Banks request travel plans.

Just got this off TTGLive.

Banks request travel plans to combat fraud

Friday, January 02, 2009

Holidaymakers are being asked to notify their banks of their travel plans in a bid to counter credit and debit card fraud.

According to reports, 40% of card fraud is committed overseas, and often after cards are “skimmed” their details are used to create a duplicate.

Last year this kind of crime was valued at £301 million in the first six months alone and banks are increasingly cancelling cards when unusual foreign transactions occur, even if they are by holidaymakers trying to make legitimate payments or cash withdrawals.

The new chip and pin system in the UK has seen card fraud fall by 31% last year, so criminal gangs have had to turn their attention to overseas fraud which jumped 114% last year.

Many of the main high street banks including Barclays, HBOS and Lloyds TSB already have procedures in place to enable customers to inform them of their travel plans, or system allowing them to verify any overseas payments that are flagged up by their systems as suspicious.

Banks request travel plans.

That%26#39;s a good idea. I%26#39;ve been caught a few times with my corporate credit card mainly. The card company are pretty good though and always phone me if there%26#39;s a suspicious transaction.

Banks request travel plans.

I have already learned to contact my bank, I had my card frozen too many times by them. With 8 of us, we spend money faster then other sized families. I learned my lesson. Luckily it was a time I could get in touch with them and let them know. We opened a new account recently and they too said it is best to contact them to avoid any problems. With computers now it is so easy for them to note your account. I am sure this is just as easy for the UK as in the US.

Hi!

My Nationwide card was rejected in New York in October for a $33 sale, but that was because the cashier put it thru as ATM instead of Credit (UK debit card). I phoned the call centre and told them I was about to spend a lot and not to block the card.

This, of course, fell on deaf ears and my card was blocked for about 24 hours. My daughter and I had about $10 in cash but we had our subway passes and loads of food in the apartment so it was more an inconvenience than a disaster.

My mobile phone bill is now with Nationwide, about £65 between 3 calls to them to get the matter sorted. The local branch said that if I withdrew £10 at the airport this side and then the same on arrival it would let them know the card was being used properly. Will phone them to clarify their position so it doesn%26#39;t happen in Orlando in 6 sleeps! Yay!

Several of the major banks have been requesting for a while now that customers register when they travel abroad,so that any unusual activity of credit or debit card use will not result in transactions being refused.

For my holidays, I use Nationwide credit and debit cards. There are separate contact phone numbers for each card and I always notify them that I will be using the cards abroad and give the country and dates I will be there.

When I phoned the debit card number,they have said I do not need to notify them, which I thought was strange.

I have been having to do this for years, other wise they get frozen. I%26#39;ve also used them to buy/pay for things in the USA when I am here and they will put a stop on and call me.

We travelled out of country last spring and to be safe called our bank just before we left. Luckily we did, because they wanted to know what countries we%26#39;d be visiting and how long we%26#39;d be gone, so they could note it with our account history. They also wanted to know what countries we had layovers in. Even tho we didn%26#39;t consider them part of our itinerary, we actually were there long enuf to grab some coffee and a bite to eat, and were glad we were able to use our cards.

I usually inform my credit card provider that I intend to travel but not with my bank with debit cards and not sure how the bank keeps on top of these things, its not easy to get my bank to do some basic things right sometimes.

I,m with you on that one Preston Traveller.

Hi,

I have tried to let my bank Nat West know on 2 occasions that I will be going abroad and using my card, once to Orlando and once to Tenerife.

On both occassions they have informed me that they do not have the facility to note this on my account and if the card is stopped it is anti fraud and, effectively I will just have to deal with it if it happens! Not helpful but, my card didnt get stopped - yet...

Kelly