topic Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card in SmorgasBoard

Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 04:04:01 GMT

What's your most embarassing/memborable card usage experience?

I previously worked part-time at a Super Target and occasionally worked as a backup cashier when the lines were busy.

One time, a customer's RedCard transaction was declined and the register prompted me to call a 1-800 number. Remembering that I first needed to dial 9 because I was calling an outside number, I dialed 9 then 1 then the rest of the number. When I put the phone to my ear I hear "Hello, this is the *city* Police Department. Is everything alright?" *cue embarassment* "I apologize. I did not mean to dial this number," I said, then gave them my name and redialed the 1-800 number and got the customer's transaction approved. I must have pressed the 1 twice...

I immediately call over a manager to explain that I had just called the police *accidently* Seconds later, I hear AP (assest protection/security) being paged via my walkie talkie (police called the store back so that they could make sure I wasn't a hostage, or needed to send in a SWAT team- at least that's what I assumed).

Let's hear your stories!

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 06:16:04 GMT

Wow, that must have been embarrassing. I actually think I've seen that happen at a Costco. As for me, I don't have any major moments outside of handing a card that a merchant didn't take. The worst was at Sam's Club where I handed 3 different cards in a row that they wouldn't take, haha.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Kenny — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 06:22:17 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Wow, that must have been embarrassing. I actually think I've seen that happen at a Costco. As for me, I don't have any major moments outside of handing a card that a merchant didn't take. The worst was at Sam's Club where I handed 3 different cards in a row that they wouldn't take, haha.

Oh no! I've definitely done that before at Sam's.. not three though, but enough to be frustrated/embarrassed!

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 00:54:25 GMT

Oooo h .... not one I would like to experience.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 00:14:00 GMT

Other than your debit card declining and you dont have your CCs with you so you have to leave the cashier with all your gorceries bagged up, now that was embarrasing, havent gone back since.....

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

jm1991 — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 06:27:58 GMT

being invited out to dinner with a group of friends and having my c/c declined. This was when i only had one very low limit card+ debit and survining on my part time job. unfortunately for me i did not have enough on my credit card or debit card to cover the dinner so one of my friends had to pay for me. i did pay him back though

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 00:38:02 GMT

@BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest wrote:
Other than your debit card declining and you dont have your CCs with you so you have to leave the cashier with all your gorceries bagged up, now that was embarrasing, havent gone back since.....

Why were you outside naked?

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 05:31:59 GMT

Back in the 80's, I'd just gotten my Amex Gold. The first time I used it, I'm on a date and this particular establishment used the old Carbon method. Well my card got mangled and two of the numbers could not be read. As I recall, I had another credit card but that was maxed out, so, my girlfriend wound up paying for the meal. I paid her back though. I married her!

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 07:59:49 GMT

For me there were two incidents.

(Ten years ago when I was 19) The first one was not that major, but being young it was EMARRASSING!! I was in line at the grocery store with a friend, and I handed the cashier my debit card, and it was declined. I had forgotten that the card that I was using was the old one and not the new one. I had not switched out my cards.

The second time was summer time 2012. I was struggling financially, and was in Santa Barbara visiting family. I was with my little cousin at the Habbit, and had decided to cover his lunch. I could not remember if my credit card was maxed out or if I should use the other one, becuase clearly I didn't have the money in my checking accounts (I bank with Chase and BofA). I handed the cahsier my MasterCard and he told me it was declined, and then I handed him my VIsa and the transaction went through. I was hoping my little cousin did not hear that I had a credit card that was declined.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 08:02:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Back in the 80's, I'd just gotten my Amex Gold. The first time I used it, I'm on a date and this particular establishment used the old Carbon method. Well my card got mangled and two of the numbers could not be read. As I recall, I had another credit card but that was maxed out, so, my girlfriend wound up paying for the meal. I paid her back though. I married her!

It sounds like now it is a funny story versus, "that's why we did not go on a second date." Good for you guys, CHEERS!!

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

MidnightVoice — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 21:53:09 GMT

Memorable - using a B&N card to pay $23K to a building company and getting abouit $700 free books

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:04:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest wrote:
Other than your debit card declining and you dont have your CCs with you so you have to leave the cashier with all your gorceries bagged up, now that was embarrasing, havent gone back since.....
Why were you outside naked?

LMAO! You know not trying to use them, I never imagined my debit card had no balance, this is also were having a phone could have saved me since I would of been able to transfer money from my parents to my account...... This shouldn't happen again......Hopefully.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:53:52 GMT

What is credit for again?

Clearly you were in a jam where a CC would have saved you.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

BearsAndTurtlesRtheBest — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 05:28:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What is credit for again?

Clearly you were in a jam where a CC would have saved you.

CCs are for emergency's, and true a CC would have saved me............ Next time

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

SoopremeBeing — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 23:13:23 GMT

Had a credit card replaced for expiration date.

Went to use it at the gas station and it was declined. I was livid because I JUST checked the available balance.

Turns out I never activated it when it came in the mail. Oops

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

IOBA — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:37:37 GMT

I was working for American Express, on the road, doing job training for retail customers [of Amex.]

Had my own Amex card that I was using at each location, to purchase the required gift cards, to prove the location was indeed selling the Amex gift cards and had the correct inventory. (Apparently, there was/is a black market for fake Amex gift cards.)

My Amex card was denied. Yep. Here I am, with my Amex Employee picture badge, my Amex authorization intro letter, and my dang Amex card is denied~!

I walked outside, calmly called Amex c/s, and reamed them a new one. Especially since they KNEW I was on the road and KNEW I was going to be using my Amex card. I traveled a lot back in the day and used my Amex a LOT. So being in multiple states was not a unusual. High purchases were no unsuual. There was nothing unusual about my activity that day.

Over. Done.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 02:55:06 GMT

YESTERDAY! i was putting gas at a 7 11 swiped one card on the outside and it was stuck on auth the sale. i canceled that and went inside and use the same card and it was denied. used my whole arsenal of amex's csp boa and even debit card and all denied (all this while making a huge line since there was only one register). well after giving up went to another station and while doing so i called amex chase and boa and they said there was no problem with my accts.

in all it was a problem with the 7 11 machines but still people saw me swipping all them beautiful cards..

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Revelate — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 07:43:53 GMT

@IOBA wrote:
I was working for American Express, on the road, doing job training for retail customers [of Amex.]

Had my own Amex card that I was using at each location, to purchase the required gift cards, to prove the location was indeed selling the Amex gift cards and had the correct inventory. (Apparently, there was/is a black market for fake Amex gift cards.)

My Amex card was denied. Yep. Here I am, with my Amex Employee picture badge, my Amex authorization intro letter, and my dang Amex card is denied~!

I walked outside, calmly called Amex c/s, and reamed them a new one. Especially since they KNEW I was on the road and KNEW I was going to be using my Amex card. I traveled a lot back in the day and used my Amex a LOT. So being in multiple states was not a unusual. High purchases were no unsuual. There was nothing unusual about my activity that day.

Over. Done.

So much win in this story.

My own was similar to someone else in the thread: I had gotten a new card in the mail, hadn't peeled it from the plastic and activated it... and swiped the old one at a local restaurant that I've visited probaby on the order of 200 times since living here. Declined. I occasionally only have a single card on me when I'm walking to a restaurant and this was one such occasion... whoops!

Admittedly being a regular they simply gave me the food with a promise to pay them next time which I did, but it was still a stupid moment as I've known the folks at this restaurant for nearly a decade. Funny as a card being declined with complete strangers bothers me not at all, though usually in those instances I have the stack of cards with me.

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Kirmie2010 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:07:56 GMT

Most memorable for me was at Fred Meyer with my daughter and tried to buy 31 dollars worth of stuff, pop corn, a movie and some snacks and a little toy. Card was declined, I called to check my balance and had 41 dollars in my "available" account. Tried again and declined again. Turned out when I got gas they precharged 80 dollars to my debit card on a 10 dollar gassing. (I dont know how, I didnt even have 80 in my account) Made me mad, not so much embarrassed. I felt extremely bad for my daughter. Little kids dont really understand, hey you picked all this out for a special day but cant get it, we have the money but they wont let me use it. So lets put it back. That was the last time I used any kind of visa/mc/debit for 8 years. Closed all my accounts =/ Never wanted to plan something fun for her again and have it screwed up.

Course life happens and you need credit later in life almost no matter what. I just always have multiple cards with me now in case one is declined. Forever afraid of my cards not working and me letting someone down Yay cards!

Re: Most Embarrassing/Memorable Moment Using Card

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 17:35:56 GMT

I had a debit card with an RFID chip that didn't work. Not normally a problem until I went to a store with a terminal that would read the RFID chip even when I tried to swipe, so I had no way to pay and was explaining to the cashier that it would work if I could just swipe it!

Turns out for some reason the bank sent me a card with RFID disabled, so I had to get a new card.