MSE News: Avoid the blocked card holiday nightmare

Elvisia

I got stuck in Milan with zero money as my usual card (Egg) was blocked after I made one transaction with it, and my two safety cards were also blocked when I tried to use them. I had paid for my hotel in advance but my credit card had flagged up 2 nights in a hotel as fraudulent, so when I went to check out, thinking at least I would be able to get home if I didn't have to spend anymore money on anything, only to find the credit card hadn't paid for my hotel up front and they still needed paying. Ended up going into my overdraft on a spare debit card I fortunately had at the bottom of my purse. Have rung up Egg before but it makes no difference. Next time will take euros strapped to myself as I'd rather take risk of being mugged than pretty much guarantee being locked out of my cards!

choc_mouse

Although the main article says "MBNA would not disclose its policy", they have recently prominently asked you to text your destination and date(s) of travel when you log in to internet banking, so it seems they do use the information in some form or another.

http://www.mbna.co.uk/card-services-benefits/mobile-text-services/#travelling-abroad

I texted it and they automatically reply asking for more information e.g. which MBNA card if you have more than one (reply with last 4 digits) and if trip is more than 16 days to reply with expected return date.

Bob_the_Saver

I don't trust any of them, they're all a load of *ankers.

Insert letter of your choice.

B or .........

Pincher

I fly through Doha (Qatar) occasionally, and in order to avoid having to change money, I pay for drinks etc. by credit card. How is a computer (of whatever bank) supposed to know I am in an airport, so despite the exotic location, the card usage is not suspicious? Even though I declare I am going to Shanghai, will I remember to declare Doha?

It seems to me the advisory phone calls are simply recorded in an account history text note when you ring up, and nothing automated has been updated at all. The system simply blocks you as it always does, and expect to unblock you when you ring up, from a souk in Dubai. What do you mean your mobile doesn't allow you to make calls from lots of countries? Pay As You Go, run out of credit just when you get through to the call centre. Not my problem, gov.

I just make sure I have lots of forms of payment, including cash.

One thing I have noticed is, if you use cards abroad often, you are less likely to be blocked. A travel virgin with no history of foreign card use is almost certainly going to be blocked.

Bob_the_Saver

Pincher wrote: »

I fly through Doha (Qatar) occasionally, and in order to avoid having to change money, I pay for drinks etc. by credit card. How is a computer (of whatever bank) supposed to know I am in an airport, so despite the exotic location, the card usage is not suspicious? Even though I declare I am going to Shanghai, will I remember to declare Doha?

It seems to me the advisory phone calls are simply recorded in an account history text note when you ring up, and nothing automated has been updated at all. The system simply blocks you as it always does, and expect to unblock you when you ring up, from a souk in Dubai. What do you mean your mobile doesn't allow you to make calls from lots of countries? Pay As You Go, run out of credit just when you get through to the call centre. Not my problem, gov.


I just make sure I have lots of forms of payment, including cash.

One thing I have noticed is, if you use cards abroad often, you are less likely to be blocked. A travel virgin with no history of foreign card use is almost certainly going to be blocked.

If you're worried use a Pre-paid currency card designed to be used abroad, MSE is full of suggestions about which one, but many 'proper' airport outlets accept say $US.

Pincher

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

If you're worried use a Pre-paid currency card designed to be used abroad, MSE is full of suggestions about which one, but many 'proper' airport outlets accept say $US.

Worried? My travel pack is like Jason Bourne's Swiss deposit box. My only worry is security check asking me whose country I am spying for.

I had a Cash Back promotion from SONY, with £50 on the damned card. I had to keep track on a separate piece of paper exactly how much I have spent and remaining. On the last transaction, do I feel embarrassed saying "Could you take £1.68 from this card, and I'll pay the rest in cash."? Can't stand this Pre-paid non-sense.

mr_confused

Pincher wrote: »

I fly through Doha (Qatar) occasionally, and in order to avoid having to change money, I pay for drinks etc. by credit card. How is a computer (of whatever bank) supposed to know I am in an airport, so despite the exotic location, the card usage is not suspicious? Even though I declare I am going to Shanghai, will I remember to declare Doha?

It seems to me the advisory phone calls are simply recorded in an account history text note when you ring up, and nothing automated has been updated at all. The system simply blocks you as it always does, and expect to unblock you when you ring up, from a souk in Dubai. What do you mean your mobile doesn't allow you to make calls from lots of countries? Pay As You Go, run out of credit just when you get through to the call centre. Not my problem, gov.

I just make sure I have lots of forms of payment, including cash.

One thing I have noticed is, if you use cards abroad often, you are less likely to be blocked. A travel virgin with no history of foreign card use is almost certainly going to be blocked.

I travel to Indonesia 3 or 4 times per year. Every time I phone the bank (lloydstsb) to advise them that I am going away, exactly where I am going and for how long.

Every single time my card is blocked at least once, resulting in a long phone call to solve the problem. Of course, this costs LloydsTSB a lot of money as they have to refund me the cost of the call, which is usually around £45 - £50 per call. Upon returning from Bali in 2010 they owed me a grand sum of £160 in telephone charages. :-)

The one time there actually was fraud on my card they were no help whatsoever. (i was in Bali, the fraud took place in cambridge). My account had been emptied of over £1500 and they told me they would post me a form so that I could reclaim the cash upon my return.... erm what was I supposed to do for the remaining 8 days of my holiday?

I keep meaning to change banks but never get around to it. As for avoiding these problems in the future??? I have no idea... I am not willing to take cash, I guess I will just put up with it, and Lloyds will keep paying my phone bill. :j

reclusive46

I can't say I've ever had my Amex abroad and the one time I went abroad and the place didn't take Amex, I used my Barclaycard, which was no problem. Did not tell either companies I was going abroad.

iblametheparents

AMG762 wrote: »

I noticed the 'MSE chart' says Barclaycard - makes little difference.

But on the Barclaycard website it says...

Before you go abroad, call us on 0844 811 9091

We'll implement proedures to reduce the chance that an overseas transacton will trigger a referral.

link...

http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/creditbuilder/fraud-guide/going-abroad/

The website is out of date, it's only changed in the last couple of months. You used to have to inform them but it's no longer necessary.

Cef37

Callum 9999 I have to know what card you are using as you've had no trouble.

Every single time I used to go abroad my Lloyds debit card was declined. I was given various excuses raised it each Tom and complained to highest levels. These banks don't want to admit that their security blocking is mostly automated so call or no call makes no difference. Half the time even thy don't know yours card is blocked. Final straw with Lloyds was when I went to transmit a bank transfer of cash to my own account at another bank and they refused to let me apparently computer said no as it didn't recognise my other account for faster payment so I had to transfer to my husbands Barclays account and then he to my Citibank one it took seconds an Lloyds couldn't do it at all. AND the reason for this transfer to another account Well that obvious isn't it I wanted to make sure I could access my cash abroad an Citi doesn't block your card all the time.
My current account is now switched as I was so fed up with Lloyds tab.