Some days it seems like you get hundreds of notifications. Between emails, texts, messenger apps, push notifications and voicemails, the entire day is a barrage of deciding to answer, ignore, delete or block.
Unless you’re looking for an important message, you’ll let a notification go and look at it later if you’re doing something else. Here’s a mental note to put in your Rolodex.
If your credit card is denied, check your notifications. I’ll use a recent example of why this is important.
While Sharon doesn’t like having to think about which credit card to use, she’ll notify me if she plans a large purchase. She was headed out to the supermarkets and knew she’d be spending more than usual, so she asked me if I had a certain card I wanted to use.
In an instance of perfect timing, I received an email from Barclays offering 5X Arrival Miles back for supermarket purchases. I went to the message and accepted the offer. Then I went into the drawer to retrieve the card since we hadn’t been using it recently.
Sharon went to the store and I didn’t think anything more about it.
When I got home, she told me that the first store was fine, but the card was denied when she went to pay for the more expensive shopping bill at Whole Foods. She tried twice but then went to her backup card, which thankfully was the Hilton Surpass AMEX (6X Honors points at supermarkets.)
I asked if she got a notification from Barclays asking to confirm a charge, she said she didn’t, but when she looked at her phone there was a missed text message asking about the two attempted charges.
Even though we missed out on using the card, I still wanted to let the bank know that these charges were us so they didn’t block or shut down the cards for fraud. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best idea to take a card we hadn’t used for months and give it to Sharon to use for multiple large purchases.
Even if she replied to the message at the store, who knows if it would have worked. I’ve had mixed results when attempting to use a card after the bank blocked a charge, even after replying to an email or text message saying the charge was from me.
Lesson learned, and I hope you can take something from our mistake.
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2 comments
Citibank is the worst offender with blocking charges. I have had purchases denied because Citi said I didn’t do a travel notice or respond to their texts. Lately I call Citi and they still don’t do the right thing.. Citi’s agents are horrible, as is Citi’s whole customer service model. Just beware Citi is the worst at denying purchases!
Just had it happen to us when we went to Canada, first our Visa card, then our Mastercard!! Didn’t tell them we were going there and we didn’t think to check out our text message from them. Lesson learned, but glad that they have our backs, far as fraudulent charges. Also realize now why the pizza delivery person was so happy when I tipped him with American currency(forgot about that rate exchange) and was generous by U.S. standards!! P.S. We learn so much from your website it’s a must read for us!!