- Yep, same here—submitted a travel notice before our family road trip last spring, and guess what? Card still got flagged at a diner halfway through nowhere. Fun times...
- When I called, the rep acted like my alert never existed. Just rattled off recent charges and asked if they were mine.
- Honestly, I think it's mostly automated. Probably just there to make us feel proactive, lol.
- Still, better safe than sorry, I guess. Beats dealing with actual fraud charges later on.
Had something similar happen last summer. Even after calling ahead, my card got declined at a gas station in the middle of our trip. The rep said it was flagged for "unusual activity," but couldn't explain why the travel notice didn't help. Makes me wonder if these alerts actually do anything or if they're just there for peace of mind... Has anyone ever had a travel notice actually prevent their card from getting flagged?
I've wondered the same thing. I had a similar issue when traveling abroad—called the bank beforehand, gave them all the details, and still got flagged at a restaurant. On the flip side though, I've traveled domestically a few times without calling ahead and had zero issues. Makes me think the alerts might help in some cases, but maybe they're not foolproof...probably depends on the bank's internal systems or something. Either way, it's frustrating when you're stuck somewhere trying to explain yourself over the phone.
"Either way, it's frustrating when you're stuck somewhere trying to explain yourself over the phone."
Haha, been there! Nothing like standing awkwardly at a checkout counter while everyone behind you gives the side-eye. Honestly, banks seem to have their own mysterious logic—sometimes they're hyper-vigilant, other times they're chill about random purchases halfway across the country. Guess it's better safe than sorry, but man...it sure doesn't feel that way when you're mid-explanation and your dinner's getting cold. Hang in there, you're definitely not alone in this one.
Ugh, totally relate to this. Last week my card got flagged right when I was trying to buy furniture for my new apartment—talk about timing. There I was, awkwardly pacing around the store, whispering personal details into the phone while the sales guy pretended not to listen. Banks are weirdly selective about what's suspicious...I mean, they let me impulse-buy a kayak last summer no questions asked, but a couch? Suddenly I'm a criminal mastermind. Hang in there, it'll sort itself out eventually.
