Advice for Credit Card users (Please Read)

[Savage Pumpkin]

I wanted to share this important information with all of you since most of us are traveling from out of state. Make sure you contact your credit card companies that you are traveling out of state and out of your normal area. If they see charges out of your area that are out of your norm they will freeze your account as attempted fraud. It only takes a few minutes and many are accesible online. Better to be safe than sorry. Dont want anyone to have money issues.

 

[Diamond45]

Agreed. A couple of years ago I drove from Virginia to Florida. Attempted to buy gas on my American Duress card and found it didn't work. (I paid for the gas using another credit card). Called them up and they said that they locked the account based upon suspected fraud. I confirmed the attempted purchase, they turned it back on and things were fine the rest of the trip. But since then I call them ahead of time to let them know what's going on.

Good advice!

 

[johan68]

Never heard of such a thing. I travel across the states and to Europe all the time and my cards have always worked.

 

[Savage Pumpkin]

Its 100% true and happens to people all the time. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Pellaz]

Never heard of such a thing. I travel across the states and to Europe all the time and my cards have always worked.

It's mostly a function of your credit issuer and their fraud detection systems, if any. People who historically travel often might not get flagged when a new out-of-region purchase shows up, but someone whose purchases are usually made in one area could well be flagged.

 

[jaimek]

I've traveled to other states on a regular basis and have NEVER had to notify my CC. I do, however, let them know when I'm going out of the country. (Which reminds me, I need to do that sometime in the next few weeks.)

Besides which, if there's a question, the merchant should get a referral request - ie, they have to make a phone call to the CC company to verify the customer's info. Doesn't usually take more than five minutes. I find this happens when someone's out of their usual spending pattern - dropping $1000 on a laptop, for example.

 

[OrbWeaver]

I've never had that problem.

 

[lady_space]

I almost had this problem with my debit card when in the UK. Luckily, they called my mother (she was on my checking account) and she convinced them not to lock it. If she wasn't an employee of SunTrust, they probably would've done it anyway--they were insisting they had to speak with me (despite Mom also being on my account). She finally got it through to them that I was *in London* and as such couldn't come to the phone. :Smug: I have since called when traveling out of the country.

However, it really surprises me that traveling out of state would trigger this. Hell, I traveled out of state twice in the past week.

 

[Pabla]

Agreed. A couple of years ago I drove from Virginia to Florida. Attempted to buy gas on my American Duress card and found it didn't work. (I paid for the gas using another credit card). Called them up and they said that they locked the account based upon suspected fraud. I confirmed the attempted purchase, they turned it back on and things were fine the rest of the trip. But since then I call them ahead of time to let them know what's going on.

Good advice!

My American Express also gives me a hard time (It's the only of 2 cards I travel with as I get a full detail of all my monthly purchases and just pay it off at the end of the month-safer than using a bank debit card)

Anyway, I call them all the time when I am traveling and I still have to end up calling them a second time as they freeze my account on a first purchase out of state no matter what I tell them over the phone

 

[KingsGene]

Multiple out-of-state gas purchases on CC's are usually what seem to trigger this. AMEX in particular...

 

[kellsco]

I travel all the time and never have had an account frozen. Although I did have Discover call me years ago while in NY after my first purchase, to inquire if I was actually there using that card or had it been stolen.

 

[Jibrille]

It depends. If you don't travel regularly you're more likely to get your account frozen. If traveling is a normal thing for you to do, it's not going to be seen as a red flag. Basically abnormal spending is going to be looked into and can possibly cause your account to have a hold placed on it. I've only had my current CC for about 8 months now so I probably should give them a call. I always remember the time that my dad was in Canada for a fishing trip, I was in Philly to check out a college, and my mom was in Maryland. So suddenly here's a family all making purchases on a CC in three different locations. They didn't freeze the account luckily but by the time my mom and I were home there was a letter about suspicious activity and to call them ASAP.
If AMEX regularly freezes an account for someone who goes out of state a lot, they must just have a strict policy.
I thought about getting an AMEX but they're not accepted at many of the small businesses I regularly use and I prefer to keep track of only one statement.

 

[BABS]

I had it happen to me once! I live on the east coast and had taken a trip to CA. Had to check into a hotel under an already urgent/emergency basis and then had the front desk give me the good news about the card! The hotel I was at was very kind though and told me to take a few minutes to call my bank (they even sprung for the call!) and within 20 minutes the problem was solved.

I will tell you this though, there is nothing more terrorizing than that feeling of "what am I gonna do?"

What I suggest to that people do is go to a store and buy one of those American Express or Visa cards that you can load your money on, put X amount on there and use those if you are afraid of theft, etc. If you put a reasonably low amount on, then you'll only be out that should it be stolen.

 

[YearsOfMetal]

I work for a credit card company and we shut cards down for this all the time. Definately let them know.

 

[lasercd]

This has definitely been an issue for some of our customers at past festivals. It wouldn't be a bad idea to let your credit card company know in advance.

Here is one other suggestion about using your cards at Progpower: buy alot...and buy often!

 

[Sumeet]

I almost had this problem with my debit card when in the UK. Luckily, they called my mother (she was on my checking account) and she convinced them not to lock it. If she wasn't an employee of SunTrust, they probably would've done it anyway--they were insisting they had to speak with me (despite Mom also being on my account). She finally got it through to them that I was *in London* and as such couldn't come to the phone. :Smug: I have since called when traveling out of the country.

However, it really surprises me that traveling out of state would trigger this. Hell, I traveled out of state twice in the past week.

There are probably also geographic factors that affect this, as well as purchase location, size, and type factors (and of course how often that customer travels, as others have mentioned). Like... someone from Rhode Island is probably not going to raise any red flags for using his card at an Applebee's in Massachusetts or Connecticut, but someone from Anchorage buying a $3000 laptop at a Best Buy in Miami might set off some alarms.

 

[Pellaz]

What I suggest to that people do is go to a store and buy one of those American Express or Visa cards that you can load your money on, put X amount on there and use those if you are afraid of theft, etc. If you put a reasonably low amount on, then you'll only be out that should it be stolen.

Of course, your liability is limited by law to $50 for individual credit cards, after timely notifying the credit issuer.
The same protection does not apply to "business" or "corporate" cards, however...and I'm getting a lot of invites for those in the mail lately.

Here is one other suggestion about using your cards at Progpower: buy alot...and buy often!

 

[Yippee38]

Somebody recently told me that if you use a credit card and just pay the minimum balance, you will eventually pay 4 to 5 times the original price of the item.

 

[Sumeet]

Somebody recently told me that if you use a credit card and just pay the minimum balance, you will eventually pay 4 to 5 times the original price of the item.

Depending on the interest rate and how long you carry the balance, it could be a lot more than 4 or 5 times as much.

 

[BABS]

Somebody recently told me that if you use a credit card and just pay the minimum balance, you will eventually pay 4 to 5 times the original price of the item.

Very true. I am currently recovering from credit card debt (happy to say half-way there folk!) and I can attest that the "devil" is plastic and resides in your wallet!