Bank stopped me from booking ADRs because no $ with multiple authorizations!!

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I think it's great they are keeping on top of things, yes it's a pain in the butt but in reality they protected you. Our bank texts us when they think something strange is happening on our card and then we can call or check it out, however last year I had an emergency with my grandmother in Mexico and I took off within 24 hours FORGETTING to call the bank. I bought my plane ticket with one bank card and began using a different one while in Mexico to draw cash and pay for a hotel room....well needless to say the third time I tried to use it, it was shut down! I was terrified and then I remembered that I forgot! I called my husband (he and the kids were joining me later) and he took care of it straight away and within an hour I was good to go. Yes, it was inconvenient, especially when I was dealing with something high stress already, but I am so glad they were on alert!

 

[Minniesgal]

To be honest with rising fraud I think these kinds of checks are the way of the future with all banks and all cards and we will all just have to live with it and be grateful for the fraud protection using a credit card gives us

 

[AnnaKat]

To be honest with rising fraud I think these kinds of checks are the way of the future with all banks and all cards and we will all just have to live with it and be grateful for the fraud protection using a credit card gives us

I have come to that conclusion, @Minniesgal.
I had no idea that the criminals did the Velocity thing!!

Yes!! I want to know that the Bank is protecting me from Identity theft.
And from skimmers & hackers.

I will call them for a heads up, next time.
So their Computer will know.

 

[AnnaKat]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful tips, the various explanation of what could have triggered it,
and your individual stories.

I worry about hacking & ID theft,
& thought I was taking the appropriate proactive measures.
Thanks to you Disers, I know know that I should have called the Bank, first,
as a heads up.


I was told by the Security Supervisor that
the Security Person who made the decision to block/close our account,
did so because we did not answer the phone( we weren't home).

Yet we called back within 1-hour of the voicemail they had left us.
Yet our account was alteady blocked/closed.

The voicemail that Security left
was totally ambiguous, and it sounded like phishing.
So I promptly called the Bank's Customer Service.
Without Customer Service ever answering,
I was routed to Security.

We gave Security the essential info, incl Social Security # ,
& my husband's mother's maiden name.

They knew they were WDW charges,
as they mentioned WDW charges.

I called them back from the same cell phone that they had left the ambiguous message on.
But they claimed that they still did not have enough " proof " that our card had not been stolen!!

Hence, I had to explain. every. single. charge.
Two hours later, after explaining every charge,

we are finally told,
" Disregard the letter that we have mailed out to you;
I am now re-opening your account."

 

[wdw4rfam]

I went to our local grocery store to buy gift cards to pay off our trip. ( Earned free gas by doing it). They declined the transaction because $2000 at a grocery store was an abnormal purchase. I called, cleared it up and went back through the line. Was I mad at first, yes, then realized that was actually a good thing. I went back this past week to buy $1000 more to cover our dining while there and called them before going and cleared it. Had no problems. She asked if I wanted to add a vacation note to he account because if there's more than 1 out of state purchase they will freeze it again.

 

[kaytieeldr]

After all, it is obvious that such a person will be going there, are they not suppose to eat?

Computers don't reason.

AND ALL without ever talking to us!

I was told by the Security Supervisor that
the Security Person who made the decision to block/close our account,
did so because we did not answer the phone( we weren't home).

Ah, so they did attempt to contact you before taking any action?

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Computers don't reason.

Ah, so they did attempt to contact you before taking any action?

Exactly, computers don't reason.

And good point. I thought it was all without contacting them. But now it is that they left a message.

I'm glad the OP has calmed down and stopped shouting. It really is a good thing that they froze the account.

 

[AnnaKat]

I went to our local grocery store to buy gift cards to pay off our trip. ( Earned free gas by doing it). They declined the transaction because $2000 at a grocery store was an abnormal purchase. I called, cleared it up and went back through the line. Was I mad at first, yes, then realized that was actually a good thing. I went back this past week to buy $1000 more to cover our dining while there and called them before going and cleared it. Had no problems. She asked if I wanted to add a vacation note to he account because if there's more than 1 out of state purchase they will freeze it again.

Yep, I could see that your Bank set its Fraud Computer parameters to a grocery store purchase of $2000 being abnormal, as that would be a ton of groceries, lol.
I am glad they took care of it right away for you, and that by notifying them ahead of time, your $1000 gift card purchase went thru without a hitch.



We are Newbies to the pay for trip with Gift Cards.
May I ask you the benefits?

We are wondering IF buying the WDW gift cards from Target would be a good way to go. We would pay off the Target Red card ASAP.

What denomination$$ of Gift Cards have you found to be the most convenient?!
Target's website features $50 ones & $100 ones, but nothing smaller, unless I missed it.

Thanks @wdw4rfam.

 

[AnnaKat]

My account was frozen when I made my ADRs this year. It is a new policy from my understanding. In order to make such transactions in the future the security team informed me that I needed to contact them first, and inform them of my intensions to go on a vacation. How dare I? As a PP mentioned it is due to the skimming that has been occurring quite frequently, lately. You should have heard me saying, you don't find it odd that someone that put a down payment to go to Disney World is getting card checks from Disney World 2 weeks later? After all, it is obvious that such a person will be going there, are they not suppose to eat? Trust me, that was a paraphrase of the conversation. The real thing was much more colorful. They were mostly concerned with the $0 transactions. To me it is just disheartening that you need to get permission to use your personal finances in this day and age. It all comes down to safety though, so I do see their point. I personally don't like it however. Now, I call them before I make any new reservations, and they put a note attached to my account that I am going to Disney World, and that charges to WDW, Disney World, and Lake Buena Vista are expected.

Sorry that the almost same thing happened to you, @RayO.

I had specifically asked if there was a new (Computer) Parameter in place,
since our late 2015 trip,
as I had booked over 53 ADRs for that trip,
using the same Bank credit card,
and everything went through.


@ least you were actually told why, & that their policy had changed.
When I called & spoke with the Security Person,
he never answered that question for me!!

I was told they put some computer code in place--for our account--
now, so that we may book the rest of our ADRs for this trip.

I was advised to call before making ADRs for our 2017 trip,
as the Bank is continuously updating their Computer Fraud Parameters.

Interestingly, the Security Supervisor said that their Bank
no longer requires travel alerts for customers' actual dates of travel.
I find that most interesting.

 

[RayO]

Sorry that the almost same thing happened to you, @RayO.

I had specifically asked if there was a new (Computer) Parameter in place,
since our late 2015 trip,
as I had booked over 53 ADRs for that trip,
using the same Bank credit card,
and everything went through.


@ least you were actually told why, & that their policy had changed.
When I called & spoke with the Security Person,
he never answered that question for me!!

I was told they put some computer code in place--for our account--
now, so that we may book the rest of our ADRs for this trip.

I was advised to call before making ADRs for our 2017 trip,
as the Bank is continuously updating their Computer Fraud Parameters.

Interestingly, the Security Supervisor said that their Bank
no longer requires travel alerts for customers' actual dates of travel.
I find that most interesting.

I know that the computer flags it, then a staff member actually puts the lock on, but it would be nice if a notification about a change in policy came before they implemented it. Knowing the new rules now, I am happy to call in and make sure the accounts are safe. It was just the initial shock of it all.