Credit card rant

[boggen]

ya screaming and hollaring. but honestly. there is a good amount of credit card fraud. way to easy to get someone credit card number and pin number. and make false charges through online website.

if you are in a real emergency. then its 911 time, and concern of who is paying what and how. really is not important. and you have some time to make a call to credit card company.

if your car does break down, then it will be in repair shop. and the tow truck / repair shop most likely has or will call credit company, or credit company will come them to confirm if it is out of ordinary for you. or some such.

credit card companies set limits for a call. to protect you. i am going to assume it is cheaper to pay a few folks to handle "phone calls" and force customers and business to check things. vs letting folks steal a credit card and make outrageous charges. i rather call myself, ya it is annoying as heck. but i rather waste my time with a call, vs other.

hint: if you are at a larger business that deals primary with credit cards to accept cash. the given company most likely has a better number to call. to get a quicker response vs you waiting on the phone. heck i know many folks, will call a credit company on purpose to double check things before shipping things out. to make sure things are legit in a sense. due to if the company ships something out and someone stole credit card. who is out the cash? not you, not the credit card company, but who ever just shipped something off to you.

 

[LD1]

Most everyone else has already made the points that I was going to make, but I dont think they are out of line at all. They have computers that constantly monitor everyones accout. Anything out of the "norm" gets flagged.

While it may not directly "protect" you, it is protecting ALL of us. Imagine if banks didnt have these types of systems in place. Imagine how much MORE fraud there would be. And this added fraud, wouldnt cost the bank a dime to cover. WE ALL would be paying for it via increased rates, annual fees, etc.

 

[zzvyb6]

Wife is always near her credit limit...so there goes your idea. And exactly HOW DOES ONE MAKE AN ONLINE PURCHASE USING A CHECK???

You can easily make an online payment with a check using PayPal. That's just about the only way you can buy stuff on eBay unless its a local pickup. There's a fast growing group of shops, stores and businesses which are taking PayPal for payment. No card to carry, just phone in the email address or phone number, type in a pin and the amount. If you are paranoid about security, set up a special email account just for this purpose. Just about all ISPs allow for up to 10 or so sub accounts. There are people who use just one special computer for this purpose. I got an email today, in fact, from PayPal announcing Home Depot now takes it.

You can also just phone the online store, tell them what you want, give them your name and account number and pay for it. For example when I buy payphone stuff or miltronics stuff, I call them. They can't keep a record of what the account info is. I also stay way from Amazon because they store your account credit card info. A neighbor just got phished on Amazon in this way. Turns out that Amazon does not care because they get their money no matter what. Search for 'Amazon Fraud' and look at what shows up. Its the credi card company that gets socked for the theft.

So you can do online checks in several different secure ways and several different insecure ways. Buyer be ware.

 

[Aging TOO Fast]

You can easily make an online payment with a check using PayPal. That's just about the only way you can buy stuff on eBay unless its a local pickup. There's a fast growing group of shops, stores and businesses which are taking PayPal for payment. No card to carry, just phone in the email address or phone number, type in a pin and the amount. If you are paranoid about security, set up a special email account just for this purpose. Just about all ISPs allow for up to 10 or so sub accounts. There are people who use just one special computer for this purpose. I got an email today, in fact, from PayPal announcing Home Depot now takes it.

You can also just phone the online store, tell them what you want, give them your name and account number and pay for it. For example when I buy payphone stuff or miltronics stuff, I call them. They can't keep a record of what the account info is. I also stay way from Amazon because they store your account credit card info. A neighbor just got phished on Amazon in this way. Turns out that Amazon does not care because they get their money no matter what. Search for 'Amazon Fraud' and look at what shows up. Its the credi card company that gets socked for the theft.

So you can do online checks in several different secure ways and several different insecure ways. Buyer be ware.

I Saw the Paypal thing at Home Desprit, Like an email address is secure.. Don't think I want any part of it.
It does have a place in select uses, but I will Not make Paypal my Preferred way to pay.

 

[jveretto]

I am pleased when cc company requires a call. Some one had my cc number and tried to use it. The main reason they denied the charge was because they did not have an expiration date. CC Company called. Could have approved. They sent a new card and canceled old card. I am not out the hassle of reporting stolen card number. Come on, it's for your own benefit.

 

[Bird]

We got rid of everything except 2 credit cards; one with a $15,500 limit and one with a $12,500 limit, both of which are way more than necessary, and of course I pay them in full every month, so I'm one of those "deadbeats".:laughing: I doubt that we've ever gone as much as $3,000 on either of them. Incidentally, one of them is a Chase card and they've never said anything about getting any pre-authorization. The other card is Discover and I have had them call me a couple of times right after a large purchase, but not in a long time. Several years ago, I paid a hospital bill of a bit over a thousand and they called my cell phone within 15 minutes to confirm it. And I appreciate their calling. They also send me an e-mail any time there's a charge over $300, which is an amount that I selected. But the e-mail won't come for a day or two after the charge.

I do also have a Visa debit card, but it's never been used for anything other than getting cash at an ATM, and very rarely even for that.

 

[3930dave]

Meant to say guys..... even though most of us us a Nom de Internet on here (not our full names), my inclination is NOT to mention card brand names I have, or specific card $ limits, or specifics of large transactions.

Unfortunately, there are many people (some very good), who make a very attractive living by harvesting this data.

Call me paranoid, I've totally OK with that label ! :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[Bird]

I'm curious. If you don't "Pay at the Pump" just how do you handle gas purchases? I do pay at the pump all the time, and if I go to my card company's website online, they'll show a $1 charge instead of $100 until they get the actual amount. I've noticed at one gas station I use there's a sticker on each pump to tell you that if you use a debit card, your bank may put a hold on a larger amount, but it's your bank not the gas station. And at another station I use, I've had my credit card refused at the pump when I tried to use it a 3rd time in one day. That one is the gas station and all I had to do was go inside and the clerk started the pump.

And as you experienced, occasionally (not too often, but occasionally) the pump doesn't print out a receipt. So I do always go inside and get a receipt. My favorite gas station gives you a free cup of coffee or fountain soda if you have to go inside to get a receipt.

 

[mjarrels]

No credit card, but daughter was admitted to Walter Reed Medical hospital for a week. Wife paid cash for here first night in a motel. Two nights at the Navy Lodge. Local Credit Union Card not approved. Two phone calls, approval. A few years ago, we arrived back from the Philippines to a blinking phone. Had we used a card in the Philippines. Yes we did. My NFCU card works world wide.

mark

 

[JDgreen227]

Thanks to all for the responses and advice...someone mentioned using Paypal for online purchases but my card issuer STILL requires me to call them first over $500 even when I DO use my Paypal account.

 

[3930dave]

Bird - we are still old fashioned enough in Canada that a lot of stations will let you pump gas first, then go inside to pay with CC, debit, cash. Bad areas are all pre-pay, some 24x7.

I seriously object to how they pre-authorize for $100, then take a long time (days) to release the hold when you pay at the pump. The airline scenario I would find hard to believe, if I had not been talking to a major CC company.

My favourite truck stop still allows you to pump more than $100 of fuel, then go in and pay for it - at least during the day. Nice if you have a good sized tank, having to do split transactions on pumps limited to $100 is a PITA, esp. if you are in a hurry, and want a full tank.

Rgds, D.

 

[jinman]

Hey Bill! I've got a great idea. Just give me your card no., expiration date, and security code and I'll get this all straightened out for you.

 

[timster2]

Tried to use one of those prepaid visa cards, that I got from the power company for switching suppliers, at a restaurant and it got refused. Seems that although the bill was only forty dollars or so, the card had fifty dollars on it, when the card was swiped the CC company automatically puts a seventy five dollar hold on the card. Since the card was only good for fifty it was rejected. Waitress said that this happens all the time with the prepaid "reward" cards. Years ago I would have been embarrassed but now a days its just one of those things that happens to just about everyone. Good thing I had another card to pay at the time as I was low on cash and it was a spur of the moment thing that the wife and I decided to use the card rather than make dinner.

 

[big lar]

You should be grateful that Chase is monitoring your account so closely since you historically do only small purchase. When we go on long-distance trips, wecall our c/c account, tell them where we are going to be so they will not be suspsicous. You could do the same; you CALL THEM when you are going to make a big purchase.

My wif'e debit card was compromised earlier this year; don't think it can happen to you? Yeah it can. Our bank's monitoring service call ed us at 10M on a Sunday night, questioning some tranasactions that were popping up from 500 miles away, and many more came in the next day. We weren't liable but because it was caught quickly, we didn't have big hassle, got a new debit card 3-4 days. You should be grateful. Our son in laws' debit card was similarly compromised, no monitoring service, he had checks bounced all over the place.

 

[kco]

You should be grateful that Chase is monitoring your account so closely since you historically do only small purchase. When we go on long-distance trips, wecall our c/c account, tell them where we are going to be so they will not be suspsicous. You could do the same; you CALL THEM when you are going to make a big purchase.

My wif'e debit card was compromised earlier this year; don't think it can happen to you? Yeah it can. Our bank's monitoring service call ed us at 10M on a Sunday night, questioning some tranasactions that were popping up from 500 miles away, and many more came in the next day. We weren't liable but because it was caught quickly, we didn't have big hassle, got a new debit card 3-4 days. You should be grateful. Our son in laws' debit card was similarly compromised, no monitoring service, he had checks bounced all over the place.

My opinion and experience is similar to this post. We use just one Mastercard each but have a Visa "spare" for backup. When I went to England a year ago I called both companies to let them know, and they both wanted the duration so they could revert to "normal" monitoring when the trip was over.

Friday, I got a call saying my Mastercard has been compromised and a new one is on its way. My wife got a similar call yesterday. I checked online as soon as I got the call and there were no inappropriate charges. I'm unable to check now since they unlinked the card from the bank account. But the two calls five days apart suggests to me Mastercard or a large supplier (the only one my wife and I both use is Amazon) has had some kind of general breakin and they are taking precautionary steps. Our phone calls stated our present cards will still work, but with a daily $500 limit. I hope that is true because I have a couple of automatic utility payments that will happen soon.

It is a big inconvenience but necessary. When I get the new card I'll have to update several suppliers' (hydro, phone, tv, internet....) sites.

I'm not a fan of credit card companies because I think they over charge merchants (I think average of 2%) and gouge those who run balances. However, they do make life easier for me and they are good at running their businesses.

 

[CBW1999]

Hey Bill! I've got a great idea. Just give me your card no., expiration date, and security code and I'll get this all straightened out for you.

That's rough..........

 

[JDgreen227]

That's rough..........

Yeah, those Facebook friends I have really want to look out for my best interest....:laughing:

Tell you guys what my real issue is about having to call to get authorization over $500 for a charge: I cannot hear nor use a phone of any type, meaning the cell phone call probably 99% of you take for granted isn't possible for me. To contact my credit card company I need to be at home and use a TDD, and 2/3rds of the time the TDD # at Chase isn't working so I end up using the Relay Center which means I have to provide all my CC information to a third party (Relay operator) and I absolutely HATE doing that. Wouldn't you?

 

[zzvyb6]

Thanks to all for the responses and advice...someone mentioned using Paypal for online purchases but my card issuer STILL requires me to call them first over $500 even when I DO use my Paypal account.

My PayPal account is tied to a checking sub-account, not to a credit card. Also, my Mastercard account has some online menu choices about notifications for charges over a certain amount, non-network charges, USPS paper bills, current balance notification schedule, etc.

Can you go online to the Chase account and adjust these settings?

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Well for me Credit Cards are a major asset in my financial toolbox. I usually carry $200 or so cash in my wallet, but can often go days or weeks without a cash financial transaction other than the occasional lottery tickets. All my cards are "no annual fee" and whenever possible I charge all large purchases to a card to earn rewards points or whatever the card incentive. For example, often large purchases at Home Depot are Interest Free / payment Free for a year with their card. When the statement comes in I pay off the balance in full. Even my favorite coffee shop has their own card that refills automatically as a charge to my CC, so I don't even need cash for that.

For those in a family unit where one member maxes out the CC and pays interest (probably in range of 18% - 30%) and another member hardly uses a card, sounds like an opportunity for some creative financial planning / counseling. Even if the penny saver loaned the spender money @ 10% the family unit would be further ahead.