Using credit card abroad

ThorOdinson

I'll be taking my Halifax Clarity card with me overseas (outside Europe, not the US) with me and in the past have had issues with it. Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

I think part of the issue is that they think transactions for websites are suspicious, e.g. buying a travel SIM online. Another issue is that foreign websites, e.g. train tickets, don't support their verification system, and SMS messages with codes often don't come through anyway.

Is there any solution to this? Other than using Skype to make an international call and complain to the bank every time, but in my experience even that doesn't reliably get it to work.

eskbanker

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

ThorOdinson

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

Is there anything that can be done to stop them declining payments, especially online? It's very frustrating not being able to book train tickets or SIM cards.

eskbanker

ThorOdinson said:

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

Is there anything that can be done to stop them declining payments, especially online? It's very frustrating not being able to book train tickets or SIM cards.

I'm not aware of anything, no, so best bet is to have multiple cards with you in order to offer some contingency.  Where are you travelling to, or where have you experienced repeated declines previously?

DullGreyGuy

ThorOdinson said:

I think part of the issue is that they think transactions for websites are suspicious, e.g. buying a travel SIM online. Another issue is that foreign websites, e.g. train tickets, don't support their verification system, and SMS messages with codes often don't come through anyway.

Is there any solution to this? Other than using Skype to make an international call and complain to the bank every time, but in my experience even that doesn't reliably get it to work.

Why arent you getting SMS messages?

Most verification systems are technically optional but the merchant will pay higher fees if they choose not to implement them. Mastercard, Visa, AmEx etc are these days global companies (Visa used to be multiple regional companies) and they are the ones that create the verification systems etc.

Personally always have more than 1 card on me "just in case" but can't remember the last time an overseas card was declined (dont use Halifax)

michele-p

do you have a VPN on your phone like Surfshark by any chance? I've had to turn mine off when doing some  transactions I've found - worth a try. I remember the first time I used it my Clarity abroad (this June) at in person at Amsterdam airport (buying tickets) it was blocked and I had to ring them to upnblock it, then it worked fine.

ThorOdinson

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

Is there anything that can be done to stop them declining payments, especially online? It's very frustrating not being able to book train tickets or SIM cards.

I'm not aware of anything, no, so best bet is to have multiple cards with you in order to offer some contingency.  Where are you travelling to, or where have you experienced repeated declines previously?

Tried that, once one declines they seem to all do it.

ThorOdinson

DullGreyGuy said:

ThorOdinson said:

I think part of the issue is that they think transactions for websites are suspicious, e.g. buying a travel SIM online. Another issue is that foreign websites, e.g. train tickets, don't support their verification system, and SMS messages with codes often don't come through anyway.

Is there any solution to this? Other than using Skype to make an international call and complain to the bank every time, but in my experience even that doesn't reliably get it to work.

Why arent you getting SMS messages?

Most verification systems are technically optional but the merchant will pay higher fees if they choose not to implement them. Mastercard, Visa, AmEx etc are these days global companies (Visa used to be multiple regional companies) and they are the ones that create the verification systems etc.

Personally always have more than 1 card on me "just in case" but can't remember the last time an overseas card was declined (dont use Halifax)

I don't know why they don't use it, but they don't. They have local banks with their own rules.

I usually remove my SIM and put a local one in. Last time I tried a local eSIM and keep my physical home one in, but most messages didn't come through. All they say is "call us" anyway, they don't let your authorize anything.

eskbanker

ThorOdinson said:

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

Is there anything that can be done to stop them declining payments, especially online? It's very frustrating not being able to book train tickets or SIM cards.

I'm not aware of anything, no, so best bet is to have multiple cards with you in order to offer some contingency.  Where are you travelling to, or where have you experienced repeated declines previously?

Tried that, once one declines they seem to all do it.

There is no connection between credit card companies that would allow any sort of collusion, i.e. transaction authorisation is an entirely autonomous and independent process, so that would imply a 'you' problem rather than a 'them' one, or at least an issue caused by your choice of merchants rather than your choice of credit cards.

strawb_shortcake

Is this something in your settings? I've used my Clarity card across Europe and The Caribbean and had no issues, this includes online purchases for excursions too. I get no SMS or in app approval requirements.
The only time I have trouble is when I forget that I've limited the contactless limit.

Doshwaster

ThorOdinson said:

eskbanker said:

ThorOdinson said:

Their website says you don't need to tell them that you are going abroad, but clearly you do because you often find it gets blocked.

That doesn't follow - anti-fraud algorithms used to be much more rudimentary and so notifying foreign trips would be advised, but nowadays they're more sophisticated and such notifications wouldn't influence them.  That's not to say that they're perfect of course, but just that telling them where you're going wouldn't make any difference....

Is there anything that can be done to stop them declining payments, especially online? It's very frustrating not being able to book train tickets or SIM cards.

Surely being able to stop them declining payments would defeat the purpose of transaction security and allow fraudulent ones to go through. I'd rather have the occasional false positive than having to deal with a dodgy transaction especially while abroad. 

Personally, I've never had a problem with Halifax Clarity being refused abroad but it's always a good idea to have at least a couple of alternate cards