Should you notify Credit card company?

[wayneg]

Martin Lewis' site has an article this week about telling your CC company about your trip.
I was with Nationwide until recently, they told me there was no need(although others disagree) everything was computerized and they could not change anything. I had no problems all the years I used it.
Now with Post Office, just rung them today they 100% want to know, put down dates, which counties visiting and taken my Mobile # which they text if and strange transactions go thru.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/cards/2009/07/going-on-holiday-ensure-your-cards-

 

[tracipierce]

Barclays are the same, they want to know everything. I had a bit of a spend the other day, plus booked the hire car and they rang me wanting to know if all of the transactions were made by me lol!

 

[steve404]

Lloyds/TSB like to know, they will send you a text if anything strange crops up on your account whilst away.

 

[supercarrie]

Yes, you should definitely inform your credit card company and also your bank, if you plan on using your debit card or using a cash machine abroad.

We travel to the US several times a year (I'm American, DH is English) and we've only had a problem once...when he tried to buy my engagement ring. (I found out later...luckily my mum was with him and was able to use her card to pay for it!) I assume this was because it was quite a large purchase compared to our usual charges from the US.

 

[Danauk]

I told my Amex card last year because I knew that when I was in Disneyland California a payment for our trip to Disneyland Paris would go on the card and seen as we were obviously in a different continent at the time I didn't want them to decline to DLRP payment. They did phone us when we were in the states to check the transactions we were making were from us even though I had notified them.

 

[scousemouse09]

Only just got my Post Office credit card today, must read throught the bumf to find the number to ring them on! I only got it just in case we have an emergency...

 

[scottishgirl87]

Yeah, I would tell them! Some cards are "designed" for use abroad. I too have Nationwide (purely for spending abroad) and when I went to LA/Mexico/Vegas last year I told them and the guy basically said "don't worry, that's what most people use our cards for so you don't need to inform us".

However, my parents weren't so lucky, their card company (can't remember which one, think it was Egg or the One Account ) blocked their card a few days in and they had hassle contacting them and proving it was them that was using it and so on.

I just wouldn't take the risk myself.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I too always inform the CC companies.

 

[T16GEM]

Yes we are with the Post Office and we always tell them when we are going away.

 

[Claire L]

Strange really in this day and age when we are supposed to be so safety conscious, yet we are happy to tell a complete stranger on the phone when and where are going on holiday!!

Claire

 

[Dazed]

Wow. Bit of a panic there. I hadn't contacted PO card and we leave tomorrow Thankfully got through and just as you said Wayneg they wanted all details. Thanks I usually do phone but spoke to RBS recently about card and they said they don't need to know.

 

[paulh]

always contacted CC company
Paulh

 

[wayneg]

I usually do phone but spoke to RBS recently about card and they said they don't need to know.

This is the problem, when I rang Nationwide they were a bit offhand I had rung, said they could not change the computer.
Post office are more than happy to update the system.

 

[natalielongstaff]

We use the Nationwide card, we have never informed them

 

[karentan]

i called all of mine last year.
one of them (cant remember which) said yes they will mark it on the system, but they will still stop it if they think its a wierd transaction.
they did put a stop on my card. damn annoying!

 

[Frances999]

Never notified any of them. We travel internationally very regularly; never had any troubles.

 

[Cyrano]

I have always contacted the Nationwide but noticed that Post Office CC were much more interested in the details for our WDW trip

 

[brer_rabbit]

I never used to but last year HSBC put a block on my credit card when I was at the factory outlets. Luckily I could call them using my parents USA cell phone but it was a hassle I could've done without (and made me late for MVMCP!) so will be notifying them this year.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I would always tell them now - my friends son & his mates are currently in Thailand and 4 out of 5 of them have had their cards stopped because they didn't notify their companies that they were traveling - it has caused them all sorts of problems (I think this is something that has become more common in the last few years)

For me now, I will always tell them - better to be on the safe side me thinks!

 

[chocomochamouse]

Yes, yes, definitely yes! We ALWAYS let the credit card company know exactly when we are going to be abroad. You never know what situation may arise!
A couple of weeks ago after we pre-booked some trips we are going on when we are there in a few days, we got a call from the cc company checking it was really us who had booked. As the transactions were in the U.S and they had no record of us being there (which we weren't!), they were checking the card was not being used fraudulently.
I have got no problem with this, whatever it takes to protect our security is worth it, so for the sake of a phone call to your cc company, do it!