credit/debit card frozen after major purchase

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The motor guy

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So I bought something more expensive then I usually do and I'm assuming the bank red flagged me and now my debit card doesn't work so I'm basically without my debit card the entire weekend since none of the numbers on the back of my card work since the bank is closed for most of the weekend. Why do they freeze my card and then don't tell me? I'm at home depot and getting my card declined and looking like a fool. I bank with jsc and I thought they are supposed to call and inform me if I've made a big purchase? What's the point of them blocking my card and not telling me? Doesn't do any good.
 
All I have to do is call the bank and they will unfreeze my card but I don't understand why the 1-800 number doesn't work I thought you can call that number anytime?
 
Call from your home phone. Did you get caught in the Target snafu?

If it's a mastercharge try 1800 MC ASSIST
 
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mine did that a few years ago, i bought something small (like $13) from a company in the netherlands, few days later I'm in line @ the store trying to to buy an armoire for my sister, and it won't go through. they had frozen the account without notifing me, because of the "unusual offshore activity". I was able to clear it up with a phone call, but I am of the mind that they should notify you of such a thing.

and I also don't understand why the phone numbers wouldn't work on a holiday weekend. Even if it's a tiny mom & pop local bank, their card services likely go through some larger organization that should have a 24/7 call center.
 
That's why you need to carry two. I usually carry one debit card and one credit card.

When I'm on the motorcycle, and have taken off on a cross-country trip, they'll usually shut mine off unless I call them and ask them *not* to beforehand.

Admittedly, the gas purchases look like someone grabbed the card from me and took off.

It's a credit card... something can and will go wrong.
 
Originally Posted By: cjcride
Odd that they do not have a 24/7 phone number. How would one inform them that the card is lost or stolen?


They obviously aren't worried about that since I basically can't report anything if my bank is closed. I called a 24/7 visa number and talked to someone and then the dumb customer service lady transferred me to my bank which you would think she would know is closed on a sunday. Now since it's a holiday weekend I will have to wait until Tuesday to talk with them. Luckily my credit card still works so i'll just use that for the time being. Whatever..... Maybe I can complain and get a gift card or something out of this [censored]. It's ridiculous. You can get a lot if you complain enough.
 
Count yourself lucky. I've used my debit card to make large and small purchases in 38 states, six countries in person, and I frequently order books from other countries. There is literally nothing that draws attention on my card anymore.

I spent a few hundred bucks in 10-15 different stores in a [censored] third world country... and then blew through a grand stocking up the inlaws liquor cabinet for them (to be reimbursed...I'm way to poor for that) at an airport duty free in another country 15 minutes later.

No question.

The worst is on roadtrips I use my card at different gas stations every 170 miles.... never even gets a second look.

My wife bought a coke at a ghetto gas station...they shut her DOWN.

Personally I would count yourself lucky they care enough to look. And that your daily purchased aren't so erratic that they don't know what to look for.
 
Yeah I'm glad they do pay attention but they need to call me before they put any holds on my card. It's a holiday weekend. This happened on Friday so that's 4 days I can't use my card now. Actually 5 cause it takes 24 hours for it to actually go through after I call them. I may just change banks, this isn't the first time this has happened.
 
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Just yesterday I found out that my credit card is red flagged.
I stopped in the credit union to check since wife did a $700 purchase during the Target spoogee time frame, 1st week in December. So I checked on it a couple weeks later and all they saw was her purchase, so I figure I'll check later, this weekend. Told them I wanted it checked, and I have made two Amazon purchases within the last week and a half. They said it's red flagged, and the credit union is re-issuing several credit cards because of the Target thing. I didn't know - they didn't tell me until I went in and asked. Said I should be getting a new card in about a week. My card was good into Feb. anyway, yeah, they could have told me.
Now I got everything on the two orders I made to Amazon, haven't heard anything from Amazon, so I'm assuming Amazon got their money. If not and they just haven't got me, I'm gonna have a little mess that will need to be taken care of.
Not that I need it now (should have a new one soon), but they sure could have let me known about it. Actually I'm almost ready to make another Amazon buy, but looks like I have to wait. I could drop a lot more stuff into my cart waiting for that new credit card. Don't know if that's good or bad.... list grows daily now. Stuffing my cart like x-mas
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Yeah I'm glad they do pay attention but they need to call me before they put any holds on my card. It's a holiday weekend. This happened on Friday so that's 4 days I can't use my card now. Actually 5 cause it takes 24 hours for it to actually go through after I call them. I may just change banks, this isn't the first time this has happened.


Yeah you've got to fire your bank.

I had what you had, a cute local bank run by incompetent boobs. Wife lost our shared card, we called "Mastercard" who was able to put it on hold and forward the info to our actual bank, which we then had to deal with when they opened under regular business hours.

This same bank kept screwing up our online banking-- we knew the password(s) but they dropped them and needed resetting. Eventually tired of this, my wife and I shared a login. Bank told us this was "illegal". I tried unlocking her login and they thought I was "impersonating" her and up to no good.

Long story short, we walked in and made them count out the cash when we closed out. They wanted to do a check but I figured the cash was less convenient.
 
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Most debit cards have a purchase limit. Did you hit the daily limit?


I didn't know that. That's why I like the debit card. I thought their wasn't a limit.
 
Well I used it today and it worked. I don't know what happened since I won't be able to contact the bank until tomorrow. It turns out the card has a 2500 dollar limit when used in a credit transaction which I didn't exceed and it only lets you spend 500 dollars a day when you use your PIN. How dumb. Banks have too many loop holes.
 
Yet if there were no limits and someone emptied your bank account because they got your card you would be calling the no limit policy dumb.

So which "dumb" policy do you want? One that allows a compromised card to empty your bank account or one that limits how much can be taken out?

Since I could write a check for any amount over my purchase limit, I prefer my debit card have some measure of protection against emptying my deposit accounts.

This is why I like to use a credit card. To me, debit cards are just an invitation for someone to adversely impact my cashflow. With cash back bonus or other rewards, no interest charges if the balance is paid in full, the card issuers money on the hook instead of mine, and lower liability limits than debit cards, credit cards are the clear winner for me when it comes to day to day purchases.

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Well I used it today and it worked. I don't know what happened since I won't be able to contact the bank until tomorrow. It turns out the card has a 2500 dollar limit when used in a credit transaction which I didn't exceed and it only lets you spend 500 dollars a day when you use your PIN. How dumb. Banks have too many loop holes.
 
This is why I don't use debit cards. My CC will let me charge what I want and its not my money if its stolen.

Most debit cards have a daily limit to limit the theft of your money if stolen.
 
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Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
My CC will let me charge what I want and its not my money if its stolen.

Most debit cards have a daily limit to limit the theft of your money if stolen.


CC's do in fact freeze your account if they suspect fraudulant purchases. I've had this happen 4-5 times, one time of which was real. While it's inconvenient, I'm glad they are taking measures to prevent fraud.

But this is why I always carry at least 2 CC's with me.
 
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