Every time we go out of State to a show, our bank (TCF-our Business acct.) wants to know the dates we will be gone in case we use our card out of State-they will know it was US! 2 years ago we were out of State & we couldn't use our card-it said FRAUD ALERT when we tried to use it & the bank put a security LOCK on it!!! I called MY banker that I KNEW & she said that this is pretty standard & it is only to "protect us from fraud..."She said our number was randomly caught/red-flagged in the system. I said, "IT IS US trying to use it, & she said "I know, but the system doesn't because you haven't used your card here for a long time. Then she told us they have to know every time we go somewhere... You know, I don't like even telling my bank when we will be gone. By the way, I also called US bank & they said it was their policy as well. He said the same thing as TCF-that the system will "randomly check" when you are out of your area, so it doesn't happen to everyone all the time, but who wants to take that chance?!! We know you all travel & wonder if you have ever run into this & you have to alert your bank whenever you travel... or perhaps we were the unlucky ones 2 yrs. ago! We have had these banks for several years but they said that didn't matter either.
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Ditto, Laurie. In fact, my bank (Capital One) specifically told me I didn't have to let them know when traveling overseas, let alone in the U.S. Perhaps because I've had the card for some time and it has seen the purchasing pattern -- lots of travel, family in Florida and California, plus serious wanderlust on top of that.
I used to have to let the bank know I would be out of town. I didn't have to be exact. It's a good security measure. Since they are responsible for any loses, they want to make sure you aren't being hacked. Now, they make everyone download an app called Card Valet that let's you block or allow certain types of transactions. You can set it to use the card at gas stations, restaurants, and, hotels. You can block online sales, purchases in department stores, etc. Whatever you want. You may want to ask your bank about Card Valet. It works really well. I tried to pay for a show fee once while I was at another show and it wouldn't go through until I turned the app off. You can stop anyone from stealing your card info and using it.
I have most of my cards set up with my cell phone (but also email) so that they can immediately text me, and I can immediately reply to the text to get that charge to go thru. Or just use a different card, and reply later. They don't close my card immediately.
Yes, my bank does the same thing. I was annoying until I had someone attain my number in Florida and tried to use it. The bank stopped it and I wasn't out any money. A little inconvenience makes life a whole lot easier.
This used to happen to us all the time when we used our Visa debit cards when traveling. Chase Bank told us to make sure we used the card as a debit so that the PIN could be entered and that should take care of the problem. That seems to have worked.
Any and all safety precautions are well worth it even though they might be a pain in the ass at times. I have had my credit card compromised twice recently with fraudulent charges...in July and then again in September. Both times the bank contacted me and cancelled my card and re-issued a new one. I was also told by the bank that if I am out of town when a fraud charge happens they can set it up so I can still use my card...but only in person and no online transactions...this allows paying hotels, gas etc.
I have my account set up where every single time a charge is made with my card I receive a text message and a email message notifying me of it.
It has happened to us, too, but usually it only takes a phone call to set it right. I appreciate that they are looking out for us because on one or two occasions it wasn't us, but someone who had somehow gotten our number. We have also had it happen in reverse when we were doing shows out of our area that the client's credit card refused to honor our bill because they didn't think that their customer would be buying something from an artist from Indiana while they were in Florida. We haven't yet alerted the credit card company when we travel. I can hardly remember to stop the paper and the mail!!! LOL.
I've had the problem at trade shows-- local/in my "home town", but vendors coming from other cities, states, and even other countries. This means my credit card seems to be in use in several widely separated places within a short time-- and shuts down until I can get home and contact the "fraud alert" number (has to be on teh phone associated with the account, which is my home phone). It's my business cc that does this-- so I bring my personal one as a back-up, and do fund transfers to cover the charges (a pain, but better than going home "empty handed").
I think in this time of increased fraud, this is S.O.P. with credit card companies, Kathleen. I've had it happen to me (and now I do call them before I travel to avoid having my credit card denied when I stop for gas) and I've also had it happen several times when I'm running a card for a sale at a show. When the latter happens I don't panic and the customer doesn't panic because we pretty much know what's happening if they've made multiple purchases at a show and especially if they've traveled to attend the show.
It's just something we all have to accept and get used to I think. I don't have any problem letting the card companies know that I'm traveling (it may be big brother-ish, but that's the era we've - all of us in this country- created) because it's just another step to safe-guard my security and I appreciate it.
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