Not using Sallie Mae if they keep this up

Anonymous · ‎06-06-2015

Hello Everyone,

So, I've been lurking on these forums for about a month now and LOVE the info here. Thanks to you guys, the wife and I both apped for Cap 1 and she got Venture and QS w $10k limits and I got Venture and Spark Business ($10k/$5k). She got a Barclays rewards card and I got Sallie Mae, and I also got a Discover IT with $1.4k limit...we're AU on each others cards so we've radically increased our credit limits in just a month thanks to you guys. I would have never tried for these cards before I found the forums as we came out of a BK and all we had was a secured US Bank Harley Davidson for $1k limit.

So anyway, we're traveling this weekend from NC to MD and I decided to use my Sallie Mae at Finish Line (shoe store) to get my sons and myself some new basketball shoes. The card was declined! The only thing we had used it for up to that point was to renew my wife's amazon prime account lol. I used my venture instead.

I called customer service after I left and the rep told me that there was a block on my card and asked me questions like where I was, how long I'd be staying, did I drive or fly etc...she apologized for the inconvenience/embarrassment of having my card declined at the point of sale, but said some cards have blocks and some don't. She didn't know why. I asked her if I was going to have to call EVERYTIME I wanted to travel to have them release a block and she said basically said yes.

I'm NOT reporting to them everytime I decide to leave my house. So, I'm only using Sallie Mae for amazon purchases and it's their loss.

Has anybody else had this kind of experience with them? Or, does anyone have any advice?

I can appreciate the security, but that's ridiculous to incovenience me like that...every time I want to leave?

ridiculous...

Luscher · ‎06-06-2015

Had the Sallie Mae for about 2 months now and never had a problem. I have used it in multiple states

barbaralee · ‎06-06-2015

I work doing debit card fraud disputes and Finish Line has a LOT of fraud. They trigger our systems all the time as well. So in your case I can see where it got triggered: outside of your normal spending area, shopping at a store that has an increase in fraud activity... yeah, it would be suspicious. I, personally, think it's silly to be upset when the bank is trying to protect you and themselves, especially if this is a one time experience. One can easily go onto their website and do a quick Travel Notification note. Whenever my hubby travels (and he only travels with his SM card) I do it for him... I can do it in my car while stuck in traffic after work, it really is quite easy. It takes all of 20 seconds. He has never been declined, ever. I can see where people would think it's an inconvenience, but I don't think this is worth the fuss.

Capital One's fraud system, just from reading on these forums, is more sensitive than Barclays, imo, USAA is notorious as well... and Amex fraud verification is something next to ridiculous (something about you calling in, then they have to call you from the number on file). These things happen all the time.

PNC flagged and declined us when we made two back to back MMORPG purchases.

Not worth the hurt feelings, just my opinion.

gdale6 · ‎06-06-2015

Never had a problem here and I travel long distances across the country by car every year.

Anonymous · ‎06-06-2015

well that's nothing, Discover and their overactive fraud prevention made me call them everyday for 3 days while i was traveling in new york.

Anonymous · ‎06-06-2015

Thanks for the info...

I didn't know that about Finish Line and I wouldn't say I'm upset per se....just really considered it an inconvenience really

I don't want to have to report to someone when I'm leaving. Just don't like it. I did say I can appreciate the security.

I'll still keep using the card. Just not when I travel

:-)

But that's good info to know. Thanks

barbaralee · ‎06-06-2015

I didn't know that about Finish Line...

Yeah, I imagine most people wouldn't know... Finish Line was bad a couple of years ago, and then it died down. I just noticed in the last few months that I am starting to see more of their transactions on affidavits again.

Anonymous · ‎06-06-2015

@barbaralee wrote:
I didn't know that about Finish Line...

Yeah, I imagine most people wouldn't know... Finish Line was bad a couple of years ago, and then it died down. I just noticed in the last few months that I am starting to see more of their transactions on affidavits again.

Thanks

The only reason I went there was because they had really good sale on shoes...the shoes was half off, then another 30% off due to the end of baskeball season...only paid about $20 for a $100+ pair of shoes...

My kind of sale :-)

Anonymous · ‎06-06-2015

I have never experienced any issue like this with my sallie Mae. I take a monthly trip from Florida to Maryland and back and always use it for the gas and never have gotten a decline. I've even used it ~1000 miles away from last charge and still no issues. My CSP on the other hand will get flagged for fraud

happypill · ‎06-06-2015

I have the Sallie Mae card and haven't had a problem with it. I travel quite frequently, although I typically use my Venture while traveling.

I'm sure CCCs have sophisticated algorithms for detecting fraud. For example, people usually buy athletic shoes near their hometown, but maybe rarely buy them while traveling. People frequently pay for hotels or gas while traveling, so an out-of-town hotel or gas station would probably be more expected. I'm sure they also track usage patterns. For example, I dine out a lot when I travel, sometimes restaurants in 2-3 cities thousands of miles apart in a single day. Not too unusual and never a problem once you have a history established, but for the person who always charges within 50 miles of home, an out-of-state restaurant might trigger something.