Credit cards and travelling abroad
Discussion
As a rule, I always give them a call, which they always seem grateful for.
If you have to ask this It would suggest you don't use one abroad much so it would probably flag as "unusual spending".
My aunt was once told by a waiter that their machine required them to see her passport before accepting payment to verify her identity, my aunt had already used her card quite a bit that day and thinking it a scam, my uncle used his card with no problem.
Once home the card company basically told her,
"you do not usually use your card abroad so after it had been used a couple of times we requested verification" They had tried calling the house number also but my Aunt was not there to verify she was on holiday!
If you have to ask this It would suggest you don't use one abroad much so it would probably flag as "unusual spending".
My aunt was once told by a waiter that their machine required them to see her passport before accepting payment to verify her identity, my aunt had already used her card quite a bit that day and thinking it a scam, my uncle used his card with no problem.
Once home the card company basically told her,
"you do not usually use your card abroad so after it had been used a couple of times we requested verification" They had tried calling the house number also but my Aunt was not there to verify she was on holiday!
Almost had our engagement ruined by poxy credit card companies.
I proposed to Mrs Puggit outside Tiffanys in NY. Took her inside to buy the ring straight away. We had real problems (with NatWest, Smile, Egg, 1st Direct) and in the end it went through on Cahoot. I actually called Cahoot before we made the purchase and they said they wouldn't have blocked it anyway.
The others are interfering busybodies! If I have my passport it is me and let me spend my money
I proposed to Mrs Puggit outside Tiffanys in NY. Took her inside to buy the ring straight away. We had real problems (with NatWest, Smile, Egg, 1st Direct) and in the end it went through on Cahoot. I actually called Cahoot before we made the purchase and they said they wouldn't have blocked it anyway.
The others are interfering busybodies! If I have my passport it is me and let me spend my money
Thanks guys; I'll try to figure out how to speak to Capital One tomorrow. Doubtless finding a human to ask the simple question will be like trying to breach the Siegfried Line 
Good job I'm not going to Nigeria!
Edited to add: Aha, did it
Of course the option to speak to a human was not given (they mentioned 1 and 2 but the right answer was 0).
All apparently fixed up - but he did say that they charge 2.75% per transaction
So I'll probably use Switch instead, after all that!
>> Edited by simpo two on Monday 19th December 20:55
Good job I'm not going to Nigeria!
Edited to add: Aha, did it
Of course the option to speak to a human was not given (they mentioned 1 and 2 but the right answer was 0). All apparently fixed up - but he did say that they charge 2.75% per transaction
So I'll probably use Switch instead, after all that!
>> Edited by simpo two on Monday 19th December 20:55
Me or any of my family or friends have never had to do anything to a credit card for it to work abroad. Why do you guys need to do it? Sounds a bit over the top for anti-fraud. If I want to use my card, I'll use it where the hell I want, and I don't need their permission, thank you very much.
That would actually really annoy me if I had to do that. Mobile phone too. Leave me alone and connect the call.
Sorry, went off on a bit of a rant there!
That would actually really annoy me if I had to do that. Mobile phone too. Leave me alone and connect the call.
Sorry, went off on a bit of a rant there!
I've used mine all over, from the US to China, Russia, Sri Lanka and all without question, no need to unlock anything. The only extra security checks I've had, and I quite like this, were by Morgan Stanley on a couple of occasions, once in a bike shop and the other in watches of switzerland. Both times the shop assistant ran the card through, and got a "refer to issuer" message on the machine. They called the security hotline and got put on hold. Meanwhile organ Stanely call me on my mobile while I was still in the shop, and asked if it was me buying toys again. I said yes, and the transaction went through. Secure, but minimal hassle.
Oh, and once HSBC called me after I'd used their card in a payphone once. They said the first thing card thieves do is check that it works OK in a phone box before trying to use it for anything else, so they watch out for it.
THis is the first time I've seen or heard of credit card unlocking for use abroad.
Oh, and once HSBC called me after I'd used their card in a payphone once. They said the first thing card thieves do is check that it works OK in a phone box before trying to use it for anything else, so they watch out for it.
THis is the first time I've seen or heard of credit card unlocking for use abroad.
kgb1 said:
Off topic a little but nationwide do not make any charges for overseas transactions, the only one as far as I know.
So I heard! However I rarely go overseas so it's not worth opening a NW account.
I think what gets flagged up is unusual activity. So if all my transactions over 10 years are in the UK, then suddenly they get a rash in NZ, they wonder what's happened.
So there I was, talking to Abdul bin Wotsit at Capital One:
Abdul: 'Do you have other credit cards?'
Me: 'No, I only have one; yours'
Abdul: (flattered) 'Thank you very much. We have very competitive rates on balance transfers if you wanted to move any balances over to us.
Me: 'I might consider it, IF I had any other credit cards'.
Abdul: 'Uh, right...'
A word of warning: Even switch cards can be a problem abroad, if you don't usually use your switch card abroad then suddenly use it several times it can be stopped. I had this experience with HSBC earlier this year on a booze cruise: Used the card fairly heavily 
and then it was blocked: Then followed half an hour on my mobile phone to HSBC in F
g Bombay (free phone numbers dont work internationally) trying to sort it out: They also froze my other three HSBC cards at the same time:
I complained bitterly when I got home to no avail - now with Amex bank - real people here in the UK and no problems with the Bombay fraud department:
M.
and then it was blocked: Then followed half an hour on my mobile phone to HSBC in Fg Bombay (free phone numbers dont work internationally) trying to sort it out: They also froze my other three HSBC cards at the same time: I complained bitterly when I got home to no avail - now with Amex bank - real people here in the UK and no problems with the Bombay fraud department:
M.
mikedavis1 said:
I complained bitterly when I got home to no avail - now with Amex bank - real people here in the UK and no problems with the Bombay fraud department:
M.
Actually, I was quite grateful to that fraud department in Bombay when they woke me up one sunday morning to ask if i had just tried to withdraw £250 in cash. Thanks to that prompt call they were able to block a couple of other attempted transactions on my card.
kgb1 said:
I have been expat for 15 years with all my accounts still in UK, I have never had any problems using credit cards overseas, except for the rip off charges!
Off topic a little but nationwide do not make any charges for overseas transactions, the only one as far as I know.
Ditto and I've never had a problem either. I've had a stop put on my Switch card for making multiple cash withdrawals abroad though. Also Spain require photo ID for credit cards if you're going there. Oh and most European countries will ask you to enter your pin number now so make sure you can remember it.
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