General Discussion

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)

26. They look for unusual activity

Wed Apr 9, 2014, 10:38 AM

Apr 2014

My bank caught a scammer who had stolen my information. They booked a flight from LA to Houston. I live in Northern California. Location tipped them off.

The bank called me once—many years ago—to verify that it was I who had bought the very expensive pair of shoes in Berkeley. This time is was not the location so much as the higher than normal charge that tipped them off.

As for gas, the first several times I used a credit card to by gas, the machine asked for my zip code to verify. Having charged gas on my cards for several years now, the machines in my local area no longer ask for my zip.

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Hello, Bank, I am traveling out of state [View all] HockeyMom Apr 2014 OP

What happens when you make a purchase from home LiberalFighter Apr 2014 #1

The bank is great! yeoman6987 Apr 2014 #5

I'm a trucker living in FL.... A HERETIC I AM Apr 2014 #2

Or it could be... Jeff In Milwaukee Apr 2014 #22

When I opened the account with this bank I may very well have indicated I was a trucker.. A HERETIC I AM Apr 2014 #23

Probably not coded sharp_stick Apr 2014 #25

don't you have to list your occupation when you opened the account dlwickham Apr 2014 #78

And that could be because you're always traveling a lot, so they expect it. pnwmom Apr 2014 #75

I thought this was common knowledge. It's for your protection OKNancy Apr 2014 #3

I'm 54 and have never notified my bank about out of state travels. LWolf Apr 2014 #11

I think this procedure has been accepted in the last 5 years or so OKNancy Apr 2014 #17

I'll be traveling out of state next fall. LWolf Apr 2014 #20

You would almost certainly get a fraud alert put on your account pnwmom Apr 2014 #74

Possibly the bank had a block of acct numbers hit by scammers seveneyes Apr 2014 #4

BoA used to do that to me as long as 10 years ago. cherokeeprogressive Apr 2014 #6

I never had a problem with BoA when I traveled out of state. RebelOne Apr 2014 #31

I live in the south of England; my bank once sent me email about a purchase in the north of England muriel_volestrangler Apr 2014 #7

Yeah, a few years ago I made a big purchase Blue_Tires Apr 2014 #58

I have no problem with this DrDan Apr 2014 #8

^^^This KatyMan Apr 2014 #67

I always let the bank know I'm traveling and the approximate area. No problems..n/t monmouth3 Apr 2014 #9

I do this all the time when I travel... CTyankee Apr 2014 #10

This is going to get extremely confusing HockeyMom Apr 2014 #12

You just have to say you're traveling. tammywammy Apr 2014 #15

We have called the credit union before traveling newfie11 Apr 2014 #13

That's actually quite normal Capt. Obvious Apr 2014 #14

It's not for YOUR protection. It's for THEIRS. Ron Obvious Apr 2014 #16

Correct. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #57

Bingo. Thank you. That's exactly why they do it. crazylikafox Apr 2014 #59

So? KatyMan Apr 2014 #69

My guess is that it was not just a bank card, Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #18

guess I am one of theose "easy-peasy call" folks DrDan Apr 2014 #30

You're lucky then. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #34

I have had a card shut own. I purchased a watch for my wife, and the clerk inadvertantly ran DrDan Apr 2014 #44

I didn't start reading them the riot act Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #45

as I said - the did shut down my card - I had a charge refused after the double charge. DrDan Apr 2014 #50

It may be easy to rectify in your circumstances, but it has not been in mine. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #53

Discover did it with us last summer SoCalDem Apr 2014 #19

Happens to me a lot Jeff In Milwaukee Apr 2014 #21

Two years ago my father in law died. peace13 Apr 2014 #24

They look for unusual activity NV Whino Apr 2014 #26

Higher amount HockeyMom Apr 2014 #29

Odd definition of unusual. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #38

Same gas stations that asked for my zip no longer ask for my zip NV Whino Apr 2014 #64

Likely coincidence. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #71

We have never had our card declined but they do call immediately for larger purchases out of area. Tikki Apr 2014 #27

Yes--and I don't mind this eridani Apr 2014 #49

Happened to me too. mfcorey1 Apr 2014 #28

It has gotten so ridiculous that I had my COLGATE4 Apr 2014 #32

Mine was locked three times in one day last summer. ieoeja Apr 2014 #33

Good policy. NCTraveler Apr 2014 #35

I've never had a problem getting cash out, here or abroad... brooklynite Apr 2014 #36

Yes lillypaddle Apr 2014 #37

My bank is very good about this ..... oldhippie Apr 2014 #39

We bank with them, too Stargazer09 Apr 2014 #88

That's why I only use a credit card, not debit card oldhippie Apr 2014 #89

I notify my financial institutions when I travel Hekate Apr 2014 #40

yup. Card gets turned off or purchase denied for anything these days. ANYTHING Liberal_in_LA Apr 2014 #41

YES! This happened to me once a few years ago... WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2014 #42

Doesn't make a whit of difference. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #47

Umm... yes it does WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2014 #48

Because it is the experience of every real life person I have discussed the matter with. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #55

I will continue to defy the odds... WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2014 #66

I have yet to have this happen in the States...but it will for purchases abroad mnhtnbb Apr 2014 #43

You are absolutely correct about who they are protecting Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #46

The bank I worked at did this YarnAddict Apr 2014 #51

A lot of mercuryblues Apr 2014 #52

a coworker told me that they were declined when they went to a gas station they don't usually freque PeaceNikki Apr 2014 #54

My experiences started around 2008-9. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #56

I certainly didn't say the auto fraud alerts started after Target. PeaceNikki Apr 2014 #60

They did a shut down, based on specific information about exposed card info. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #72

Our CU is fantastic when dealing with this... Earth_First Apr 2014 #61

My banks have been doing this for decades. ManiacJoe Apr 2014 #62

very strange programming Skittles Apr 2014 #63

I called my CU before I spent $3200 on plane tickets to Australia. tammywammy Apr 2014 #65

I did let them know I'd be in England Skittles Apr 2014 #68

That's nutty. tammywammy Apr 2014 #70

That is precisely my experience. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #73

Wells Fargo did the same thing to me. darkangel218 Apr 2014 #76

my bank and one of my credit cards require that I notify them before I go on vacation dlwickham Apr 2014 #77

I had to do that 2 weeks ago when I went on a cruise Bombero1956 Apr 2014 #79

What people claim is that they are trying to "Protect you" but the way my wife looks at it "it is diabeticman Apr 2014 #80

it has happened to me repeatedly dsc Apr 2014 #81

My Credit Union has done this for years. MicaelS Apr 2014 #82

I call them before leaving the country or before humongous ecstatic Apr 2014 #83

yes, i live in NY and was using the card in maine, right when the Target thing was going down. dionysus Apr 2014 #84

I live in NY AndreaCG Apr 2014 #85

Yup. It's a pain in the ass, but not as bad as if someone woodsprite Apr 2014 #86

Last year, I started using a credit card that I had saved for business expenses MurrayDelph Apr 2014 #87