Credit Card With Chip

[BartmanLA]

I imagine that they're requesting you not call them anymore for this feature because they do have better fraud protection, as well as the ability to report fraudulent charges much quicker than in the past. Also it free's up their CSR's to handle more customers on the phone. I do understand people do want to be protected, but diligent monitoring of your accounts, as well as online alerts (sent via text or email) for charges that are suspect should help mitigate some of the issues that people might encounter. When it comes down to it, I am guessing that the banks aren't that worried about where you're going if they have any issues with your card they will let you know. Plus their computer systems probably don't have any method of flagging accounts that are "traveling" so calling them and insisting that they document your upcoming travel plans probably won't even be entered into the systems anymore if it is, it would be as a "note" that might be used if you wish to dispute any charges, if it is recorded.

 

[RedSox68]

When we flew back into the airport in 2014, I tried to use my ATM card to get a luggage cart - a $4 fee! It denied me on both tries. When I called when I got home they said they flagged it because it was an unrecognized destination. AND YET, four months later they let some bozo in Sri Lanka charge 4-nights stay at a hotel to that same ATM card without (1) flagging it (2) blocking it or (3) contacting us! Go figure

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I imagine that they're requesting you not call them anymore for this feature because they do have better fraud protection, as well as the ability to report fraudulent charges much quicker than in the past. Also it free's up their CSR's to handle more customers on the phone. I do understand people do want to be protected, but diligent monitoring of your accounts, as well as online alerts (sent via text or email) for charges that are suspect should help mitigate some of the issues that people might encounter. When it comes down to it, I am guessing that the banks aren't that worried about where you're going if they have any issues with your card they will let you know. Plus their computer systems probably don't have any method of flagging accounts that are "traveling" so calling them and insisting that they document your upcoming travel plans probably won't even be entered into the systems anymore if it is, it would be as a "note" that might be used if you wish to dispute any charges, if it is recorded.

I understand what you are saying, but much of it doesn't apply when you are traveling abroad. They couldn't call us or text us or e-mail us to check to see if our charges were valid. We had our phones in airplane mode to avoid the high fees of foreign cell phone use. Also, I think many computer systems definitely can flag your card as "traveling." That may vary by bank of course.

And sure, we wouldn't be liable for fraudulent charges but that didn't help us when we were in Cozumel on the first port, and had ZERO working credit cards, and most of our trip, including our on board ship charges left to pay for. So their CSRs and their computer systems had better figure out a way to keep my credit cards working. As I said, as least Discover turned our card back on right away when we called them, so we were able to pay our final DCL bill.

 

[Uncleromulus]

A few years ago I got a call on my cell phone about some Bank Americard charges--while I was IN Florida!! They said they were checking to see if they were mine or not--and of course they were since we were in WDW!!

Which we had been that same month for MANY prior years.

So I will always call now when on A DCL cruise

 

[kiford]

I live in Canada and we have had Pin and Chip technology for several years here. I always call my credit card company before going out of town and not once have they ever told me 'it's ok you don't have to call us." That's just odd in my mind that your bank would say that. We will continue to call.

Canadian as well, our cc stopped taking travel information about a year and a half/two years ago. You used to even be able to do it through online banking however that has stopped as well. Here is what is posted when you try and do it....

I'm Canadian too and had the same experience - told by both CIBC and TD not to call for out-of-country travel - as of at least July 2015.

 

[xlxo]

Just want to add..... I like to travel with more than one card from different vendors. When one card has problems, I grab my backup.

 

[tinkerone]

Just want to add..... I like to travel with more than one card from different vendors. When one card has problems, I grab my backup.

That is such a good tip. I am a retired banker and I always suggested my clients do this. While its not fool proof it certainly helps the odds.

As to calling in and giving cc companys travel information when they have said they don't want it, I would not count on it ever being looked at. Everything now is so automated that no one is going to take the time to check your account for notes before a hold gets put on your card, if in fact they are going to put a hold on your account. That's just my thought, take from it what you want. I'm not saying don't call in but I am saying that a note on your account is not going to stop anything. Any cc company would get thousands of alerts a day. Again, just my thoughts. Continue to do what makes you comfortable.

 

[mab2012]

I've never called a credit card company in advance of travel, even twenty years ago, and never had a problem. I've had credit cards flagged, but not as a result of my own legitimate use while travelling. I guess I've just been lucky? But then I've never really understood the idea of "oh, look, someone charged a credit card in a foreign country, it must be fraudulent". People do travel.

I get that banks do sometimes flag these things, so I understand why people want to try to protect against that. It's just not been my personal experience. We always travel with at least three different credit cards between us though, so it's unlikely they'd all get shut down at the same time. Plus we can always get local cash from a debit machine in a pinch.

My credit cards are all Canadian. From some of the other comments in this thread, I wonder if the Canadian banks are just not as quick to cut off the cards? US banks have certainly been slower to make the transition to chip technology, so perhaps they're just lagging a bit on the fraud detection too.

The deal with chip-and-pin (or even chip-and-sign) is that they know, with a high degree of certainty, the physical location of the card. As opposed to magstrips, which can be faked. If I've just tapped my card in Ottawa, and someone makes a charge to the same card from Mexico an hour later... something's probably up with that. But if the card itself is used with a chip-enabled reader in Mexico, they know that's where the card is. And if I haven't reported it lost or stolen, it's reasonable to assume I'm there with it.

 

[MrPTato]

Just want to add..... I like to travel with more than one card from different vendors. When one card has problems, I grab my backup.

I grab Chase Disney Premier (DW's card), Amex Blue Cash Preferred, and my Navy Federal cashRewards. Always leave one in the safe for back-up.

 

[jrabbit]

The one time that I KNEW for CERTAIN that the CC company would flag our cards / transactions as fraudulent was when I had a business trip to Colorado and my family was going on vacation to WDW. There were going to be charges from both locations for several days before I was able to join up with them. The CC company didn't flag a single transaction as fraudulent!

How did they know I think all of those "privacy notices / we share / don't share data" that We DO NOT Choose to OPT OUT of the data sharing, actually share data. I believe that the credit card companies know about our travel plans (at least when they involve flying). They know when and where we are going. Disney possibly shares ressie information with the CC companies and most likely the cell phone companies do. If your phone and credit card are in the same location, they assume that you are good to go.

My experience in the past with Disney Premier Visa and using reward points to pay for airline tickets was that we had to call a special number and talk to an operator. That person would be able to see the people and dates flying for each charge. After verification they would apply your points. This process is way more automated now and I assume more data is shared.

And Google Knows All.

 

[gotomu212]

With our AMEX we've been told that their system knows we're going abroad because we've booked our airline tickets and hotels with them (same with cruise booking). She jokingly (not jokingly??) said we know where you're suppose to be and the computer takes care of it.

 

[cmph]

I enter online notifications for out of state travel, too! I've had a chip card for quite a long time, and it was declined in NY when I was buying food, not a large charge, but not my home state. (It was like $30-something at Eataly, not exactly something overly fraudulent in appearance.) I was totally caught off guard, but it was no big deal in that moment b/c I immediately got a text and could OK the transaction/my location. No way to do that on a cruise though. I made sure to set alerts for TX, FL, and the Bahamas on our recent Wonder cruise out of Galveston, didn't want to take any chances. It would make me slightly nuts to be told not to alert them.

 

[FigmentSpark]

For those of you amazed that your small purchases are declined, there is a good reason. Thieves will use a small purchase to test the card. If they're successful at that purchase, which is maybe done at a place that others have had fraud at, so it's on the company's high risk list, then the bad guys go to town spending on your card. If it fails at a small purchase, then the likelihood that anyone's calling the police on them is minimal.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I always notify both or my credit card providers when traveling out of the country. One (US Bank) requires a phone call. The other (Disney Chase Visa) has a handy on-line form that I use. I also notify my bank for my debit card in case I need to get local currency. This is not usually a problem in the Bahamas or Caribbean, but I have needed to replenish my supply of Euros while in Europe or at port stops for the transatlantics we have done.

I don't know if the chip cards help in reducing fraud compared to the magstripe cards, but I know the credit card processing systems are much more sophisticated than they were 10 or more years ago. I recently used one of my cards to pay the deposit for a home renovation project so I could get the rewards points. I had an email that required that I confirm the transaction while the remodeling reprsentative was still talking with his home office giving them the CC info for the deposit. It took only seconds after the information had been submitted before the transaction was identified as out of my normal purchasing pattern and that it was a phone/internet charge so the physical card was not being scanned.

 

[wombat_5606]

With our AMEX we've been told that their system knows we're going abroad because we've booked our airline tickets and hotels with them (same with cruise booking). She jokingly (not jokingly??) said we know where you're suppose to be and the computer takes care of it.

That would make sense that it should work that way, but I can say it doesn't always. A couple of years ago, my husband and I purchased hotels, gas and food on the 3 day drive from our home to Florida with no problem. When I tried to pay the balance for our hotel where we would be staying for several weeks, they declined the charge. Of course, I had paid the initial deposit on this card several months before. Also, I've been going to this hotel at the same time each year for 25 years and using the same credit card.

My CC says, thanks for letting us know you are traveling, but we may decline your card anyway.

My husband and I take different cards when we travel, also, just in case.

 

[TestingH2O]

I've seen the Chase form mentioned a few times. Where do you find it?

 

[Dug720]

I've seen the Chase form mentioned a few times. Where do you find it?

I always just type in "travel" on the website and from there you can find the link to report INTERNATIONAL travel. No way yo report domestic.

And in a sick twist of irony, discovered this morning (even before they did) that my check card was compromised. I made three purchases with known vendors I've done business with before with no problems, but there was a 4th for less than $40 that I had never heard of the name attached to it (and the number was 555-555-5555 meaning someone blocked the number). Immediately called them and they're issuing me a new card. Only problem is it takes up to 10 business days and I leave on 2/19. So no marked Disney Visa for the trip as I can get a temporary card at a branch, but it will just be a standard Chase Visa check card.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

I always just type in "travel" on the website and from there you can find the link to report INTERNATIONAL travel. No way yo report domestic.

When I did mine yesterday there was an option for United States and when selected you could choose the state that you were going to.

Immediately called them and they're issuing me a new card. Only problem is it takes up to 10 business days and I leave on 2/19. So no marked Disney Visa for the trip as I can get a temporary card at a branch, but it will just be a standard Chase Visa check card.

That seems like an awfully long time to get the card. I have had my card compromised twice in the past couple years and they have always done a priority on it and I have received the new card within 3 days. One time was right before a trip and they paid for it to be overnighted. Hopefully it will get to you quicker than the 10 days

 

[Dug720]

When I did mine yesterday there was an option for United States and when selected you could choose the state that you were going to.


That seems like an awfully long time to get the card. I have had my card compromised twice in the past couple years and they have always done a priority on it and I have received the new card within 3 days. One time was right before a trip and they paid for it to be overnighted. Hopefully it will get to you quicker than the 10 days

I just did mine for my trip day before yesterday and US was not an option

They could do it priority, but I am single, I work, and I do not live in a doorman building, therefore I would have no way to get the card as it would be sent UPS. And to go to the UPS pick up place involves walking over a mile from the closest subway stop through an area that looks like an SVU set. No thank you. I value my life too much. I can get a temporary plain one.

 

[hrhdhd]

I don't get text messages on my phone, so their notifications wouldn't reach me even if I weren't on a ship.

Also, I have called in notifications before and STILL had charges declined. I don't bother anymore.