Embarrassing Moment

[yfan]

OP, did you receive a fraud alert on your phone or email or something at least?

[woodyman100]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So, today we went to a research conference in Pittsburgh (my home graduate school is in NYC, but I do travel a lot for conferences).

As usual, I walked into a Dunkin Donuts to get a XL black coffee (yes, I don't like Starbucks )

swiped my Arrival+, declined!

then tried my ML American Express, declined!

(felt like I have poor credit already atm and the line is very very long)

then I tried my British Airways, declined!

(I only bought 3 credit cards with me today and other than that in my wallet there only exist couple two dollar bills that has been in there since middle school)

(also, the cashier and those probably undergraduates are obviously annoyed or ... just amused haha)

I gave up the coffee and walked out ...

Anybody experienced something like that before? I guess I should have bought more cash ... and of course with no disappointment - I received 2 fraud alerts emails right away from Chase and Barclay's after like 1 minute I walked out of DD ...

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This happened to me back in the 90's at a liquor store. They took a check!

Apparently I had a fraud alert and got it cleared up right away, but I looked like a deadbeat in front of EVERYONE in line!

I still can't beleive they took the check!

[Anonymous]

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@Lyythine wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

So, today we went to a research conference in Pittsburgh (my home graduate school is in NYC, but I do travel a lot for conferences).

As usual, I walked into a Dunkin Donuts to get a XL black coffee (yes, I don't like Starbucks )

swiped my Arrival+, declined!

then tried my ML American Express, declined!

(felt like I have poor credit already atm and the line is very very long)

then I tried my British Airways, declined!

(I only bought 3 credit cards with me today and other than that in my wallet there only exist couple two dollar bills that has been in there since middle school)

(also, the cashier and those probably undergraduates are obviously annoyed or ... just amused haha)

I gave up the coffee and walked out ...

Anybody experienced something like that before? I guess I should have bought more cash ... and of course with no disappointment - I received 2 fraud alerts emails right away from Chase and Barclay's after like 1 minute I walked out of DD ...

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I am currently in Pittsburgh, I split my time between here and DC. I live within a mile of CMU and PITT,  Ill be happy to buy you your coffee  

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At the airport waiting for my (takes forever to get here) jet ... thanks!!! Went to the Dunkin Donuts under the Towes at Pitt. Too much people, and with all those eyes staring at my denied credit cards!! Hahaha

Learned a lesson today.

[Anonymous]

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@Strogen wrote:

I had this happen at a gas station before. They had let me pump my car full and I went inside to pay and they declined 10 credit cards. Yup, 10!

I said, look I know for a fact your system is down. The meth'd out attendant wasnt helpful and only offered excuses. She pointed out that no one else was having an issue. 

I pointed out that they were using cash(bad part of town).... 

In the end I had to use the crappy gas station atm, walked out of there real angry. I called Chase and demanded an answer, they said we never got anything on our system, the gas station was at fault. 

Typical for the low income part of town(broke equipment, druggie attendants), knew I should have avoided it. 

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Oh no =(

I'll be more concerned that if they use those machines they swiped your cards to capture your numbers and then use it for fraud.

[Hoya08]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So, today we went to a research conference in Pittsburgh (my home graduate school is in NYC, but I do travel a lot for conferences).

As usual, I walked into a Dunkin Donuts to get a XL black coffee (yes, I don't like Starbucks )

swiped my Arrival+, declined!

then tried my ML American Express, declined!

(felt like I have poor credit already atm and the line is very very long)

then I tried my British Airways, declined!

(I only bought 3 credit cards with me today and other than that in my wallet there only exist couple two dollar bills that has been in there since middle school)

(also, the cashier and those probably undergraduates are obviously annoyed or ... just amused haha)

I gave up the coffee and walked out ...

Anybody experienced something like that before? I guess I should have bought more cash ... and of course with no disappointment - I received 2 fraud alerts emails right away from Chase and Barclay's after like 1 minute I walked out of DD ...

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A few years ago, I had a purchase declined while attempting to buy my wife a new purse.  I called Chase and told them it was an authorized charge and the issue was fixed.  They stopped the transaction thinking it was fraudulent. 

Later that year, we called Chase in advance to inform them my wife and I were headed to Mexico and so as not to decline any charges for the dates specified... we also brought 3-other CCs just to be safe

[disdreamin]

BTDT with our AmEx card many moons ago.  We had purchased and PIF for two new computers online and then went to purchase something from a home improvement store.  The store charge bounced.  Eep!  I called AmEx and they straightened it out there and then.  As others have experienced, it was a fraud alert issue.

Fast forward a few years and I charged $12K to that same AmEx in one fell swoop (solar panels for the house we were building) without issue.  A few days later, though, I received a call from AmEx checking into the authenticity of the charge.  I thanked them for keeping an eye on our account only to have them inform me they were from the merchant side and checking up because that merchant had never put through such a large single charge on an AmEx card.  Seriously?!  We never did receive so much as a call or alert from AmEx on that one.  Makes me wonder what it would take to make them notice an inconsistency in our spending at this point.  Clearly we're all over the place.   

[GetTheFico]

@ OP, I'm surprised someone behind you didn't offer to pay, I've done that before on a couple occasions.

But I was once at the post office with a co-worker, she was getting a money order. Her debit card was declined so I tried mine, declined. Busy day, was kind of embarrassing.

Both were NFCU debit cards and had been used at the same post office on previous occasions for money orders, just wasn't our day.

[Anonymous]

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@disdreamin wrote:

BTDT with our AmEx card many moons ago.  We had purchased and PIF for two new computers online and then went to purchase something from a home improvement store.  The store charge bounced.  Eep!  I called AmEx and they straightened it out there and then.  As others have experienced, it was a fraud alert issue.

Fast forward a few years and I charged $12K to that same AmEx in one fell swoop (solar panels for the house we were building) without issue.  A few days later, though, I received a call from AmEx checking into the authenticity of the charge.  I thanked them for keeping an eye on our account only to have them inform me they were from the merchant side and checking up because that merchant had never put through such a large single charge on an AmEx card.  Seriously?!  We never did receive so much as a call or alert from AmEx on that one.  Makes me wonder what it would take to make them notice an inconsistency in our spending at this point.  Clearly we're all over the place.   

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I'm guessing "this merchant" is probably not Home Depot or Lowe's, etc.

those Business Centurions charge cards

[disdreamin]

Exactly right, MSG, it was a small local company that just did residential solar installs. They didn't particularly want to run my AmEx for that much, but they wanted me to purchase the panels immediately (they had been on back order) and I didn't have a way to get them $ instantly otherwise.

[heyarrnold]

Did you notify the banks of your travel plans?