Cliffy - 5-17-2014 at 09:16 AM
Have 4 CCs that my wife and I use. Read about Capital One and the No International Fee and thought it would be a good idea to use one of those as our
others don't have that service. With our credit rating it was no problem securing one.
Called the week before we left with dates of use in Baja (actually had the agent ask- after I said I was going to Baja California, Mexico he asked if
I was going to California OR Mexico, he had no idea what Baja California, Mexico was) and that I was going to use it for ATMs and purchases. I would
be out of phone range most of the time (Verizon) and internet might be the best way to get a hold of me. Gave my email address and had it put on my
file.
On my first use in Baja ( Mulege) they cancelled the card!
Spent $18 USD on phone cards in a pay phone to get back in use.
They say they accept collect calls for foreign countries to clear up problems NOT! The number they give to call collect (printed on the card) does not
accept collect calls. I tried 3 times!
When I got back home I called a Fraud Supervisor and explained the situation and was told that even if I call ahead of time there is no guarantee they
won't shut off the card with a foreign purchase.
Needless to say as soon as I get my first bill it gets paid in full and the card cut up!
Called my other CCs before I left and had no problems with them except the International Fee.
Udo - 5-17-2014 at 09:24 AM
I too had problems with Capital one.
I switched to Citibank, and no problems!
bajalearner - 5-17-2014 at 09:33 AM
I use a credit union for a visa card and the CU is very responsive to my needs. Years ago I figured out the big companies don't have customer
service in their profit plans.
Jack Swords - 5-17-2014 at 09:35 AM
Sounds like exactly my problem with Schwab. Even though we called them to tell them we would be using the card in Mexico, they blocked it. Calling
them seems like I got the same person as Capital One "informing us ahead of time is no guarentee". Much more willing to pay for the transaction now.
rts551 - 5-17-2014 at 09:38 AM
If you had the other cards, why did you pay $18 in on phone calls. International fee would have been cheaper fpr the amount of days you were
traveling in Baja.
Mula - 5-17-2014 at 10:38 AM
You have to use the special internation dialing numbers when trying to call an 800 number in the US from Mexico and will be charged for the long
distance time.
Cliffy - 5-17-2014 at 11:06 AM
Mula I understand about all the calling issues with 800 etc. Actually got hold of the company and they refused to accept the collect call in
deference to what their card says.
rts551 yes it might have been cheaper but I was pxxsed and wanted the card to work.
They lied to me, period!, on the phone, before I left, by a Supervisor no less.
Got to remember also that when they shut the card off they are only protecting themselves as we the user are limited in our liability for fraudulent
charges. By protecting their butt we the consumer get shafted even when they profess to care and ask to have our travel plans notified. All they rely
on is there automatic shutdown on "purchase location " issues. Even when I was flying around the world and they were notified (another CC at the
time) they still shut me off not figuring that I could be in London one day and Italy the next.
I currently have a Cabelas card and they have shut me down twice in 10 years. There is a note in my file now that if it happens again I quit. They
worked fine in Bala.
BTW, I get the bound edition of the Cabelas catalog every year so I pass a lot of dollars through their card. .
Marc - 5-18-2014 at 07:24 AM
That's why I don't use my cards in Messico.
mtgoat666 - 5-19-2014 at 12:01 PM
any of you using in mexico the gringo cards with chip/signature? do they get cutoff less frequently than mag stripe cards?
does mexico have the CC reader machines for chip/pin or chip/signature cards?
what types of cards do mexicans themselves get from their banks? (i.e. mag stripe, chip/pin, or chip/signature?)
willardguy - 5-19-2014 at 04:24 PM
how do you know if there's a chip in there?
Cliffy - 5-19-2014 at 05:48 PM
Just checked my Capital One bill and had no problems in Baja.