Fraud prevention calls from credit card companies
 

Thanks to one of the many, many useful things I've learned as a result of my addiction to Fodor's, I know that one should always call your credit card company before heading overseas. So my daughter very responsibly made a point of calling both her credit card company and her bank to tell them she would be in Europe for the next four months.

Well, on Tuesday there was a message on our answering machine from Visa Fraud Prevention about her ATM/debit card. And today there was one from her credit card company.

I'm very glad that they're being so careful about fraud. But what's the point of calling ahead? While they didn't actually deactivate the card, they would if she didn't respond to their message. And, of course, <i>my</i> calling and pointing out that she had called them before she left made no difference at all. Again, I'm glad they're so mindful of all the privacy issues. But it can be very frustrating!

I'm wondering whether it's worth even bothering to call before I leave in March to visit her. Oh, I will call. But now I guess I'm also going to have to pay international charges to check my answering machine for fear my cards will be cut off.

With my credit card company (Bank of America), the notice has to be renewed every 30 days. In other words, when I am gone for more than 30 days, I have to call more than once. Also, Bank of America will only accept the notice within 24 hours of departure, so if you call before that time, you will waste your time on hold for no good purpose.

Actually, Eleni, while neither of hers were BOA, she did call within 24 hours of departure and she's only been gone since the sixth of this month.

I called on a recent trip to let them know I was leaving. I was able to use my card, but when I got back, I had a message that I had suspicious activity on my account. It was like I didn`t even bother to call!

My favorite was that just before heading to Europe we ran a $20,000 charge on my partner's Citibank card (a business expense and a nice way to get 20,000 FF miles). The same day we charged it, we wrote a check to Citibank in the exact amount of the charge so there would be no problem. We also called and said we were headed to London for 10 days. So we were shocked at Royal Opera Covent Garden when his credit card was denied. We went back to our flat and called Citibank collect. They had put a hold on his card because of a &quot;suspicious&quot; credit payment. Huh? They wouldn't let him charge because we had a $20,000 credit balance. Go figure.

After our experiences this week and your posts, pat and Patrick, I'm convinced there just isn't any way to avoid problems! I can only begin to imagine how frustrated you must have been to have your card declined after you'd done everything &quot;right&quot;, Patrick!

Oh well! My mistake for thinking there was a logical explanation....
should have known that &quot;credit card company&quot; and &quot;logical explanation&quot; are incompatible concepts.

The good news was how easy it was to call Citibank collect from London and get it straightened out in a matter of minutes. And that was on New Year's Day! About 5 AM in the US.

Maybe I was just lucky, but we had no problems on our most recent trip (October 2006.) I did call each credit card and debit card company <u>twice</u> beforehand, giving them the exact dates of our trip. I'm ultra-paranoid about that stuff ever since the trip years ago when our debit card got eaten by an ATM in Venice.

Well, Lucie, considering the quality of the food in Venice, those Venetians will eat ANYTHING.

I always call and have never had any problems in Europe.

Even so, I make sure to have the non toll-free number, which all permit you to phone collect. So, if you have a problem with any of your cards, you can just use an alternate, and phone ASAP to clear up the card in question.

Neo, good one. In fact, it happened right after we bought our third gelato of the day. Maybe somebody was trying to tell us something.

Must be a U.S. bank thing because I have a Swiss credit card, never call when I go on vacation and never have a problem.

Hi CAPH, I have never had a problem (and yes of course I call the Financial Institutions a day or two before I leave) but I had known several people that have had problems. And in each case they did make the phone calls. But a lot of people do not realize the 800 phone number will not work when out of the country. I always take 2 copies of the phone numbers of the various financial institutions that I can call collect.
It is so irritating and it seems more and more travel is becoming such a hassle. I am glad you got things worked out.

Unfortunately, calling ahead of time doesn't always seem to eliminate problems.

We always do it and sometimes we can be gone for weeks without problems and other times we end up having to call the CC &quot;security department&quot; because the card has been denied.

One thing I do do now is ask the clerk to try a second time and the reason is we were recently gone for almost amonth without any difficulties whatsoever and charged things, literally, in a variety of countries.

On our last night at hotel check-in the card was denied. I used my mobile phone right there to call the security department.

It turns out the charge had been denied because the desk clerk had input the expiration date incorrectly!

Loveitalhy...

One error in your post....the toll free nujmber will work if called from outside the USA...I have called US toll free numbers manyh many times on my mobile phone while in Europe...you do get a message saying something to the effect the toll free number you are calling is not toll free if called from outside the United States. You will be billed at international calling rates. If you do not wish to be charged, please hang up now.....only after this message does the call go through.

Of course, many credit card companies do offer you the ability to call collect to a non toll free USA number if calling the security department.

Knock on wood, I've never had problems with my Citi card or Amex when I've called before(but usually don't use Amex anyway.) Of course, there's always the next trip. . .

Is this a new problem with credit cards and ATMs?

I have never called when we are out of the country and have never had a problem.

The only time I was in fear of my ATM card being eaten was when the bank's keypad didn't have letters on it - only numbers (quite a few years ago) and realized I needed to remember the pin number, not the word for outside the US.

I also think it has something to do with what country you are traveling in. At least that was what Visa told me when I called to complain about a problem with my card being denied at a hotel in Turkey.

I have found Amex to be extremely efficient after I let them know I am traveling. Never a problem. But, of course, Amex is not accepted in a lot of places.
I ALWAYS take a few travelers checks for emergencies. I know it's &quot;old fashioned&quot; but I feel better.

tmt, I'm the one who added &quot;ATM eaters&quot; to the mix here...sorry! That's not what the OP was addressing however, and I don't think ATM-eating is a problem like it used to be.

The issue that the OP was addressing, I think, is that cc companies often are so GOOD at tracking purchases, that if you suddenly stazt racking up a bunch of charges in a place you normally don't make purchases, they may freeze your card -- for your protection.

The way to avoid this is to notify them ahead of time -- which I do twice for each company, just to make sure we don't have to deal with the problem while abroad. As mentioned here, there are some special 800 phone numbers that you can take with you to call in case of a problem. But for people like me, who tend to enjoy smooth sailing more than rough roads, I'd rather deal with the whole thing proactively if possible.

A few years ago before a month long trip to Europe, I called MBNA to inform them of the dates and locations of my travels. They told me all would be noted on my account and to have a good trip. Three days into the trip our card was frozen. Speaking to someone who could open the account again was a major ordeal. Their response was that they sent me a letter saying there were overseas charges on the card and they froze it for my protection! It took over an hour to get the whole thing straightened out.
The next trip we took, I thought I would be smart and call a second time to see if the account really had a vacation notice on it. MBNA said yes, no problem - have a great trip. Guess what? As we were trying to buy train tickets we were told the account was frozen. After another angry phone call to MBNA and no apology from them, I cancelled the card and wrote a letter explaining my reasons for doing so. I stupidly accepted an offer to not close the account and once again while in a shop in Hanoi we were told the card was frozen. Even though this time I had informed them of not only the dates of our trip but I gave them hotel phone numbers so they could reach us if necessary. Three strikes and they were out for good! We have never had a problem with our AMEX in Europe or Asia, and only used the MBNA Visa because of no add on fees at the time.

The part that surprises me most about these stories is that some have had it happen twice. You mean you stayed with the same company after the first time....
You mean you gave them a second chance to show you that they were incompetent???

hey, robjame, I think you're being really hard on all our good old megazillion-dollar corporations. They have feelings, too, y'know.
B-)

I called my credit card company before I went to Europe and gave them the info. While there my credit card was bolcked. Aftre calling from Italy for an entire day I got someone in the US. They said that the service person I spoke to had forgotten to let the security dept know of my call. I will now call twice to verify everything.

They also said they had called me about this matter on my telephone at home. But I was in Europe I told them not at home to get my messages. Too bad I was told.

Again. Call twice!

I'm amazed at (and frustrated by) how many people have had this happen to them! And it seems to be a variety of credit card companies. But, without going back through and counting, it seems to me more people have mentioned Visa. Does it happen more with them than with MC?

Very good advice to take along the numbers through which they can be collect called. I'll definitely put that on my trip &quot;to do&quot; list!

Meanwhile, this morning I went online to pay a Chase credit card bill. I was on the computer in our basement and got a message saying they didn't recognize the computer I was on. It said I'd have to wait for them to call me or e-mail me with an access code before I could access my account on that computer.

So I figured I must have paid on the computer in our bedroom the past few months. As soon as my husband got up, I tried to pay from that computer. Same message!

I called and, after about 15 minutes of questions, etc., I was given a code and was eventually able to pay the bill. But what an ordeal!

Again, I really do understand what a terrible problem identity theft is. And I understand the pressure the credit card companies are under to do something about it. By why is it that every measure they take seems to be a huge PITA for the customer?!

I'm sure there's no good answer to that. But I just had to vent!:D

I swear I edited this! Should be <i>but why</i>, not by why!

I think we should go back to TCs, as a back-up. Few days ago, along with my bank statement, I received the &quot;change of terms&quot;, they will not charge for TCs and for safe deposit box. Sounds good :)

When I call my credit card and ATM banks, they ask me to hold while they make a note on my account about with the exact dates out of the country, and give me phone numbers to call in case of emergency.

They don't freeze your card for YOUR protection. You're only liable for the first fifty bucks of any fraudulent charges on your card, even if a thief buys a hundred Rolls Royces with it. It's for THEIR protection, since they are the ones who will pay.

Of course, if they really cared what happens to them, they wouldn't offer them to so many deadbeats, bankrupts, prison inmates, pets, and dead people.

So what's the answer?!!
Amex and calling, I suppose.
Also, in general, when using a ATM in Europe is it 4 or 6 numbers in the pin?

I work for a bank and telling us that you will be travelling overseas does work as long as the employee actually puts the notation onto your account. My best advice is that if your card is issued by a major bank, not the ones issued by some little tiny bank in Ohio or something, is go to the local branch and speak to an employee personally. The personnel at the call centers make me wonder at times. I work for the bank and they screw up my accounts at times as well. Ironically, before I worked for a bank, I never called prior to any of my overseas trips and my accounts functioned normally.

We use a Visa card for all our charges in order to accrue points for travel. However, last two trips to Europe the card has been denied on first use and I've had to call. We have an AMEX card that we hardly ever use...but guess what? When the VISA fails the AMEX goes right thru.
(And poor VISA... the day my husband was shopping at one end of NYC... I, at the other, and a charge for tickets I bought online for Buckingham Palace went thru. I'm surprise the organization didn't self implode!)

fnarf999, good point!

BTW, this does not only happen when you are out of the country. I've had it happen several times in my own town. I was shopping in a mall, made a large purchase at a store, then went right next door into Borders to pick up a specific item and the charge was refused. At the service desk I called the 800 number and was told...there was only about 5 minutes between purchases! I was in a mall ! I could have made 20 purchases in less than an hour!

Another time , a large grocery chain was going out of business and everything was reduced 75-80 percent including wines. A $10.00 bottle was going for $2.50! I scarfed several cases along with a bunch of other things and my bill was around $400.00..charge refused...again called the CC company from the store and was told a $400.0 charge for groceries was unusual!

Citibank has initiated a new security system and twice in the last month when I was ordering things from NZ I have had them call me to verify I was the one charging. You would think after the first purchase they would have recognized that I was the one doing the purchase!

I travel on government business to europe often and use a G issued travel card. Before I travel, I always call to inform the CC company my travel dates and locations. Also I take personal CC's and notify those companies as well. Never had a problem with charges or any questiond about charges when abroad.

Four trips to Europe, never called the cc companies, never had a problem. I really meant to call before the last trip, but never got around to it. Now I'm afraid to call before our next trip. Sounds like it causes more problems than not calling.

Interesting point, Lady!

I'm not sure there is one case above where someone called and there was still an issue that indicates there wouldn't have been an issue if they hadn't called.

I'm not sure of the logic not to call to avoid problems. But I think there is much logic in calling to prevent problems.

Hi CAPH

How's your daughter doing? Hope she's enjoying herself like our Amy has.

Amy also called her bank (Wells Fargo) about her credit and debit cards prior to her leaving. And, yes, they put a hold on both of the cards three days after she arrived.

They called me here and I had Amy call them, and it was corrected the next day, but it still is frustrating.

c.

Is there any possibility that when one uses a CC to purchase their airline tickets and than consequently uses the same card for purchases while on the trip that the CC Co. realizes that the card holder is on a trip due to the charges for the airline tickets? I don't really know but just a thought..

I don't know the answer to that either, LoveItaly. I charged our daughter's ticket on my Discover card because they're running a promotion where they give 5% cash back on certain things, including airline tickets. So, obviously, the charge wasn't on her Visa. Maybe you're right in speculating that if it had been, they wouldn't have questioned her other purchases. But there's usually a gap of at least a couple of months between purchase of tickets and charges from that country.

canterbury, thanks for asking how she's doing. So far, things are going very well. She really likes her internship.