topic Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders in Credit Cards

Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:10:58 GMT

Do you ever worry about your card not being accepted, especially if you travel? Does this prompt you to carry a backup?

Do you ever feel that way with a VISA or MasterCard?

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:14:14 GMT

never had to choose a different network when trying to use my discover or amex in my area except at the library once and one subway didn't accept discover (but that's the only one i have noticed)

most places accept them, even if it doesn't have the sticker.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:18:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Do you ever worry about your card not being accepted, especially if you travel? Does this prompt you to carry a backup?

Do you ever feel that way with a VISA or MasterCard?

When you travel it's a good idea to have more than one card, regardless of type, in case one is denied for whatever reason. There really arent that many places that don't accept Amex or Discover in today's markets. Occasionally you'll see small businesses that wont accept Amex because of the higher merchant fees but most major businesses accept them. Now if you're travelling internationally, it can be acompletely different situation and it's bes to check ahead to see what is and isn't accepted in the country(ies) that you'll be visiting.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:21:52 GMT

^ i didn't touch the points of international as i never have used a card. mexico likes the american dollar so they screw us over lol.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Kevin86475391 — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 03:44:24 GMT

Personally I always carry my main 4 cards anyway - of which 1 is a Discover, 2 Visa, 1 MC - because I like to maximize rewards depending on what I'm buying. Rarely, I'll be somewhere that doesn't accept Discover, but it's rather uncommon. When it does happen I just grab a different one. Similarly the other day the Visa card I wanted to use got declined because it had expired and I'd forgotten to activate the new card they sent (LOL, like 3 or 4 months prior - totally on me obviously...It was around the time everyone was sending out the new chip cards and honestly I was just 'card-activating fatigued.'). A few times I've had fraud on my accounts and had a card not go through due to that. So I always believe in carrying multiple backups regardless. It wouldn't matter what network, lender, card product, CL, etc. a given card had, I'd always feel uncomfortable relying on just one card.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 03:51:20 GMT

In my experience in my local area, I've only run into one instance where a place didn't accept Discover. Everywhere else has not been a problem.

If I were to go overseas, I would take both my Discover and my QS1 just in case.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:14:33 GMT

Nowadays it's important to carry more than one for other reasons as well: (1) Fraud -- hand your card to a gas station attendant in NJ and there's a good chance you'll need to use a different card the next day; (2) Fraud Prevention -- travel can trigger false fraud alerts, rendering your card unusable until you contact the bank and let them know that you are indeed in that different location.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:22:01 GMT

^ if you inform your card companies of your plans then you shouldn't have that issue

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

NRB525 — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:25:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Do you ever worry about your card not being accepted, especially if you travel? Does this prompt you to carry a backup?

Do you ever feel that way with a VISA or MasterCard?

Yes. A colleague from europe tried to use his American Express Gold card (apparently the only CC he travels with) to pay for his dinner in Panama, and had to dig out some cash... "no habla AMEX". My VISA Hyatt was fine.

Taking my beloved Diners Premier Chip+PIN card to europe tomorrow, along with Discover just to see if it works to pay for the trains... for local transportation 5% back.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Jarrodpd — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:48:48 GMT

Directed at the previous poster, ^. I hope it's not the regular gold card, that has a 2.7% FTF.

Posted from iphone, accidentally pressed post without quoting and couldn't delete the post to fix it.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:54:21 GMT

Every card has limited acceptance. I carry cards for all four major networks.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:46:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Nowadays it's important to carry more than one for other reasons as well: (1) Fraud -- hand your card to a gas station attendant in NJ and there's a good chance you'll need to use a different card the next day; (2) Fraud Prevention -- travel can trigger false fraud alerts, rendering your card unusable until you contact the bank and let them know that you are indeed in that different location.

I had that happen when I travelled home to Portland for Christmas. I had numerous calls and texts when I got off the plane. Evidently, somoene had stolen my card number and used it when I was in the air. US Bank had the new card overnighted to me. The next day, Chase called and said my Southwest card (used mainly for travel) was compromised. I had to wait until I got back to get that replaced.

Good thing I took more than one or two cards.

(Also, US Bank got me the new card immediately, I activated it, but no one told me to call the Fraud Line as well. It wasn't until it was declined the secont time that I found out)

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:12:07 GMT

For international travel, you 100% need a Visa/MC backup. I'll usually bring my Discover and Amex PRG when I travel, but in most situations my BOA Travel Rewards (Visa) becomes my workhorse card outside the US. I did recently come across a few high-end stores and restaurants that accepted Amex in Thailand, and Discover had decent acceptance in Japan through the JCB network, but those were by far the exception compared to places that only took Visa/MC--I even ran across a restaurant in Bangkok that was MC only, no Visa, which I've never encountered in the US.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

takeshi74 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:28:04 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Do you ever worry about your card not being accepted, especially if you travel? Does this prompt you to carry a backup?

Do you ever feel that way with a VISA or MasterCard?

I don't worry about it though it can happen with any payment network. I just use another card if acceptance is an issue. I don't carry just 1 card for day to day use to begin with and I certainly don't travel with just 1 card. I usually have 3-4 on me.

Don't just rely on generlizations about acceptance. Pay attention to what the merchants you use accept and do not accept. Base your decision on that. Granted, that doesn't help with travel to places you have not been but take 1 or 2 Visas/MC's as a precaution when traveling.

I have a BCP and only really use it for groceries. None of the grocers that I frequent do not accept AmEx. I generally don't take my BCP when traveling. I only use Discover for the 5% categories and it's not always relevant for travel. YMMV in how you'd use your Discover or AmEx cards as they both offer multiple cards. On my last international trip I only used my CSP but most expenses were travel and dining.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

mikelo22 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:31:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
never had to choose a different network when trying to use my discover or amex in my area except at the library once and one subway didn't accept discover (but that's the only one i have noticed)

most places accept them, even if it doesn't have the sticker.

+1. I've noticed this at a lot of places I frequent as well. Many merchants accept Amex even if the sticker is conspicuously missing. I'm not sure if this is intentional or not; though not wanting to pay higher swipe fees could certainly be a motivating factor. So to avoid the higher Amex fees, they try to encourage customers to use a Visa or Mastercard.

Sure, there are mom & pop stores that won't accept Amex. But I try to make a habit of using cash (if possible) for transactions at these kind of stores. That way I save them the swipe fee they lose out on from me using credit. So in the few places that don't take Amex, I probably wouldn't even be using a credit card anyway if I can avoid it.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 15:05:19 GMT

I ran into a grocery store on Saturday that didn't take AmEx, which was a little bit annoying since I'm trying to rack up supermarket rewards on that card, but my regular stores take it.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 16:23:00 GMT

I only carry a few cards when out and about locally.

Discover IT Card.
AMX Blue Cash Card.
My CU Debt card wit ha VISA logo on it.

I do have a VISA Plat card with my CU but I never really use it. No rewards but it has a 4K limit and a 5.6% interest rate. If they don't take Discover/AMX then I use my debt card. Even traveling! If I was going over seas...I'd add 1-2 more CC easy.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:25:03 GMT

AmEx is not taken at several places around me, none of the Chineese restaurants will take it for example. Oddly enough the only other restaurant that will not take it is the fanciest Itialian place in town. For some unknown reason they will not take AmEx.

Discover taken everywhere so far excpet for Papa Murphys pizza, at least here.

I also carry a Visa and MC just to be safe.

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:00:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Nowadays it's important to carry more than one for other reasons as well: (1) Fraud -- hand your card to a gas station attendant in NJ and there's a good chance you'll need to use a different card the next day; (2) Fraud Prevention -- travel can trigger false fraud alerts, rendering your card unusable until you contact the bank and let them know that you are indeed in that different location.
I had that happen when I travelled home to Portland for Christmas. I had numerous calls and texts when I got off the plane. Evidently, somoene had stolen my card number and used it when I was in the air. US Bank had the new card overnighted to me. The next day, Chase called and said my Southwest card (used mainly for travel) was compromised. I had to wait until I got back to get that replaced.

Good thing I took more than one or two cards.

(Also, US Bank got me the new card immediately, I activated it, but no one told me to call the Fraud Line as well. It wasn't until it was declined the secont time that I found out)

This par the course of the modern world.....

Most places in the US are gonna take AmEx and Discover....they many times will try to 'punk' you into using V/MC to save money on their fees...

I've seen this many times, especially decent ticket items like medical offices or auto repair they'll ask IF you have 'anything' else and hem n haw...

knowing of course most folks have another card...

My g/f's former employer played this game all the time...they wanted to push payments to say a 2% V/MC vs a 5% AmEX on decent tickets that's margin money small businessess prefer in their pockets vs the CC co

*Remember Discover is also

Diners Club

China Union

and

JCB (Japan)

Which means something overseas but folks in the states don't even remember Diners Club (let alone Carte Blanche)

Re: Question for Amex and Discover Cardholders

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:05:02 GMT

I usually carry all of my cards with me anyway. Always have my quicksilver as a back up no ftf on that.