Making large payments

danco

I have to make a large payment in the next week (a big birthday bash). Having had a payment of £500 declined not so long ago (but that was from a very new card) I am wondering what is the best way of making sure that a payment gets accepted. I don't think it's usually possible to call the bank in advance to confirm that it is genuine.

So, is a debit card better than a credit card for such a transaction? Is Apple Pay more likely to be accepted than directly using a card? Any other suggestions?

horsewithnoname

You could try phoning your card provider and saying you want to make a payment of £x will they authorise it as they previously declined a payment of £500? They may have thought it was fraudulent for whatever reason so if you tell them then if it’s within your limit I don’t see why it shouldn’t go through. 

Royoftherovers2024

Check your 24 hour transfer limits.

born_again

Pointless phoning for a payment on a CC, as there is no way to approve a payment before it is actioned.
How are you making the payment?
Online or in person?

Brie

When I've had an exceptionally large transaction that I was going to use my CC for I've always phoned the bank in advance to let them know.  Normally it was for purchasing a car so called and said "on Friday I'll be paying Bob Motors £Xk and would like you to note that on your system in advance so there's no confusion".  Never had a problem.  

GeoffTF

I have made £50K MasterCard debit card payments online from Santander. They told me that is MasterCard's daily limit. I have had payments of about half that blocked, but they have removed the block when I phone them. They have told me that I cannot authorise payments in advance.

born_again

GeoffTF said:

I have made £50K MasterCard debit card payments online from Santander. They told me that is MasterCard's daily limit. I have had payments of about half that blocked, but they have removed the block when I phone them. They have told me that I cannot authorise payments in advance.

£50K CC limit?

bluelad1927

born_again said:

GeoffTF said:

I have made £50K MasterCard debit card payments online from Santander. They told me that is MasterCard's daily limit. I have had payments of about half that blocked, but they have removed the block when I phone them. They have told me that I cannot authorise payments in advance.

£50K CC limit?

It does say debit not credit

DullGreyGuy

born_again said:

Pointless phoning for a payment on a CC, as there is no way to approve a payment before it is actioned.
How are you making the payment?
Online or in person?

Whilst there isn't, the OP hasn't mentioned if its debit, credit or charge nor who the bank is. Certainly with AmEx charge cards which have "no preset limit" you can either phone or use their online tool to see if a transaction for £X is likely to be accepted or not. Doesn't guarantee that it will be but saves problems if you think you're good for £50k and they dont think so, it does also give you opportunity to show you have funds to repay and AmEx do then allow a temporary increase in what it'll authorise. 


As to the OPs original question then outside of AmEx there generally isn't much you can do other than the obvious like making sure you have the funds/credit to cover the amount. Paying a UK company is less likely to trigger counter-fraud than overseas, similarly chip and pin less likely to then an online transaction. Obviously if there is just one vendor that only operates online overseas then you have little option but to attempt to put the payment through. 

born_again

bluelad1927 said:

born_again said:

GeoffTF said:

I have made £50K MasterCard debit card payments online from Santander. They told me that is MasterCard's daily limit. I have had payments of about half that blocked, but they have removed the block when I phone them. They have told me that I cannot authorise payments in advance.

£50K CC limit?

It does say debit not credit

So not relevant to Credit Card then... Which this section is about.

daivid

born_again said:

bluelad1927 said:

born_again said:

GeoffTF said:

I have made £50K MasterCard debit card payments online from Santander. They told me that is MasterCard's daily limit. I have had payments of about half that blocked, but they have removed the block when I phone them. They have told me that I cannot authorise payments in advance.

£50K CC limit?

It does say debit not credit

So not relevant to Credit Card then... Which this section is about.

From the OP:

danco said:

..So, is a debit card better than a credit card for such a transaction?…

Seems like input on use of debit cards for high value purchases is relevant to this thread. 

OP: FWIW I don’t bother doing anything special in advance these days, just try the payment and make contact with the card provider if it gets declined which doesn’t seem very often, and I think has always been for payments not made in person for me.