international trip!

While I haven't contacted credit card issuers before, I do call my bank to let them know. I think Amex is used to my "suspicious" patterns and just doesn't question it ;)

On the subject of ATM vs debit cards, I would never travel with a visa/mastercard logo'd debit card either. Just too risky when anyone can use it without a pin.

A few years ago I got a new Visa card and 2 weeks later went to Seoul and Taipei, never thinking to advise the bank. I used it a CONSTANTLY and my bank never said a thing. Not that I'd want to get locked out when traveling, but geez - I'd rather have them question the charges than not! carol

Question for rhkkmk and others - can you use ATM cards most everywhere in Thailand? If not then do we have to take travellers cheques -- don't usually like to use them because of the user fees at both ends----

yes you can use atm cards....there are atm's all over the place...maybe not is small towns but in the cities...

the debit feature has worked on some of my cards but not on other debit cards....depends on the bank and its affiliation...

Until about 5-years ago I never bothered to advise my bank or credit card companies that I was traveling, especially foreign travel. Figured if they saw the charge for my airline tickets and to a travel operator they'd figure it out. And it worked fine.

Then one friend mentioned that she was constantly getting calls from her cc company inquiring about various purchases - all of which were okay, but out of the ordinary from her usual pattern. Apparently the Fraud Dept of the bank and cc company were doing their job. Since we both have our accounts with the same establishment, I began to notifying these institutions and all was fine until three weeks ago.

Received call about two purchase, both for small amounts of less then $50 each - one made in my home city in an establishment I frequent regularly, the other for "membership renewal" and the amount was totally unfamiliar. The bank was going to close my account, reissue a new account which I wasn't too happy about, as my credit card number is the only number other then my SS number that I remember, but I agreed. Not receiving the new card within a week, I contacted the issuer and was advised that the last item for "membership..." was for a travel magazine subscription, which I then realized I had made - thankfully, they canceled the order to issue a new account/card.

But it comes down to the fact that with so many "stolen identity" problems these days, bank Fraud Depts. are being kept busy. So call the banks and credit card companies and let them know where you're going, even if just to another state for the weekend - you just never know!

You're right, sandi, it's only within the last 5 years or so that credit card issuers have been so concerned. The great increase in identity theft and the many credit card scams have made them more cautious. There are lots of credit card scams wher they steal your number and then make charges from another country so they aren't as traceable. My sister had two or thee odd charges on her account - from Russia - and she hadn't been there. Apparently one scam involves using stolen numbers for only a couple of small amounts in hopes that the person won't notice and complain! Check those credit card statements!

Lana, I use my ATM card all over the world. There are only a few countries that don't have ATMs that accept foreign cards (Laos, Cambodia and Burma are among those). I agree that using ATMs is usually the easiest and cheapest way to get local currency.

my only caution to card use is...don't rely totally on one card or even two...cards can invalidate, be eaten or be destroyed very easily....have a back-up plan...
this summer when my card was taken in koh samui by an atm, i had a back up plan....most of the cash i had set aside for this trip was in that account...my wife had her card for that account but it would not work in the atm either, but it was not taken...we did use it for hotel payment however....i transferred money from another account at another bank using the internet and this allowed me to get at money in my main checking account at another bank...i usually don't use this main checking account for travel purposes....
i rely on 3 different banks while travelling for this very reason... of course you can always take a credit card cash advance but these have become very expensive....
atm withdrawals are the best all around way when travelling but problems can arise...

Bank security departments are doing quite well these days. They are catching a lot of abuse and protecting.

Before each trip outside the US I always phone Amex in an advance and tell them where to expect charges to show up and they are excellent at keeping tabs. Have never had a problem.