Do you ever call your credit card company to warn them?

[anat0l]

I was just wondering because my credit card providers (particularly Amex) have always told me that if I were going overseas, I should inform them of the fact and where I'm going. Amex additionally ask that I call them before sending through a large transaction, particularly one that will be charged in foreign currency. I guess most of this is just fraud protections.

I've always called before going overseas. The latter one of large transactions I've only done with Amex, and even then I haven't always called them about it (I've had a couple of transactions > $1000 placed and I haven't told Amex).

Do you have the same practices?

 

[christinam]

I always call unless I'm going to NZ for worth. My Visa has worked in NZ, even though I don't notify the bank.

Elsewhere, I always let the bank know. My partner forgot last time we went away and couldn't use his card.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I always call the bank.

You don't want the credit card to stop working when you are overseas.

On the big transactions, then no, but I wouldn't call anything under $8,000 big anyway.

 

[samh004]

I don’t have a CC here, but I know my parents, particularly my mum, will get a call when they’ve used their card for plane tickets (if I’m booking them I know) or a tx in another country, asking if they actually made the tx. I don’t think they call the bank, the bank calls them

 

[Sprucegoose]

always a very good idea.

I havent be able to purchase overseas tickets for anyone else than and family surname.

security I guess

 

[Stephen65]

Always ring to let them know I will be overseas.

I don't ring for large transactions if they are within a credit card's limit. For an amex charge card I ring if the transaction will be pushing what I guess to be my authorisation limit.

 

[Mal]

I never call. Have never really had any big issues with Amex. Did have one when booking tickets online and it failed. Tried another website and it also failed. Tried another and it worked.

Got a phone call not too long later from Amex.

 

[MissBurrill]

My credit card company called me because I had used my card 5 times in one day in Melbourne and thought something odd was going on (I don't even use my card 5 times a week normally).

I sometimes ring but not always. Depends on the country. I didn't ring for Timor as I expected not to use it. Made a purchase there and no issues from my company even though that was a signature transaction.

 

[yohy?!]

Never hurts to have notes on your account in case it get's looked at - merely saves them calling you and potentially disrupting your holiday spending.

 

[Hvr]

Always when going overseas, can be a pain when there are multiple countries in the itinerary. Have already made the call for this week.


For large value purchases, only if I haven't used the vendor before for a purchase. For someone like Qantas with multiple purchases I don't bother.

 

[Maca44]

I never used to until I had my card stopped when trying to buy something in Hong Kong several years ago, went to the Amex office in HKG and it was sorted. Now always do because of that reason.

 

[drron]

I never used to until I had my card stopped when trying to buy something in Hong Kong several years ago, went to the Amex office in HKG and it was sorted. Now always do because of that reason.

the first 2 times i had my card stopped overseas i had informed them of my travels.
I do about 50% of the time.Doesn't seem to matter.
the only time i informed Diners of a large transaction they knocked it back anyway.so did it in 2 halves an hour later with no probs-go figure.

 

[NYCguy]

I stopped calling Amex years ago, and have never had any trouble. I imagine that once you set a precedent of frequent international card-usage, they stop worrying.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I never call, they have called me on 2 occasions. Once when I was safely at home and my card was used in a Midwest Walmart :shock: ! Cards cancelled and replaced. The second call was shortly after this as I booked an international conference and they noticed another foreign currency.
I've never had my card stopped whilst using it on travels.

 

[albatross710]

When we were in NZ in July due to overseas transaction the NAB was trying to contact me via my office in Australia.

They were just checking on my location but one staff member did see some humour in a director being out of the country and a bank chasing me down.

 

[Flashback]

Always when going overseas, can be a pain when there are multiple countries in the itinerary. Have already made the call for this week.

For large value purchases, only if I haven't used the vendor before for a purchase. For someone like Qantas with multiple purchases I don't bother.

You can imagine how much fun I had doing so on all my bank accounts just before I came over here! :shock:

Some accounts I'm not planning on using, but it's more of a "just in case" I need to access funds due to my primary means of cash access being stolen when travelling, etc.

 

[bjm76]

I always call Amex and tell them where I am going, and have never had any problems using the card overseas.

But, I was booking a domestic flight in Thailand last year, on Bangkok Airways and the transaction kept failing. I was at home in Sydney and using my Amex. Called Amex and they said they blocked the transaction as they thought it could have been fraudulent. The customer service agent told me he would release the block, and the transaction will go through next try, and it did no hassles.

So I came away pretty impressed with their fraud prevention!

 

[simongr]

Never called not once to any provider - amex, westpac, credit union. Never had any issues.

 

[Pvcmenace]

I once had the ANZ 'hawk' attack when in London in 2001, after a short call back to OZ the 'hawk' was called off and have never had a problem again... Not with that bank or card or any other again! Still don't inform them, nosy parkers.

 

[Fantic125]

Citibank I do - have had the card blocked twice before, once for paying for 6 O/S flight within the same day & another time when travelling (Philippines I think) so now always call them before.

Amex, ING and ANZ have never had an issue, but my transaction history with each indicates frequent travel.