Confusing Chase Fraud Text/Email

Drwaz99 · ‎01-26-2020

So I just received my new CSR on Tues. As soon as I had it in hand I went online and verified receipt. Since then, I've run about $1200 through it (which is about 3x my average weekly usage according to my CFU). Anyway, last night out of the blue, I get a text and email stating "We need to talk to you about activity on your account(s). Please call us at the number on the back of your card or account statement," for my CSR account. So I immediately pull up my online account and call in. While waiting to be transferred to fraud/security I check my online account to see if there's anything unauthorized and there isn't. The only activity that I've done is an $8 purchase at a local grocery store and adding a travel notice for a trip coming up in 2 weeks.

Once the security rep gets on the line, he asks me a few normal identity verification questions and then asks me if received a new card lately. I said yes and he asked me if I have it in my possession. I did. Then he asked me if I currently have any other Chase cards, I said yes and he asked which ones and what the 3 digit code on the back was on that card was. I told him and he put me on a quick hold, came back said thanks for waiting and he just needs to run some things and he'd be right back. After 2-3 minutes he comes back and says everything's been cleared and I'm good to go. He never asked about any activity or usage. I asked him what it was all about and he just said they wanted to verify that I received the card.

So my question is: does that sound like the real/legit reason for the request to call in? I've never heard of them verifying receipt of a card (especially when you've already personally confirmed receipt) but then again, I'm fairly new to the credit game. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid after reading about all the Chase shutdown stories and just want to see what others think. I didn't apply for any other cards when I applied for the CSR, and my last app (CFU) was 5 months ago. UTIL on my reports is 1% and ~2 and ~6 % on my Chase cards currently (and I'm 4/24).

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Brian_Earl_Spilner · ‎01-26-2020

That's chase for you. You said it yourself, you spent 3x what you normally would have spent, on a brand new card. They're just making sure it was really you. At least they let your transactions go through. They once declined a charge of mine because it wasn't in my normal area. The area was 3 miles from my house and I worked and used my card in that area for like 6 years, literally down the street. It was such a hassle to get them to let the charge go through, I just used a different card.

Drwaz99 · ‎01-26-2020

Thanks. I figured that was probably it and I was overthinking but just wanted some other thoughts/experiences. I'll just use it more moderately this week and stuff a large payment through before I head on my trip in 2 weeks and hope that calms their nerves a bit.

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2020

@Drwaz99 Think about the activity on the new card and you'll understand why Chase was on alert. The standard SUB is 50,000 UR points for $4,000 spend in 3 months. If I'm reading what you did accurately, you spent over 1/4 of the required spend in the first five days. So even if you acknowledged receipt of the card the pace of spending is unusual and would possibly trigger Chase's fraud detection algorithm. The best course of action when you have elevated spending it to call and inform the bank beforehand.

Drwaz99 · ‎01-26-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
@Drwaz99 Think about the activity on the new card and you'll understand why Chase was on alert. The standard SUB is 50,000 UR points for $4,000 spend in 3 months. If I'm reading what you did accurately, you spent over 1/4 of the required spend in the first five days. So even if you acknowledged receipt of the card the pace of spending is unusual and would possibly trigger Chase's fraud detection algorithm. The best course of action when you have elevated spending it to call and inform the bank beforehand.

Thank you, too. I understand where they are coming from and I actually thought about calling in but then I remembered a time last fall when I called on my CFU since I was going to be making a few large purchases on it (and it was less than a month old) and the recording said that notifying them beforehand wasn't necessary. I didn't have any issues then but I should have connected the newness of my account and the increased spending and called in regardless. I will just play it safe from now on and always get to a rep to inform them whether they say they want me to or not.

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2020

Sounds like you answered your question. You spent 3x more than your weekly average which changes your spending habit, therefore triggering the alert.

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2020

@Drwaz99 When I got my CSR I decided to buy a new truck and figured I'd meet the SUB in one transaction. When I got to the dealer I called the number on the card and they put me through to the fraud department. The rep verified my identity then she stayed on the line with me unitl I swiped the card and the transaction went through without any problem.

Drwaz99 · ‎01-26-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
@Drwaz99 When I got my CSR I decided to buy a new truck and figured I'd meet the SUB in one transaction. When I got to the dealer I called the number on the card and they put me through to the fraud department. The rep verified my identity then she stayed on the line with me unitl I swiped the card and the transaction went through without any problem.

Definite lesson learned. Thanks again.

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
@Drwaz99 When I got my CSR I decided to buy a new truck and figured I'd meet the SUB in one transaction. When I got to the dealer I called the number on the card and they put me through to the fraud department. The rep verified my identity then she stayed on the line with me unitl I swiped the card and the transaction went through without any problem.

But as always in credit, YMMV. When my daughter got her Altitude Reserve, her first transaction on the card was a $5000 charge. I had advised her to call in first but who listens to stupid old dad these days. Went through with no issues and shortly after she got a message that she would be getting the SUB.

Remedios · ‎01-26-2020

@Drwaz99 When my CSP was brand new, I had to deal with two fraud alerts within 15 min from each other while in the same store

They chill eventually. Eventually.