Sign of Things to Come?

[doublewide]

Hi All,

Have a bit of drama from my credit card company (Chase Bank USA) and am wondering if this is going to be the norm from now on as banks close ranks and protect themselves.

Yesterday morning got an e-mail from Ancestry.com a genealogy site from which I bought a memebership. They had tried to renew my annual membership and gotten denied.

I called Chase to find out what was up and they’d denied it because it was an internet purchase outside my normal activity. No big deal, they lifed the freeze on my account and I called Ancestry to pay over the phone.

Yesterday afternoon went to Vons to buy apples and conditioner…credit card was denied twice – can I tell you how embarassing that was! I used a second card and as it was reading “approved” I said “oh, good at least that one works” trying to get a smile from the checker who was annoyed with me like I’m some criminal who can’t pay her credit card bill. Her response was “we’ll see”…as if my second card might not actually go through!

Got home, called Chase and Skippy in Fraud cleared my account AGAIN!

Last night placed an order at amazon.com. As I’m sure you all know Amazon is notorious for splitting orders. They charged my credit card for one order but got denied on the second and sent me an e-mail telling me to address the problem.

I called Chase AGAIN, they cleared my account AGAIN so I contacted Amazon to retry the card, it got denied AGAIN.

Now on my fourth call to Chase I get a woman in Fraud who tells me shes going to clear my account and raise my “clearance amount”. She won’t tell me what my limit is, which is different from my actual credit limit of 15K. She won’t tell me what factors trigger this kind of freeze. All she will tell me over and over is that the bank has to protect itself from fraud and by telling me the triggers and limits she’d be giving up security information that protects the bank. In the mean time I can’t use the card because I can’t trust it will work when I need it.

We use credit for all purchases because it earns us points then pay off the bill in full every month averaging about 3K/mo. They are now going to lose the fees off my 36K/year because I’m going to switch to another credit card we have. Granted that amounts to a drop in the bucket to them but doesn’t it defeat the purpose of being a bank if you cause your credit card to become unreliable to the point people stop using it. I’ve already told all friends and family of my experience and they are all on guard now about using their Chase accounts.

Is this the new age of credit in America. Do you all think the banks will start doing this? Do you think Am Ex will be the way to go in the future as they seem to have different guidelines for repayment (don’t they expect payment in full every month?) and possibly less exposure to fraud?

I’ve been a Chase customer since 1991 and have ALWAYS been the perfect customer…to be denied in the grocery store was embarassing but the conversation I had with Chase just now about arbitrary clearance limits and random factors that will freeze your account is just maddening.

Why won’t Chase let me spend money??? Here I am trying to stimulate the economy and they’re trying to limit the amount I can spend!!! Should I call Ben Bernanke and tell him Chase won’t let me buy things???

Thanks for letting me vent…would like to hear if you all think I just got some bad customer service from Chase or if this is going to be a trend in credit card servicing while banks try to reduce their exposure to loss/fraud.

Doublewide

[jennyo]

I have had this problem with Chase too, about a year ago. I think it’s just them. I was in Nordstrom and made purchases from two different departments in the store. The first went through and the second was denied. I got the same story from them about fraud and they were just trying to protect me and whatnot, but it was very annoying and I cancelled the card (for this reason and because they kept sending me “checks” even though I had asked them repeatedly, in writing and over the phone, to not send the checks). I have not had this problem from any other credit card company.

[jennyo]

I have had this problem with Chase too, about a year ago. I think it’s just them. I was in Nordstrom and made purchases from two different departments in the store. The first went through and the second was denied. I got the same story from them about fraud and they were just trying to protect me and whatnot, but it was very annoying and I cancelled the card (for this reason and because they kept sending me “checks” even though I had asked them repeatedly, in writing and over the phone, to not send the checks). I have not had this problem from any other credit card company.

[jennyo]

I have had this problem with Chase too, about a year ago. I think it’s just them. I was in Nordstrom and made purchases from two different departments in the store. The first went through and the second was denied. I got the same story from them about fraud and they were just trying to protect me and whatnot, but it was very annoying and I cancelled the card (for this reason and because they kept sending me “checks” even though I had asked them repeatedly, in writing and over the phone, to not send the checks). I have not had this problem from any other credit card company.

[jennyo]

I have had this problem with Chase too, about a year ago. I think it’s just them. I was in Nordstrom and made purchases from two different departments in the store. The first went through and the second was denied. I got the same story from them about fraud and they were just trying to protect me and whatnot, but it was very annoying and I cancelled the card (for this reason and because they kept sending me “checks” even though I had asked them repeatedly, in writing and over the phone, to not send the checks). I have not had this problem from any other credit card company.

[jennyo]

I have had this problem with Chase too, about a year ago. I think it’s just them. I was in Nordstrom and made purchases from two different departments in the store. The first went through and the second was denied. I got the same story from them about fraud and they were just trying to protect me and whatnot, but it was very annoying and I cancelled the card (for this reason and because they kept sending me “checks” even though I had asked them repeatedly, in writing and over the phone, to not send the checks). I have not had this problem from any other credit card company.

[svelte]

This happened to me with Chase also a few years ago. After checking out w/over $400 of groceries, card denied. We went over to the side, frozen and refrigerated products thawing, and got the same story from Chase…fraud protection, etc. and said that we normally don’t spend that much at the grocery store.

That set me off, because we DO normally buy that much at the grocery store! (we don’t shop often) On their card!

I think everybody in the store could hear me scream into the phone that if it ever happened again at that grocery store, i would chop their card up into little tiny pieces and they’d never see another penny out of me.

Haven’t had a problem since then.

[svelte]

This happened to me with Chase also a few years ago. After checking out w/over $400 of groceries, card denied. We went over to the side, frozen and refrigerated products thawing, and got the same story from Chase…fraud protection, etc. and said that we normally don’t spend that much at the grocery store.

That set me off, because we DO normally buy that much at the grocery store! (we don’t shop often) On their card!

I think everybody in the store could hear me scream into the phone that if it ever happened again at that grocery store, i would chop their card up into little tiny pieces and they’d never see another penny out of me.

Haven’t had a problem since then.

[svelte]

This happened to me with Chase also a few years ago. After checking out w/over $400 of groceries, card denied. We went over to the side, frozen and refrigerated products thawing, and got the same story from Chase…fraud protection, etc. and said that we normally don’t spend that much at the grocery store.

That set me off, because we DO normally buy that much at the grocery store! (we don’t shop often) On their card!

I think everybody in the store could hear me scream into the phone that if it ever happened again at that grocery store, i would chop their card up into little tiny pieces and they’d never see another penny out of me.

Haven’t had a problem since then.

[svelte]

This happened to me with Chase also a few years ago. After checking out w/over $400 of groceries, card denied. We went over to the side, frozen and refrigerated products thawing, and got the same story from Chase…fraud protection, etc. and said that we normally don’t spend that much at the grocery store.

That set me off, because we DO normally buy that much at the grocery store! (we don’t shop often) On their card!

I think everybody in the store could hear me scream into the phone that if it ever happened again at that grocery store, i would chop their card up into little tiny pieces and they’d never see another penny out of me.

Haven’t had a problem since then.

[svelte]

This happened to me with Chase also a few years ago. After checking out w/over $400 of groceries, card denied. We went over to the side, frozen and refrigerated products thawing, and got the same story from Chase…fraud protection, etc. and said that we normally don’t spend that much at the grocery store.

That set me off, because we DO normally buy that much at the grocery store! (we don’t shop often) On their card!

I think everybody in the store could hear me scream into the phone that if it ever happened again at that grocery store, i would chop their card up into little tiny pieces and they’d never see another penny out of me.

Haven’t had a problem since then.

[jpinpb]

I know it’s an embarrassment and annoyance when they do that, but in reality, you should be thankful.

2 months ago I get a call from my credit card fraud protection services. “Hi. Have you used our card today?”
“Yes, at the coffee shop.” “Anywhere else?” “NO.” “Do you have your card with you?” “Yes.”

Apparently, somehow, some way, someone got a hold of my number. They tried to make a $1,500 purchase …. at Walmart…. in Pennsylvania!!!!!

I was pissed. They cancelled my card. Issued another which I didn’t get for 3 weeks. Hassle. But I was grateful that they were on top of it.

Obviously, since I’m in San Diego and made a purchase that morning, they probably thought something was up when they got an attempted purchase in Pennsylvania, plus I never shop at Walmart, so that was another red flag.

Even though it was averted, still startling that an attempt to use my card was made when I am so overly cautious w/it. I really even limit my internet purchases. Rare occasion.

I heard from a cop about some fraud credit card use in La Jolla. Apparently some guy left his card at a bar downtown. Card got sold and used by some lowlife’s on a shopping spree in LJ.

Be happy that they’re watching your credit card activity.

[jpinpb]

I know it’s an embarrassment and annoyance when they do that, but in reality, you should be thankful.

2 months ago I get a call from my credit card fraud protection services. “Hi. Have you used our card today?”
“Yes, at the coffee shop.” “Anywhere else?” “NO.” “Do you have your card with you?” “Yes.”

Apparently, somehow, some way, someone got a hold of my number. They tried to make a $1,500 purchase …. at Walmart…. in Pennsylvania!!!!!

I was pissed. They cancelled my card. Issued another which I didn’t get for 3 weeks. Hassle. But I was grateful that they were on top of it.

Obviously, since I’m in San Diego and made a purchase that morning, they probably thought something was up when they got an attempted purchase in Pennsylvania, plus I never shop at Walmart, so that was another red flag.

Even though it was averted, still startling that an attempt to use my card was made when I am so overly cautious w/it. I really even limit my internet purchases. Rare occasion.

I heard from a cop about some fraud credit card use in La Jolla. Apparently some guy left his card at a bar downtown. Card got sold and used by some lowlife’s on a shopping spree in LJ.

Be happy that they’re watching your credit card activity.

[jpinpb]

I know it’s an embarrassment and annoyance when they do that, but in reality, you should be thankful.

2 months ago I get a call from my credit card fraud protection services. “Hi. Have you used our card today?”
“Yes, at the coffee shop.” “Anywhere else?” “NO.” “Do you have your card with you?” “Yes.”

Apparently, somehow, some way, someone got a hold of my number. They tried to make a $1,500 purchase …. at Walmart…. in Pennsylvania!!!!!

I was pissed. They cancelled my card. Issued another which I didn’t get for 3 weeks. Hassle. But I was grateful that they were on top of it.

Obviously, since I’m in San Diego and made a purchase that morning, they probably thought something was up when they got an attempted purchase in Pennsylvania, plus I never shop at Walmart, so that was another red flag.

Even though it was averted, still startling that an attempt to use my card was made when I am so overly cautious w/it. I really even limit my internet purchases. Rare occasion.

I heard from a cop about some fraud credit card use in La Jolla. Apparently some guy left his card at a bar downtown. Card got sold and used by some lowlife’s on a shopping spree in LJ.

Be happy that they’re watching your credit card activity.

[jpinpb]

I know it’s an embarrassment and annoyance when they do that, but in reality, you should be thankful.

2 months ago I get a call from my credit card fraud protection services. “Hi. Have you used our card today?”
“Yes, at the coffee shop.” “Anywhere else?” “NO.” “Do you have your card with you?” “Yes.”

Apparently, somehow, some way, someone got a hold of my number. They tried to make a $1,500 purchase …. at Walmart…. in Pennsylvania!!!!!

I was pissed. They cancelled my card. Issued another which I didn’t get for 3 weeks. Hassle. But I was grateful that they were on top of it.

Obviously, since I’m in San Diego and made a purchase that morning, they probably thought something was up when they got an attempted purchase in Pennsylvania, plus I never shop at Walmart, so that was another red flag.

Even though it was averted, still startling that an attempt to use my card was made when I am so overly cautious w/it. I really even limit my internet purchases. Rare occasion.

I heard from a cop about some fraud credit card use in La Jolla. Apparently some guy left his card at a bar downtown. Card got sold and used by some lowlife’s on a shopping spree in LJ.

Be happy that they’re watching your credit card activity.

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