General Discussion

KatyMan

(4,339 posts)

69. So?

Wed Apr 9, 2014, 08:11 PM

Apr 2014

I'll never defend big banks for their awful practices, but this one just makes sense. Why be on the hook for thousands of dollars when a simple phone call from the consumer can clarify the situation ahead of time? I feel a responsible adult would be happy to let the bank know when to expect unusual activity.
We live near Houston. A few years ago I received a call from the bank asking me if I just used my debit card at a Home Depot in San Antonio. I told them no (as I hadn't), and they promptly cancelled my card and issued me a new one. I for one am glad that my interests are at least somewhat looked after. If the bank hadn't flagged that transaction (which was on a weekend), my bank account would have been minus around $700, and all sorts of trouble would have ensued for me, considering things like scheduled/automatic payments and the like .
Again, not everything is a conspiracy. Sometimes it's just (the barest minumum of) customer service.

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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