credit cards

I call my credit card company and give them a heads up. Dates and destinations. No problems. They are just doing this for your own safety.

Had it happen today.. Needed fuel, So I told the clerk to give me $200 deisel on pump #3. My Visa card was rejected, so I used my Discover. While fueling I get a call from Visa to verify that it was me who tried using my card at that station.. After confirming identity and four other recent charges, the hold was cleared.
We just came from Walmart where I used the card, and earlier, I had renewed my Passport America membership on line.. All together the red flag went up and I'm glad they do it to save problems later.

I have heard that many Banks use a formula (the exact details are somewhat like Area 51). But I have heard their formulas for determining if they should block your card are quite complex and based on dozens or even hundreds of weighted variables, and everyone's formula is different. The ones I have heard of most often are:
1) previous travel history, if you never travelled before and than start full timing, that can be a big red flag
2) size of the transaction seems to always be a big one
3) time and distance between transactions ie gas in LA than 15 minutes later gas in New York
If this is more than urban myth, that would mean that you can train the bank to not flag you (very much or at all) simply by being predictable. This is probably also why one person may get flagged and another wont.

Seems like some financial institutions have a problem with charges outside your home area. I usually use a card that has a points tie-in with a major hotel chain, and I haven't had any problems with out-of-area charges. Not sure if other travel-related cards are similar, but you'd think they'd expect you to move around a bit.

sch911 wrote:
Put them on speed dial!

And oh by the way American Express has the same policy. Have had it kick in too...

Disagree about Amex - never had a problem even on overseas travel

Sixteen (recent) pages on this very subject at this link.

When we started fulltiming over 13 years ago, we notified all 7 of our credit card companies (and no, we've never carried a balance on any of them) of what we were doing. Have used those cards in 43 states + MX, Canada and Cent. Am. since with never a problem.

I use Chase Visa and they let me use the card wherever we go, and I never tell them where or when we are going.

We're very glad that our credit card company monitors our travels.

Full-timers typically travel slower than vacationers. Giving the company three states that you'll be traveling could take care of a whole season. Many times we've just traveled within one state a season - moving around and checking out every nook and cranny.

If you travel faster, then call them. It only takes a few minutes of your time.

Put them on speed dial!

And oh by the way American Express has the same policy. Have had it kick in too...