Credit Card keeps being blocked

Herongull

Hi

Is anyone else having this problem?

Three times in the past week my credit card has been blocked and each time it was for the transaction was for less than £100.

The first one was for the purchase of a mobile phone to a well known UK mobile phone company (CPW). I spent ages on the phone sorting out the right deal and then when I tried to pay, my credit card was blocked and I lost the deal. I had to phone the bank to get it unblocked. They told me that it was flagged up as suspicious transaction, but what is wrong with buying a (relatively cheap) phone from CPW?

A couple of days later the same thing happened when I tried to make a (less than £100) donation to a well known UK charity. But what is wrong with making a donation to charity?

A couple of days later, I made another attempt to buy the same phone from CPW. Same thing happened. Huh?

It looks as if at present every time I try to pay for anything online or over the phone, my card gets blocked.

The bank just tells me it is because fraudsters sometimes do these sorts of transactions and so it gets flagged as suspicious.

But customers also buy phones and make charitable donations:mad:

Before this problem started, I frequently used the card for many years without problems.

Nilrem

It will depend a lot on your previous purchase history and the retailers.

For example if you've not bought much online in the past you'll get blocks if you try buying from potentially risky retailers for the first time.

Also if any of the information you give give does not match exactly that which the card company have down for you it'll likely flag.

Mobile phone (and other easily portable/resellable tech) is extremely high risk for fraud, so card companies tend to be very cautious with it.

As can some charity sites, as it's not uncommon for a fraudster to use a charitable donation to check the card number is active.


Given the times I've had my cards compromised, I'd much rather have a transaction queried/put on hold than have the hassle of dealing with getting the dodgy transactions sorted.

missile

You don't say which card?

Whatever, vote with your feet and apply for another card with another company.

Herongull

My card is Nationwide.

And I buy stuff online all the time and have done so for many years without any problems.

Now it seems that whenever I try to buy anything other than small value Amazon things my card gets blocked.

I have requested a new card (with new card numbers) in case this helps, but if not yes, I'll have to go elsewhere.

happygirl148

hi my other half banked with nationwide (until feb 2013) and he tried to buy a phone from carphone warehouse and the nationwide fraud prevention kicked in and blocked his card they rang him up on our land line and he confirmed it was him buying the phone and they unblocked the card so he went to buy the phone again and the same thing happened this happened 4 times all together so he gave up and has since switched banks and has had no problem buying the phone with the new banks card .

i am all for the banks doing fraud checks but if you confirm that it is you making the transaction they should not block the card again when you confirm its you .

fluffnutter

Have you written to Nationwide? The call centre staff will just give you the spiel - they won't tell you what's specifically happening, sometimes deliberately so. It's part of fraud protection to be vague in case your card has been commandeered and someone's pretending to be you. Write to them and ask them to explain why your card's so restricted.

One of two things is happening: either there's a problem in which case you need to know about it, or their policy is overly zealous in which case, go elsewhere. Either way, you should try to find out. I bank with Nationwide and have had similar issues, albeit very quickly resolved, when my details had been sold to fraudsters and my card used fraudulently (unsuccessfully thanks to Nationwide).

aileth

They do tend to go via previous history, and to be honest that's great.

My dad found his card was blocked as someone had got his details and tried to make small donations to charity to test the card 'worked.' The bank said they blocked it because it was really out of the ordinary for him to donate to charity!

fozmcfc

Natwest bad for this as well, had my card blocked several times, now I don't use it, other than for a small reoccuring purchase each month, which automatically goes on the card.

M&S, Virgin & Lloyds not given me any hassle so far.

I'm all for fraud prevention, but some take it too far, that they push customers away.

Chickabiddybex

I went on holiday to North America. I bought all sorts of stuff over the days I was there. My bank blocked it on the last day. I was in the airport about to fly home! I almost couldn't pick up my cats from the cattery when I got home.

Any who - I was pretty annoyed it took them over a week to realise my card was being used abroad! And when they blocked it I only had about a tenner left anyway. Stupid computers.

At work because we sell high value items I often get customers who have their cards blocked. Some are so silly though... "It's probably blocked because this is an unusual purchase to spend a grand over the phone" "BUT IT WORKED FINE IN TESCO THS AFTERNOON!"
Some people