Chip & Pin Overseas Refusal

eDicky

2gorgeousgirls wrote: »

eDicky - I didn't realise the prepaid cards were as good as clarity. Thank you for telling me, can u advise which ones as I have other trips planned and would definitely look at them as an alternative.

I use mostly Starling Bank, Monzo, Revolut.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-travel-cards

System

Ultimately, your credit card issuer is free to decline any transaction it chooses.
It's extremely foolish to rely on a single card - particularly overseas.

chattychappy

Heng_Leng wrote: »

Ultimately, your credit card issuer is free to decline any transaction it chooses.
It's extremely foolish to rely on a single card - particularly overseas.

Yep, I never bother to complain. I don't even bother to notify in advance of my travel plans. If one card doesn't work, I use another. If a card doesn't unblock by itself after a couple of days, I will then phone so they don't get their knickers in a twist.

I take:

Halifax Clarity - CASH, purchase backup
Santander Zero - PURCHASES, cash backup
Nationwide Select - purchase backup
Post Office Mastercard - purchase backup
Barclaycard - cash backup
MBNA - further backup (not a "travel" card, but has a 19K limit, just in case of emergency etc)

When drawing cash, I typically draw a large amount at a time so I can keep a buffer. I have no problem holding onto spare EUR, USD, CHF as I know I will return. In fact I even hold onto Vietnam dong - the exchange rate is now similar to what it was when I worked there full time - some 15 years ago!

BTW most of my transactions are foreign - principally in Asia/Europe. Less so the US.

2gorgeousgirls

eDicky - thank you, will be checking these out when I get home.

System

chattychappy wrote: »

Yep, I never bother to complain. I don't even bother to notify in advance of my travel plans. If one card doesn't work, I use another. If a card doesn't unblock by itself after a couple of days, I will then phone so they don't get their knickers in a twist.

Where they have the option, I do advise (especially travel outside Europe) but I've never had a non-UK decline with Clarity.

Recently got a 'B' credit card - will see how that performs in a few weeks time for purchases.

I can also 'Curve' any other (non-Amex) debit/credit card too for a 1% charge if needed.

2gorgeousgirls

eDicky That's great if Halifax compensate you for calls and fees, please let us know if they do.

Got a call today from a lovely lady who said my complaints upheld. Transaction fees incurred on alternative card reimbursed, phones calls reimbursed and £200 goodwill gesture. The money was paid through the faster payment system and is already in my current account. :j

chattychappy

2gorgeousgirls wrote: »

Got a call today from a lovely lady who said my complaints upheld. Transaction fees incurred on alternative card reimbursed, phones calls reimbursed and £200 goodwill gesture.

Wow, I'm gobsmacked. Well done to you. But am I the only one thinking that this is "compensation culture" going too far?

2gorgeousgirls

Why? They failed to provide a service which inconvenienced me greatly and caused considerable embarrassment. They listened back to the calls and found that during two of them I was given wrong information, which resulted in me phoning them again. When I complained I asked for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses and thought I would get £50. I didn't ask for £200. They felt the level of inconvenience and the fact I was advised incorrectly warranted that amount.

chattychappy

2gorgeousgirls wrote: »

Why? They failed to provide a service which inconvenienced me greatly and caused considerable embarrassment. They listened back to the calls and found that during two of them I was given wrong information, which resulted in me phoning them again. When I complained I asked for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses and thought I would get £50. I didn't ask for £200. They felt the level of inconvenience and the fact I was advised incorrectly warranted that amount.

They are always entitled to decline transactions whether it be fraud prevention, systems failure, risk issues, merchant error etc. You had no right to demand that it should work in any particular situation. You should have backups - even if they cost you more. If they cost you more, then I don't see why Halifax should pay if they've done nothing wrong - as I say, declines are allowed in the T+Cs. And it is a very cheap way of getting credit including foreign cash on credit abroad.

Yes, the trouble probably inconvenienced you greatly - because you had no other way to pay. As for embarrassment, I think that that is your own issue.

To the extent they gave you bad information on the phone which you may have relied on, then I agree perhaps they should give you something for that. From your post, it seems you only expected £50 and I would have thought that that was more reasonable.

2gorgeousgirls

If did have other means to pay but didn't want to use them as they incurred costs. Halifax were made aware that I was going abroad but did not update their records. I phoned and was told that now they were aware they would lower the level of fraud checks required, they didn't which was one of the wrong bits of info I was given. Their failure to do that is one of the reasons I had so many problems therefore I feel justified in my complaints.

And yes I was embarrassed because I was consistently told issues were resolved and I could use the card and yet when I tried it was declined again.

You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to disagree with your opinion.

As I said previously I had hoped for £50, they offered £200. Would u have turned it down?