Complaining to credit card company about unneccessary security freeze?

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monash65

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Thought this would be a good place to ask about this. So I have a credit card that I am pretty happy with, but last week I went on a road trip about 400 miles away from where I live, and used my card to pay for gas along the way. It worked first time, but the next time I tried to use my card (later the same day, about 150 miles further down the road), it wouldn't allow it. I tried again, a few days later to use the same card to pay for gas while still on my road trip and again it said "unable to authorize". Luckily, I had other cards to use, but this was the card I WANTED to use because I get certain perks for using it when paying for gas.

I'm 99% sure this was caused by me using my cards in different places on my road trip. I have not had any fraudulent activity on my card recently, I always make regular payments on it, and I am still well within my credit limit. So basically there is no other reason for this to happen other than them being paranoid about charges made on the card.

So anyway, my question is- can I complain about this to them, and if so, should I expect them to do something to make it right? I mean, I'm not trying to get something for nothing here, and I know that they have security measures in place for a good reason, BUT I have a legitimate complaint- if I didn't have other cards to fall back on, I would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas in my car. So what do you guys think, should I complain and see what they do about it? Has anyone experienced something similar? Thanks.
 
I have had similar problems with Citibank. Never any problems with BOA or United Bank. It will let me use it to buy shit, but when it comes to gas it gets a declined. It's a mixed blessing for the most part. It's happened to me several times in the past few months where I almost closed my account because of it. You should tell them that you are going on a road trip so they can notate it in the system so it "shouldn't happen again" As a matter of fact before I left for my honeymoon I told my bank that I was going to the Cayman island and wanted them to notate it so if I needed my card down there, it won't block me. Turns out I only used it once.

Credit Card security is big business... it's a "Better safe than sorry" situation.
 
Like ITDEFX said, if you didn't contact the CC company before hand to tell them you were going on a trip, there system is going to flag any purchase outside of your immediate area as fraudelent and put a hold on the account.
 
I'm not sure what you're expecting them to "do right" here OP. They actually did everything right in the first place. They flagged your purchases as unauthorized, likely due to the location of where the purchases were made. You've stated that you're not trying to get something for nothing here, but what exactly are you expecting to get?

An apology? A free gift card? A puppy?

You're owed nothing in this situation.
 
Even if you don't call ahead, all you have to do is call them right after you realize your card isn't working and they'll take care of it for you.
 
Something tells me if someone else started using your credit card 150 miles down the road, you'd be happy they didn't authorize the charge.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']I'm not sure what you're expecting them to "do right" here OP. They actually did everything right in the first place. They flagged your purchases as unauthorized, likely due to the location of where the purchases were made. You've stated that you're not trying to get something for nothing here, but what exactly are you expecting to get?

An apology? A free gift card? A puppy?

You're owed nothing in this situation.[/QUOTE]

^This.

Not to mention, in a worst case scenario, OP could have called (I'm sure they have 24/7 customer service), verified the purchase was legit, and had them reactivate OP's card. OP also waited a few days to call the CC about the problem - I can't understand maybe not calling immediately if you're on a road trip and have better things to do, but you can make time to call within a day or so. If anything it's a little strange OP's CC company didn't call him about the possible fraudulent transactions, but again, its nothing OP should be compensated for.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']I'm not sure what you're expecting them to "do right" here OP. They actually did everything right in the first place. They flagged your purchases as unauthorized, likely due to the location of where the purchases were made. You've stated that you're not trying to get something for nothing here, but what exactly are you expecting to get?

An apology? A free gift card? A puppy?

You're owed nothing in this situation.[/QUOTE]


I don't have a particular amount that I would expect, but something, anything (maybe a small gift card or something) to show that they admit that they screwed up would be nice. I have given them my business for several years, and always been pretty much a model customer, but this just pissed me off. What I didn't mention was that I was with friends, and if they had seen my card get declined, I would have been extremely embarassed on top of everything else. As for calling them, I didn't have the chance to call them straight away, but I guess I should have that night or something. The point is, I don't think I should have to call them and inconvenience myself that way and go through their hoops. But maybe I'm in the wrong here.
 
[quote name='Salamando3000']Something tells me if someone else started using your credit card 150 miles down the road, you'd be happy they didn't authorize the charge.[/QUOTE]

What I would do is make sure I keep tabs on what is being charged to my card, call them straight away if I see something that shouldn't be there, and let them argue the charge on their end without me getting charged for it. So I don't end up having to be denied a transaction and then be dealing with them on the phone while on vacation in the middle of nowhere, or potentially face embarassment in front of friends (which didn't happen, but easily could have). I'm no expert on the business, but I'm fairly sure they have insurance policies to protect themselves against actual situations of misuse should they occur.

As far as I'm concerned, with all the business that they've gotten from me, they should be trying to keep me happy and making sure transactions are nice and convenient for me. Am I wrong?
 
[quote name='monash65']I don't have a particular amount that I would expect, but something, anything (maybe a small gift card or something) to show that they admit that they screwed up would be nice. I have given them my business for several years, and always been pretty much a model customer, but this just pissed me off. What I didn't mention was that I was with friends, and if they had seen my card get declined, I would have been extremely embarassed on top of everything else. As for calling them, I didn't have the chance to call them straight away, but I guess I should have that night or something. The point is, I don't think I should have to call them and inconvenience myself that way and go through their hoops. But maybe I'm in the wrong here.[/QUOTE]

They didn't screw up here at all. You're completely in the wrong. You're only pissed off because you think you have been done this great injustice, when in fact, they did you a favor by declining it in the first place. You could have called them and rectified this instantly, but instead you chose to wait a few days (or weeks?) to bitch about it on a message board, expecting some kind of sympathy, when in fact, you're in the wrong.

Your straw man argument about being embarrassed didn't happen, so why bring it up? It's got the same effect of you saying, "well, I could have run out of gas if I didn't have another card." It didn't happen, and there is no issue.

How is it an inconvenience to take one minute out of your life to call your card provider when something like this happens? You're not that important, nor are you that busy. They're doing this to protect you (and themselves) from unauthorized charges.

[quote name='monash65']
As far as I'm concerned, with all the business that they've gotten from me, they should be trying to keep me happy and making sure transactions are nice and convenient for me. Am I wrong?[/QUOTE]

Bud, seriously. Unless you have a Visa Black card, they really don't give two shits about you or your business. They're a bank, whose goal is to make a profit. They owe you nothing but access to available credit beyond that. It sounds to me like they have a very good policy in place to prevent fraud, and you're unhappy that it "inconvenienced" you in a slight way.

Personally, I'd be happy that they did decline the card. Move on with your life and realize in the future that if it happens again, call them.
 
In short, you don't want fraud protection on your card because you were POTENTIALLY embarrassed in front of your friends.

Keep that in mind in the event your credit card number is stolen, and is then maxed out on copies of 50 Shades of Gray, bondage equipment, and full-body waxing sessions and then YOU have to prove to the CC company that you didn't buy those items and are trying to scam them. That should be a fun Q&A session.
 
Had it happen all the time on just one card. I have even called ahead. My Chase Visa is the worst. I keep meaning to cancel it since the only time I use the card is for online purchases and vacations and every time I go on vacation I have issues with it. The average amount of time for me to fix it is like 5-10 minutes but still is annoying. When I was in san diego for comic con for a 5 days it got flagged 3 times. Once at the hotel when buying over priced headache medicine, once at PF Changs and the other time one of those mobile iphone swippers. After that I just stopped using it.
Never had a problem with my american express if I can find a place that takes it.

EDIT its a citi bank visa not a chase just got a statement for it today.
 
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Sorry but if you know you will be on a road trip ahead of time it is your responsibly to let your credit card company know.
 
[quote name='sleepydumbdude']Had it happen all the time on just one card. I have even called ahead. My Chase Visa is the worst. I keep meaning to cancel it since the only time I use the card is for online purchases and vacations and every time I go on vacation I have issues with it. The average amount of time for me to fix it is like 5-10 minutes but still is annoying. When I was in san diego for comic con for a 5 days it got flagged 3 times. Once at the hotel when buying over priced headache medicine, once at PF Changs and the other time one of those mobile iphone swippers. After that I just stopped using it.
Never had a problem with my american express if I can find a place that takes it.[/QUOTE]

See, now your case is more sympathetic, because you apparently had to fix it three times in one trip whereas you would think after the first time, you should be ok for the rest of the trip.
 
It can be annoying. Thankfully Chase (have the Amazon Visa) doesn't seem to do it when I travel domestically anymore. Last time I got flagged I got an automated call asking to confirm a charge, and when I did it took the hold off. But, again, that hasn't happened for a while.

I'll call ahead when I travel internationally for sure in case I have to use it. I usually don't bother if traveling domestically since it's been year since it's gotten a hold. And I always have my BOA visa check card if I have an issue with the Chase card, as well as always having some cash.

But anyway, I'd rather have an occasional minor hassle with a locked account than deal with disputing fraudulent charges more often due to them having lax security measures in place.
 
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