Mbarnes
Unregistered User
(4/1/04 4:33 pm)

Notifying Credit Card Companies

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Michele, we are in the home stretch. 18 days to go. I have checked and double checked to make sure I have everything taken care of. 1 thing caught me off guard and I thought I would pass it on.

I recently received a call from my Credit Union that there was unusual activity on my credit card. the authorization number was unfamiliar and that I should cancel my card and get a new one. I told her that I was going to Ireland and perhaps the charge was to verify the credit card. (I had reserved a cell phone with it). Sure enough that was what it was.

What was a concern was that had this happened in Ireland they would have put a hold on the card until I was reached. A great security measure but it would have been rather embarrassing if I couldn't use it. Any way, As a result I called both my major credit card holders and Bank to let them know that we would be out of the country they both noted the info and hopfully nothing goes wrong.

I was really thankful that I found this out before we left and thought I would pass it on.

Mary Ellen

Tami
Unregistered User
(4/1/04 6:30 pm)

Me too

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We leave Monday and my Mom told me her bank said the same thing. I called my bank today and sure enough they were glad I called. That would have been yukky considering I am paying for my hotels with my card and if it were shut off we would have been in a pickle.

Irene Lee
Registered User
Posts: 23
(4/1/04 9:33 pm)

Re: Notifying Credit Card Companies

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I notify my credit card companies before all my overseas trips. I started doing this a couple of years ago when we went to Nepal for a month. Right before the trip I stopped in at a Walmart to buy a memory chip for my digital camera. My credit card declined the purchase and told them to take my card. Well, I through a fit and finally a manager came over and we called the credit card company. I couldn't understand what the problem could be since I have an unlimited credit limit and I knew it was sitting a near zero. After verifying that I was..well me...the company tells me that a red flag went up in the system because I never use my credit card at discount stores such as Walmart and they thought it was strange.
I was pissed.

Anyway...I took to telling all companies to flag my accounts whenever I was preparing to leave the country so that the computer didn't block my card. They actually do that and make note of my travel dates.

Irene

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2402
(4/2/04 2:08 am)

Re: Notifying Credit Card Companies

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Very wise advice, ladies. I do the same before my trips.

Michele

Allison
Unregistered User
(4/2/04 7:38 am)

Credit cards

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I think another good reason for notifying the company of your travel dates is in case someone obtains your number and uses it after you have left the country. It would be easier to convince the company that the charges are fraudulent. (Not that this would happen in Ireland!)

Allison