Out of State Credit Card Hassle

I walk into my credit union (usually zero wait time), tell them about my plans & they wish me well.  I'm on my way within minutes.  

That's a new one on me - I've never had a card questioned while traveling.  The trick is to use it quickly after you steal it, before it's been reported.  (For the sarcasm-impaired, that's not really what I do.  I don't publicize my crimes on the internet.)  That said, it's another reason to use cash, as it will usually save you money.  I always ask before paying - I'll use a card if there's no discount for another method of payment.  

Another reason to do CASH only............Pay to play with credit cards............. Feel me DOGG..........

I have never had a problem using a credit card in any state.

Rick

I think I need a new credit card company!  

I guess that not all credit card companies are equal.
If I remember to call to let my credit card company know that I am traveling, I get a person, not a machine.
If I forget, the credit card company will call my cell phone on first questionable (out of normal area) use.

Regardless, when I am at York, I am looking for older stuff, and do not use credit cards to buy at the show.

My wife and I went to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC in 2010. There’s only one border to cross from the state we live in to British Columbia.

The very first place we used the card, to buy some Olympics swag, they froze the card right there and the only way to un-freeze it was from your HOME phone. Not much of an option there!

Good thing we had another credit card, which we used for the duration of the trip.

Two years later, we were going to do a cross-country sightseeing road trip from Florida, diagonally across the country, back to home. When we called the credit card to tell them we’d be crossing at least a dozen states, the person at the other end of the phone almost had a stroke. She said we’d have to call each time we went to another town.

NOPE, we told them, and demanded to speak to a manager. Got it straightened out with no issues, but think of the people would have just accepted they had to do that and made countless calls along the way!

No issues last year. I think the credit card company monitors your travel. So if you use it to charge gas, they will know where you are and not question the mysterious charge in 2 places at the same time.

p51 posted:

Two years later, we were going to do a cross-country sightseeing road trip from Florida, diagonally across the country, back to home. When we called the credit card to tell them we’d be crossing at least a dozen states, the person at the other end of the phone almost had a stroke. She said we’d have to call each time we went to another town.

NOPE, we told them, and demanded to speak to a manager. Got it straightened out with no issues, but think of the people would have just accepted they had to do that and made countless calls along the way!

I'd have just switched to a credit card that has some intelligent management.  I've traveled to Mexico and Europe and used my normal credit card with no issues.  I get them being cautious, but that's absurd!

I have been to Mexico twice this year, once traveling down the coast and across the Gulf to get there, just got back from Spain and Italy, and am leaving for York in AM. 

Advised Master Card on-line and not a single problem. Simply told them the country and/or states. Took ten minutes and I am anything but a computer person.

My CC bank says travel anywhere, they can monitor the chip.

You need a new credit card provider. That's ridiculous. I have never, ever bothered to tell any of my credit card companies when I was traveling and I have never been denied credit.

I often fly people from Ohio to Florida. I have used my Visa card to buy lunch in Key West at 1 pm and in Poland, Ohio 4 hours later on the same day and have never had a question or a problem. I have occasionally received a phone call after the fact to confirm a charge, but I have never been denied the use of the card just because I wasn't close to home.

p51 posted:

...they froze the card right there and the only way to un-freeze it was from your HOME phone. Not much of an option there!...

Use your cell phone number for your credit card account - it's far more convenient.

And good point about constructive complaining. 

I like the idea of the cell phone number on the CC account.  That's a good one.

We travel to some weird places in the world and I always advise CC companies of plans.  For U.S. travel, sometimes I do notify.  Sometimes I don't.  No problems thus far.  AmEx is the easiest to deal with ... but the card is not accepted everywhere - espec. abroad.

I can speak from experience.  I only use the card for food and gas.  I buy all trains, etc with cash.  Last trip to York the card worked fine till traveling home.  I bought gas in Dallas and walked next door to a fast food restaurant and the card was frozen.  Paid with cash and called CC on the way home to Austin.   I said bad words on the phone and they unlocked it.  And that card had a chip in it. 

I'm convinced they're not the smartest people simply based on past fraud issues with people getting max possible cash back on the card from the same store over and over.  Something I never do.  They take the charges off and send me new cards, but it's all rolled into overhead so we ultimately end up paying for it. 

This trip the wife called and advised them of the travel and what states.

My wife and I travel quite a bit both in and out of the country and always call our bank to let them know since we almost exclusively use our bank debit cards.  We've never experienced any problems.  I can't remember the last time we used a credit card.

We were in Chile in 2012. Went to use my card at an ATM. Before we left home I called the bank that shows the stage coach for a mascot as I use a 7 digit pin. "No problem" they said. Wrong. Could not use my debit in Chile. Needless to say, when I got home I spoke to our local branch and explained the mess they called. By the way, Menard's only lets you use a 4 digit pin. So before you travel, especially out of the country, call your bank, twice. 

By the way, the remaining Milwaukee SDL39s are in Chile and were re-gauged to 5 foot.

Dick

Most cards cover fraud charges so as it is or could be their money they are cautious. 

Mallard4468 posted:

p51 posted:

...they froze the card right there and the only way to un-freeze it was from your HOME phone. Not much of an option there!...

Use your cell phone number for your credit card account - it's far more convenient.

And good point about constructive complaining. 

I didn't have a cell at the time, but got one soon afterward.

Its not an issue now, but it could have gotten ugly back in 2010...

wild mary posted:

My wife and I travel quite a bit both in and out of the country and always call our bank to let them know since we almost exclusively use our bank debit cards.  We've never experienced any problems.  I can't remember the last time we used a credit card.

Many people are unaware that the fraud protections which exist on CREDIT cards do not extend to DEBIT cards.  Using a debit card can lead to someone cleaning out your bank account, and your recourse is much more limited and difficult.

I only use my debit card in bank ATMs.  If you pay off your credit card balance each month, it's essentially free to use it and you get fraud protection.

True story about the credit union at a former employer from about 5 years ago.  A member was travelling to the Caribbean for vacation, and they contacted the credit union on a Friday to make sure their ATM card would work.  The CU set it up so that the card worked, and the member enjoyed their vacation.  Not so much the 99.99% of the members that weren't in the Caribbean that weekend - when the credit union entered the code to make the card work outside of the US, they inadvertently set it so that nobody's card would work INSIDE the US.  And since it was a rinky-dink operation, nobody was able to fix the problem until Monday, so thousands of people were inconvenienced all weekend.

Mallard4468 posted:

wild mary posted:

My wife and I travel quite a bit both in and out of the country and always call our bank to let them know since we almost exclusively use our bank debit cards.  We've never experienced any problems.  I can't remember the last time we used a credit card.

Many people are unaware that the fraud protections which exist on CREDIT cards do not extend to DEBIT cards.  Using a debit card can lead to someone cleaning out your bank account, and your recourse is much more limited and difficult.

Mebbe you should change banks.  When my Debit Card was hacked and abused, my bank not only covered without my asking, they had it done before they told me about it on the day that it happened.

I've never had a problem within the US. When leaving the US, we give the credit card company a list of countries we will be in. 

OGR Webmaster posted:

You need a new credit card provider. That's ridiculous. I have never, ever bothered to tell any of my credit card companies when I was traveling and I have never been denied credit.

Same.

Maybe those that run into these issues really need to look into where your cards are based, terms of service, and then maybe just how much debt you carry, too. Might even want to change banks!

p51 posted:

My wife and I went to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC in 2010. There’s only one border to cross from the state we live in to British Columbia.

The very first place we used the card, to buy some Olympics swag, they froze the card right there and the only way to un-freeze it was from your HOME phone. Not much of an option there!

Good thing we had another credit card, which we used for the duration of the trip.

Two years later, we were going to do a cross-country sightseeing road trip from Florida, diagonally across the country, back to home. When we called the credit card to tell them we’d be crossing at least a dozen states, the person at the other end of the phone almost had a stroke. She said we’d have to call each time we went to another town.

NOPE, we told them, and demanded to speak to a manager. Got it straightened out with no issues, but think of the people would have just accepted they had to do that and made countless calls along the way!

What upper management fool came up with that plan? Bet they got a raise from their equally incompetent boss as well...

palallin posted:

Mallard4468 posted:

wild mary posted:

My wife and I travel quite a bit both in and out of the country and always call our bank to let them know since we almost exclusively use our bank debit cards.  We've never experienced any problems.  I can't remember the last time we used a credit card.

Many people are unaware that the fraud protections which exist on CREDIT cards do not extend to DEBIT cards.  Using a debit card can lead to someone cleaning out your bank account, and your recourse is much more limited and difficult.

Mebbe you should change banks.  When my Debit Card was hacked and abused, my bank not only covered without my asking, they had it done before they told me about it on the day that it happened.

Absolutely!!!  Choose your bank carefully.

I too have experienced this hassle. The trouble is really computer software.

I am a Nova Scotian. I travelled to Ontario to visit family. All went well . . . until I got 25 miles from my home on the return trip and BAM! Card frozen! How stupid is that?

Furthermore, there was an ensuing lengthy, temper-wearing, battle to get points reinstated after this happened. After it was over, and I had redeemed my regained points for merchandise, I changed card companies.

And yes, make no mistake, it's THEIR money they're worried about here. They're protecting THEIR interests, not yours!

While most of my travel is domestic. I have gone to Canada, England, Ireland and Italy and called a major CC company before that travel. I told them the country I would be visiting & the date range of the trip. Had NO problems using the card and was able to get local cash at their foreign branches & affiliates.

Only problem I ever had (with another CC company) was at YORK several years ago.  I was there all York week had booked my hotel & made several purchases with big dealers without problems. On Friday evening, the company declined a charge for $10.47 at the Lyndon Diner & froze my card usage. Naturally, the CC company fraud unit was closed until Monday. Most unusual since that card worked at previous York's including Lyndon Diner. While they said they were sorry on Monday, that CC became history.

I don't use a debit card because they do not have the legal protection of credit cards & some debit card companies will just say you are out of luck.

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

As a side note, also be careful where you use ATMs in Pa.. Many Rutters ATMs had skimmers attached to them. The Md. State Police did arrest 3 in connection with the scheme a but if you need to use an ATM they recommend that you use one at a bank or credit union just to be on the safe side, better security and less likely tho be tampered with. Our debit card was hacked and it was traced to the Rutters right down the road from where we live. Altho this was a month ago you should still be careful.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2..._skimming_cases.html

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/st...ork-county/98909806/

http://www.ydr.com/story/news/...mming-scam/98908326/

Jerry

J Daddy posted:

No issues last year. I think the credit card company monitors your travel. So if you use it to charge gas, they will know where you are and not question the mysterious charge in 2 places at the same time.

Actually, our first encounter with their watchfulness was during an RV trip to Floriduh.  The result of which is we now take a few minutes to call our primary card service, advise them of our upcoming trip plans/duration,.....and we're done.  Minutes....24/7.

The comment regarding York purchases from vendors of other states is an interesting one, though.  It would really be spooky coincidental, however, to incur a simultaneous non-PA fraudulent charge for the same 2-3 days of York, I suppose.  I mean, what are the odds????  ("Sheldon!  Do the math!!!)

We also have LifeLock, which may or may not have heightened the overall watchfulness.

Whatever....I'd rather have it this way than the result of a false/disputed charge.  It's one of those signs of the times we all would do well to adjust to, methinks.

We've used plastic at York for years.  Nary a problem.  Can't be the karma.

KD

Maybe it is time to spend less time at the key board and check our personal finances.  Charter and corporate pilots, traveling businessmen and business women, merchant mariners and long haul truck drivers use credit cards in many states during their normal course of business without a hassle.  John in Lansing, ILL

And they have somewhat consistent purchasing patterns that indicate card use in wide ranging places.

ALCO Fan posted:

I don't use a debit card because they do not have the legal protection of credit cards & some debit card companies will just say you are out of luck.

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

 

 

 

Perhaps you're dealing with the wrong bank.

wild mary posted:

ALCO Fan posted:

I don't use a debit card because they do not have the legal protection of credit cards & some debit card companies will just say you are out of luck.

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

 

 

 

Perhaps you're dealing with the wrong bank.

Our credit union debit card has the same protections as a credit card, in fact they were the ones who picked up that something was up with our card, a sale in New York city  and Pittsburgh  within 20 minutes of each other, they called us and we said it wasn't us they froze the account and we weren't responsible for any of it, so I agree with Wild Mary get a new bank.

Jerry