Max allowed transactions on credit card? A bit of Rant

[jasira]

For anybody following my story in request deal forum, I recently purchased about $1500 worth of candies with my mastercard divided into 20 different transactions to get the vouchers from shoppers.

After 10 or so transactions, my card was declined and when I called the mastercard, they told me they blocked it due to suspected fraudulent activities.

After reassuring them that I'm the owner of the card and that I'm crazy enough making that many transactions all with similar total balance, they released the card for the further use.

After my 20th transactions, I had to use the credit card again to take advantage of the optimum points discount, my card became declined again.

When I called the mastercard again, they told me that since I have exceeded my daily allowed transactions, I can't use it till next day.

Who in here has heard of similar experiences? I'm still way below my limit and I had no balance on the card. I still need to make another $600 purchase today(Saturday), but they won't let me do another transaction till Sunday which I can't have...

On the call, the rep kept telling it's the rule but wasn't specific on how many transactions I can have daily and was really reluctant to transfer me to fraud department to talk to them directly.

After finally convincing the rep, he transferred me over to fraud department, and I asked the fraud specialist for future references
1. how many transactions they are allowing me per day?
2. why I can't use my card even after I proved that it wasn't use in fradulent activities and it's still under the limit?
3. the agreement document that mentions the allowed transaction limit
4. who determines the number of transactions I'm allowed per day?
5. and finally how can I change that since I have a special situation that needs to be handled

Throughout the call, I purposely stayed calm and polite because I wasnted them to help me
1. figure out this brand new policy that I have never heard of
2. to send me proof that it exists
3. to waive it in my case just for today so I can get my job done.

The fraud specialist told me that basically the bank has the right to decline any transactions and that they don't have to approve transactions(but wouldn't tell me how they would determine that). When I asked for the document that shows this "rule" they kept calling, she became hostile and said "I already told you this three times that bank has the right to do what they want to do and I'm only going to say it again. You are refusing to listen to me and I've already spent 7 and 1/2 minutes with you on this." After her comment, I pointed out that it's her job to help me understand the the rules since I was never aware of the transaction limit and that I waited on the hold longer than 7.5 minutes waiting to speak directly with the fraud specialist.

What do you guys think of this situation? Or has similar thing happened to you with the mastercard?

For me, this was really something new. I never knew and before I never tried it but I figured since it's one time thing and I'm still under my limit, I think they should have removed the block. Am I being too unreasonable?

[brunes]

For anybody following my story in request deal forum, I recently purchased about $1500 worth of candies with my mastercard divided into 20 different transactions to get the vouchers from shoppers.

After 10 or so transactions, my card was declined and when I called the mastercard, they told me they blocked it due to suspected fraudulent activities.

After reassuring them that I'm the owner of the card and that I'm crazy enough making that many transactions all with similar total balance, they released the card for the further use.

After my 20th transactions, I had to use the credit card again to take advantage of the optimum points discount, my card became declined again.

When I called the mastercard again, they told me that since I have exceeded my daily allowed transactions, I can't use it till next day.

Who in here has heard of similar experiences? I'm still way below my limit and I had no balance on the card. I still need to make another $600 purchase today(Saturday), but they won't let me do another transaction till Sunday which I can't have...

On the call, the rep kept telling it's the rule but wasn't specific on how many transactions I can have daily and was really reluctant to transfer me to fraud department to talk to them directly.

After finally convincing the rep, he transferred me over to fraud department, and I asked the fraud specialist for future references
1. how many transactions they are allowing me per day?
2. why I can't use my card even after I proved that it wasn't use in fradulent activities and it's still under the limit?
3. the agreement document that mentions the allowed transaction limit
4. who determines the number of transactions I'm allowed per day?
5. and finally how can I change that if I have a special situation that needs to be handled

Throughout the call, I purposely stayed calm and polite because I wasnted them to help me
1. figure out this brand new policy that I have never heard of
2. to send me proof that it exists
3. to waive it in my case just for today so I can get my job.

The fraud specialist told me that basically the bank has the right to decline any transactions and that they don't have to approve transactions(but wouldn't tell me how they would determine that). When I asked for the document that shows this "rule" they kept calling, she became hostile and said "I already told you this three times that bank has the right to do what they want to do and I'm only going to say it again. You are refusing to listen to me and I've already spent 7 and 1/2 minutes with you on this." After her comment, I pointed out that it's her job to help me understand the the rules since I was never aware of the transaction limit and that I waited oh the hold longer than 7.5 minutes waiting to speak directly with the fraud specialist.

What do you guys think of this situation? Or has similar thing happened to you with the mastercard?

For me, this was really something new. I never knew and before I never tried it but I figured since it's one time thing and I'm still under my limit, I think they should have removed the block. Am I being too unreasonable?

This all has to do with fraud prevention. Most companies don't have a hard limit but their software tracks everything the card does and when it notices something suspicious it will automatically flag it and possinly disable the card temporarily.

If for example the card has a charge in two geographically distant places in a very short span of time it will usually flag that. Another thing they will flag is a large number of transactions over a short period of time.

I would not worry about it much. You hit it this time because of the unusual shopping pattern. It is not something you will run into every day, or even every month. It seems like the CC company was doing it's job to guard your credit, and when you called them they quickly reversed the hold. There isn't much more you could ask for really.

[zoro69]

I've had mine frozen twice after making a number of quick online transactions. Once was back with Toysrus game deals in 05, ordered online, fond some more and ordered again. Then went to Toys store and made 2 purchases...then went to another store and card was declined with me having no idea why.

Both times it was resolved right away by phoning, sure is a pain though.

[Vertigo]

I've had mine frozen twice after making a number of quick online transactions. Once was back with Toysrus game deals in 05, ordered online, fond some more and ordered again. Then went to Toys store and made 2 purchases...then went to another store and card was declined with me having no idea why.

Both times it was resolved right away by phoning, sure is a pain though.

Having had my CC# compromised by a smuggling ring in the past, it's a pain I'm willing to deal with if it covers my ***** . Yeah, my card was deactivated for nothing more than an Apple.com purchase. For some reason, Apple billed the laptop, iPod, and printer that were on my order separately. The 3 successive transactions triggered a fraud alert. *shrug*

[squall458]

You sure bought a lot of candy...I know you want to do whatever you want with your card but look, if it was a scammer making those transactions you would be thanking them for stopping the transactions, wouldn't you? Slight inconvenience for some protection is ok in my books.

[jasira]

Yeah I get that they were looking out for me and I did make the point on the call for how much I appreciate that they were looking out for me.

However, once the customer reassures them that everything is okay, shouldn't they release the hold on my account?

[Kinki]

carry more than 1 credit card would be my advice.

[the_snowcrystal]

I think I'm really surprised that someone with a credit card isn't aware that there are these sorts of limitations in place.

With the rampant credit theft that goes on, this is an attempt to lower the chances that you'll be a victim of it. Our individual patterns are known and tracked so that any change that looks suspicious is caught and the account is frozen. This is often how they physically catch people who are using stolen credit.

As for reactivating the account on the spot, what if it wasn't really you on the phone, but someone with your stolen info? Happens all the time, especially through computers.

The bank obviously has it's own protection in place, which is a good idea. If the lady from Mastercard told you that it was the bank's discretion, then ask the bank about it. She can't answer for them.

[jasira]

I just spoke with the manager/supervisor and she told me that max allowed transaction is usually 10 per day.

She did apologize how nobody was able to tell me the number before and the conduct of the fraud specialist who refuse to help after 7.5 minutes of phone call.

She promised to send me the document as soon as she finds out.

Now I know and I would be planning my purchases better so it won't be declined.

[rob187jj]

i actually got a call from VISA...i had a bunch of party poker bonus codes but the max i could deposit at once was a $100 for the bonus codes to work so i did 5 transactions of $100 within 20 minutes and they called my cellphone and asked me if i was the one making the transactions. i was pretty impressed by their fraud service.

[can2do]

I'd rather be safe than sorry. IMO, the cc companay was doing their job. Someone on the other end of the phone could have bypassed the first checkup. Yours was an unusual transaction(s). If you want to beat the system at Shoppers, get more credit cards.

Every time a crook beats the CC system, you & I and everyone else pay for it.

[AmberMoon]

Might be beneficial to get a backup card just encase. I have to agree with the CC company because without these policy's in place we are all open to fraud. I'm surprised they didn't wave the hold once you explained as a one time courtesy but I guess it depends on the card.

[gman]

That is why I have many credit cards to backup the backup of backup (I don't carry them all). You won't have any idea why the CC stops working one day. There are many reasons that situation (CC not working) can happen. Today, it can be this reason. Tomorrow, it can be another one.

[Kommander_KornFlakes]

i actually got a call from VISA...i had a bunch of party poker bonus codes but the max i could deposit at once was a $100 for the bonus codes to work so i did 5 transactions of $100 within 20 minutes and they called my cellphone and asked me if i was the one making the transactions. i was pretty impressed by their fraud service.

VISA fraud department is amazing, something I cannot say about the bumbling idiots of Bank of Montreal.
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[epson600]

VISA? Let me tell you about visa. They have this "verified by visa" thing that they use for online transactions.

So I go to a e-merchant, type in my info and hit "purchase", then it redirects to the Verified by VISA site and I verify myself there, then the transaction fails. I repeat the steps and after it fails a second time I get a call from VISA about my purchase.

Apparently, because I didnt make $1000+ purchase in the last couple of months, that is enough to flag the system. Nevermind that I already verified my purchase on the verified by visa site.