I could give a crap about your FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS

[EricKei]

I paid a 2000€ PC with my credit once. Went through fine. They send me a letter telling me not to spent so much of their money though.

This reminds me of the "How credit card companies work" investigations that 60 Minutes and similar shows tend to do every few years...It amused he heck out of me when I discovered that CC companies have a word for customers who pay 100% of their bills on time, every month, like clockwork:

"Deadbeats"

[Primer]

CC companies have a word for customers who pay 100% of their bills on time, every month, like clockwork:

"Deadbeats"

Not only am I a deadbeat, but I frequently OVERpay my bills, just to get a head start on the next month!

As for the old lady, maybe it's a good thing that she had "only" $5K in there...

I've got considerably more stashed away for emergencies (I've been saving for 30+ years), but I'd never think of throwing such a hissy fit over a declined card! I would, however, be on the phone to the bank ASAP!

[persephone]

Had another today.. not quite as old, but equally bitchy.

Mom's visiting her daughter from New Mexico.. no biggie, both are there. Mom makes it a point to try to pay first.

And right there you probably have the reason Mom's card won't work, especially if Mom won't call the bank. Some banks, or cards, if you usually use your card in one place and all of a sudden, are in a place hundreds of miles away using the card, they'll flag it for possible fraud until you call and tell them you are traveling. Annoying, but it happens.

I've even had it happen when we called ahead to TELL the company we would be traveling to a specific place.

[Chromatix]

It does sound very much like the SC failed to understand the difference between credit and debit transactions.

With credit, you're borrowing the money and paying it back later - even if you have the money to pay it back already. With debit, it comes straight out of the money you already have. The $5000 almost certainly fell into the latter category.

To me, it seems odd to have both facilities on the same card. Many moons ago, when my credit rating didn't suck, I had a credit account with my bank, and they issued a separate credit card to go with the debit card.

[bsaana]

It does sound very much like the SC failed to understand the difference between credit and debit transactions.

With credit, you're borrowing the money and paying it back later - even if you have the money to pay it back already. With debit, it comes straight out of the money you already have. The $5000 almost certainly fell into the latter category.

To me, it seems odd to have both facilities on the same card. Many moons ago, when my credit rating didn't suck, I had a credit account with my bank, and they issued a separate credit card to go with the debit card.

There are ATM/Debit cards that carry a visa or mastercard logo. There are 2 different ways that those can be processed - as debit or credit. Either method the money still comes from the same source - your account. The main difference for the store is that processing it as credit they pay a bigger processing fee which last I knew averaged close to 2%. Processing it as debit is about the same as using an ATM.

Edit: Mostly they came up with this type of card before using Debit was common. It still allowed you to use a card to make your purchases rather than visiting an ATM or writing a check.

[Geek King]

And now I have Hard Currency by Information Society running though my head.


Five thousand dollars, Five thousand dollars, Five. Thousand. Dollars. Cash, Cash...

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

This reminds me of the "How credit card companies work" investigations that 60 Minutes and similar shows tend to do every few years...It amused he heck out of me when I discovered that CC companies have a word for customers who pay 100% of their bills on time, every month, like clockwork:

"Deadbeats"

Actually in my case they had a different word. Cancelled.

Yes, they cancelled me because I wouldn't hold a balance on the card.

[EricKei]

Actually in my case they had a different word. Cancelled.

Yes, they cancelled me because I wouldn't hold a balance on the card.

My point exactly ^_^ To put it quite bluntly, they though of you as a SC.

Further proof that this world is truly bargle wargle floopy bi'TANG woop, ya know?

[AccountingDrone]

And right there you probably have the reason Mom's card won't work, especially if Mom won't call the bank. Some banks, or cards, if you usually use your card in one place and all of a sudden, are in a place hundreds of miles away using the card, they'll flag it for possible fraud until you call and tell them you are traveling. Annoying, but it happens.

I've even had it happen when we called ahead to TELL the company we would be traveling to a specific place.

When my husband was in the Navy and on ship duty, the Navy Federal Credit Union put a hold on our account because he used it in a Navy base in Naples Italy

[Zoom]

This lady was easily pushing 80

I think 80 pushed back.