Speaking of vacation and money. . .

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

We were on vacation - one state away. The first night I went to pay for the groceries for our stay. My card was declined. I paid with the extra cash I'd taken out for the ENTIRE time! We went to get pizza - the card was fine. Went to another store - declined again. So I called the bank. It turns out they had put a hold on our account because we were away from home! The representative noted our vacation information, but said it could take a few days to take effect! I was NOT happy. We were in a neighboring state, where our bank has a branch or two. I could see if we were in another part of the country - but one state away? She told me to always call a few days before when we leave our home area for any reason and plan to use our bank card. I didn't know this. She said they do this to prevent fraud.

Last month we attended a family wedding in the midwest. We were gone for almost a week. I didn't call, and we had no trouble using our card. Go figure!

Maybe this will help someone else.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

I had the same experience when I was in Philadelphia several years ago. Went to pay for an expensive Michele Watch at Nordstrom's and it was declined. My sister had to put it on her credit card. I was so embarrassed.

I now call the bank any time I'm going to be out of town.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

sam96 · ‎05-05-2015

With all the data breaches recently and the past few years, it hasn't surprised me that financial institutions have started tightening transaction approvals when we're outside our normal home radius.

I call my card issuer a few days before I travel outside my home area. I also frequently travel to my home town, so they have that as a permanent "approved location" on file so I don't have to call each time I go.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

This happened to us several years ago. We always call before we leave on a trip. They ask where we are going & when we are leaving & returning home.

Scooby Doo · ‎03-14-2010

It happened to me also, but I called the CS number and they immediately took off the hold. They did ask when I was leaving that area.

Karnerblue · ‎03-18-2015

That happened to us but we were in Cancun. We were declined so my husband called the credit card company and they said it was flagged as a precaution. It was an unusual purchase and we not in the US. I kind of understand it in a way. But they noted the account so we were fine after that.

I told my husband "see, even the credit card company knows you never take me anywhere" LOL

"Never water yourself down just because someone can't handle you 100% proof."

Zenyoga · ‎06-01-2015

I always let the bank know when I'm traveling out of the country because it happened to me in Spain,I was at Disney world in January with my grandson and I brought a lot of things in a short period of time my last purchase was declined called the bank and told that was the reason why, wanted to make sure my card wasn't stolen because I was in another state.

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
Robert Frost

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

Last month we went on vacation. Before we went, we notified the bank the days we were going to be on vacation and all the states and provences we were going to visit.

The bank had told us years ago to do that before we went on vacation. They even send a confirmation before we left - in case there was an error or change.

luvdoodles · ‎06-19-2010

That happened to us when we were in Aruba. I called the company and they lifted the hold. We were told next time we travel to call them and let them know the dates. I was impressed that they were looking out for any fraudelent activity.

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

Reminds me of a time when we went to Barbados years ago. The hotel practice was to run a tab for your entire trip and pay at the end which we had no problem with. At the end of vacation we checked out at the front deck. Gave them our creidt card to pay which went through but when we got home we had a call from our bank about a charge of $2000+ on our card made out of the country. We confirmed that it was okay and that we made that charge. We appreicated the fact that the bank was all over it to make certain no one stole our card.

Good thing it went through otherwise we would have been stuck in Barbados!!!! Now there's a FAB place to be 'stuck in"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!