I am happy to reply here Glynis .

yes we have had it happen . we were trying to pay a diving bill of around £900 on our credit card but it got blocked . We tried unsuccesfully to use another card but same thing happened . This was in egypt and hubby was told by the CC company when we got back that it was because it was middle east and a high value transaction.

Our phone bill ended up at well over £100 just to sort this out while in resort and wasted a whole day of our holiday. It caused a lot of stress at the time with the obvious worry of an unpaid bill but to be honest Im glad they took the proper precautions .

We dont take chances any more and inform our CC companies before we go anywhere , even in europe.

I've never had it happen to me, though I do have more than one credit card from different banks just in case, and I travel to some weird and wonderful places. I believe it's more often debit cards that are refused at ATMS than CCs. Having said that I was talking to a couple of people when I was stuck in Bangkok last November who had had their CC frozen despite having informed their bank. They were trying to ring the UK to get it corrected, they were really worried as they were hoping to pay their hotel bill with the CC.

I informed my bank last year that I'd be using my card whilst abroad and they didn't want to know. They said that unless the transaction looked suspicious e.g. someone using it in UK and then abroad within a certain amount of hours, that everything would be fine. Thankfully, my card hasn't been frozen nor used fraudulently abroad.

I had a security alert put on my debit card when I tried to use it in Finland just before christmas. I've used the same card in many countries before, but for whatever reason, the bank decided it was 'unusal spending pattern' and put a security alert on the card so it was refused. When I got home, I could use the card to withdraw cash from a machine, but couldn't use it for purchases. I had to go to the bank, prove who I was and vouch for the failed transactions before they'd remove the security alert so I could use the card again. Because I had my debit card rejected, I tried using my credit card and that was refused too! There wasn't any security tags put on that though and at the time, there was nothing outstanding on the card either (only used for emergencies). I know they're only trying to protect us, but it's a pain in the proverbial when they do that and it seems more and more common. You simply can't reply on taking a debit / credit card abroad with you now.

Darren

I've never had a problem before, although I rarely use my my cards for purchases abroad - I just use them to withdraw cash at the ATMs. However, hearing of other people's problems, I'll be informing my bank and card providers before I go away this year, just to make sure. We are going self-catering this time so will be spending (and withdrawing) a lot more money than on our usual all-inclusive holidays, so I'll need to make sure funds are available as needed!
One of my CC providers phoned me the other day to check up on several internet transactions I had made in a short space of time (I was having a bit of online retail therapy), so if they're being picky, I'd better be careful and let them know in advance!

cyberspacekadette,

All I would say is don't rely on your cards abroad for purchases. Even after banks are informed you are using them abroad, I've heard of them being blocked. In my case above, they knew I'd be out of the country and I still had problems. A few years back, my dad went to Tenerife for christmas / new year and took enough cash for a few days, and had his card for the rest. The first time he came to use it, the machine swallowed it which left him stumped. Because of the time of year, it's not like he could call the bank to sort things. Luckily, he had friends meeting him over there so I had to send money over for him with them. I've never relied on cards abroad, it's too easy to get stuck.

Darren

I usually call my credit card companies before I travel to let them know where I am going and they usually make a note and confirm that the mobile number they have for me is correct (for just in cases purposes).

My bank weren't interested either in my travelling abroad with my debit card, but I bet if I had tried to use it, it would have been blocked.

One thing about my debit card I did not know until it was rejected when I tried to pay for £350 for a training course was that although I had the funds in my bank, there was a block on the Visa part of the chip and pin. I had to go to Lloyds bank and with the help of one of the counter clerks, I had to go to one of their internal atm's and release the pin for the Visa. After that my transaction was authorised.

Apparently, it happens a lot with Lloyds debit cards.

Dazbo5 wrote:

All I would say is don't rely on your cards abroad for purchases. Even after banks are informed you are using them abroad, I've heard of them being blocked.

We've always gone all-inclusive in the past, taken enough cash for bits and bobs and used the ATM if we need any more spends later on, but I've never really worried about cards being blocked because at least on all-inclusive we are not going to be stuck for food and drink. This year we are doing self-catering so, with the warnings from people on here, I may take more cash with me and buy some traveller's cheques or one of those pre-paid cards... I'm going to have a look into that shortly...

I have used a Lloyds debit card in Turkey, Italy and Greece for many years without any trouble. My wife uses her Nationwide card and still no trouble.

My debit card got blocked in the UK last year after I'd used it to book tickets for the horse show at Olympia causing me problems paying for my monthly online shopping later on the same evening. After sorting that out with the bank and being assured that it was now cleared I had problems the following day booking parking for the show.
I got passed from pillar to post before someone could assure me that my card wouldnt be blocked again, the nice lady told me that booking shows and concerts is one of the most common things done on stolen or cloned cards so it might not be a good idea to do so just before you're going on holiday.

One of my CC providers phoned me the other day to check up on several internet transactions I had made in a short space of time (I was having a bit of online retail therapy),

I had a similar expereince recently - I had a PayPal transaction refused (never having used PayPal before) and almost immediately got an automated phonecall on my mobile saying that they had detected unusual spending on my CC. After taking me through a number of security questions the automated system then told me that the transaction would be authorised as a genuine one and not a fraudulent one. I assumed that this meant that the original transaction would be authorised but luckily I knew the person I had been trying to pay (for a Salsa weekend) so could contact him to ask whether he had received payment or not. When he had still not received confirmation of the transaction going through within the next 24 hrs, I re-booked via the Net without any problems. But I'd have been less than happy if it hadn't involved someone I knew well (ie that I could trust him to refund me if I'd inadvertantly paid twice) and also knew me well (ie that I was good for the money!)

SM

Well I could tell you my story but you may be able to read it in the Mail on Sunday soon!

Hi De Hi wrote:

Well I could tell you my story but you may be able to read it in the Mail on Sunday soon!

Ditto

Don't get the Mail on Sunday so the only chance I have of reading it is on here.

And won't be able to read it online as the Mail copyright stipulates that their site cannot be linked to.

luci

Dazbo5 wrote:

Hi De Hi wrote:

Well I could tell you my story but you may be able to read it in the Mail on Sunday soon!

Ditto :tup

Mine should be with a photo as well!

I have stopped using a standard credit card I use a PREPAY one they are miles better.

Hi De Hi wrote:

Mine should be with a photo as well!

I can't do that as I have security issued to think about. Don't forget to keep a pen in your bag in case someone recognises you and they want your autograph! I've done a couple of tv interviews / pieces for work over the years and it's surprising how many recognise you and ask for it

Darren

I have a problem with my Egg card every flaming time I go away, I do admire them for being security conscious, but......... Last July I warned them I was going to Turkey, despite this, I had to withdraw money when I found myself short for a taxi and the card declined. I had to use my bank card, putting myself into overdraft yet again.

As soon as I got back to the hotel I called them, I was on the phone for ages and eventually got the card unblocked. Next day tried to lift more money (we'd spent way over our budget!) and the card was still blocked. Called them again, yet another expensive call paid for by moi and eventually the card was unblocked. So yet another taxi back into Marmaris to lift more cash. They cost me a fortune in taxi fares and phone calls!

qatarman wrote:

I have stopped using a standard credit card I use a PREPAY one they are miles better.

I have been looking at these recently - there are different types:
1) The ones which are specifically designed for travelling abroad and for loading with Euros/US Dollars, such as FairFX, CaxtonFX, or the Travelex card which you can get from Thomas Cook and Co-op Travel agents.
2) The ones which are designed for day to day spending both at home and worldwide, such as Tuxedo or Splash Plastic

Considering the options, and the stories on here from people who have had cards stopped on holiday, I think I shall probably go for the FairFX card - it seems to offer a decent exchange rate, is easy and cheap to use, and if you click through from Martin Lewis' site you don't have to pay the £9.95 fee for it either!