Credit card fraud alarms??

Hi! This isn't strictly about dolls but it's related to buying them . . . For those of you with cards with fraud protection, do your doll purchases from Japan set off the fraud alarms every time? I mean, I am very happy with having fraud protection, it has caught things for me several times, but it gets a bit annoying whenever I buy a semi-expensive thing from Japan. I just wonder if it "gets used to" your patterns at some point?

 

I'm not sure it's related but at the same time I got hit with a bunch of REAL fraudulent charges! I've used Jungle before, and I used PayPal with them, so I thought it would be fine, but the timing is suspicious. Then again I buy stuff online all the time so it could've been lots of things. Either way, I'm gonna need to go to my credit union over lunch and get a new debit card printed up.

There are a lot of things that play a roll in that. I would say if you did get a bunch of fraudulent charges then it is totally possible that they are just being extra sensitive. Too be honest, the very first time I purchased a doll from Jungle it did flag, but after I informed my bank that it was nothing to worry about it didn't happen again.

 

With that said, I also had an issue within my area personally where a grocery store's system had been hacked and thus anyone who had used their card there in the last three months (no matter bank, card provider, etc) had to have their card reissued due to many reporting fraudulent charges. So it is possible that anywhere (not just online) is at fault. Just replace the card, and see how it is. Your bank could just be extra sensitive to the charges too. Each one is different in that regard.

It's unlikely the fraudulent charges are related to PayPal use, since PayPal doesn't share your credit card information with the vendor.

 

When you pay with PayPal, your credit card and bank numbers are never seen by the seller or merchant. Your financial information stays safe.

 

Without your credit card info, there's no way for a vendor to send fraudulent charges to your credit card. Your fraud is probably related to a purchase where you gave the vendor your credit card info, either via a physical swipe or by entering it on their website.

 

My primary bank doesn't just throw up a fraud alarm, it automatically cancels all "suspicious payments" without even contacting me. I've called them (repeatedly!) to ask if I can give them a list of safe sellers so that I could eat least buy from Volks without having them immediately cancel the payment, but apparently it's an automated system and it can't be changed. Thankfully I have a secondary bank with much more reasonable policies (although they still call me every time).

Good point Gunter! You're right, using it in a store probably isn't that much safer than using it online. It probably is just a coincidence then. A very weird one.

 

Wow Cauldroness that's annoying. A very odd system. I hope it hasn't gotten you in trouble with vendors! I'm sure they'd be freaked out if you ordered something and then after they shipped it the money disappeared. I was a little afraid that would happen with Jungle but fortunately it was fine.

 

I got my new card today. I'm soooo glad that they can just print them up at the branch. At my old CU you had to mail away for them and it took weeks! So I'd have to use my credit card for several weeks waiting for a new debit card. Augh.

 

Oh and I'm really happy I have some savings because the fraudulent charges totaled like $500 and they have to get posted to my account before they can fix it apparently! I mean, I'm sure they wouldn't penalize you for an overdraft from fraudulent charges, but what if I only had like $10 left while waiting for them to fix it?? Augh.

I get these when I buy from Volks/Mandarake. Apparently, the payment portal that they use is classified as a "high risk" one by my credit card company. So, each time, I have to verify that it's a valid charge after the first attempt and redo the charge.

It's pretty normal for credit card companies to lock out your card if they see it being used in a foreign country. Usually you need to call the card company and tell them what countries you will be using the card in if you plan on traveling overseas and using your credit cards. I did this when I was traveling in Europe last year and had no issues with any of my cards.

 

You should also be able to call them and tell them you will be making a charge at a merchant local to Japan on a specific date, and that should keep your account from being locked out. (Of course all of this is based on my own experience with US card companies. I have no idea how European or Asian banks might differ.)

 

If you have an exact total before you charge you should also be able to contact them and have them "pre-approve" a charge from a specific merchant. I don't know if all banks do this or just some of them.

 

I believe with Paypal you are making the charge locally and the money is being sent by paypal to the remote merchant. Paypal is also a financial institution so they may be seen as low risk. I've never had an issue with a charge through paypal.

That's the funny thing, I did use PayPal. Somehow my bank still knew where it was going. Unless maybe PayPal flagged it? I dunno! Very strange.

One other thing could be the size of the charge. If you don't usually buy things with that cost then they might see that as a red flag.

That's true! On the other hand, who DOES regularly make $800+ purchases??

who DOES regularly make $800+ purchases??

 

Someone who buys dolls regularly. XD

who DOES regularly make $800+ purchases??

 

Someone who buys dolls regularly. XD

 

Haha! I'm jealous of someone who can buy new dolls all the time!

Just curious, when I use either of my Visa cards (from two separate Canadian banks) with Volks' payment system, I go through an extra 'Verified by Visa' step, which is an extra password hosted by Visa (or wherever the site is) just for using that card. Do others get that? I wonder if it's just some Visa cards, or all of them.

 

Volks' isn't the only site that triggers the Verified by Visa system, but I've never had a 'fraud warning' type problem either when doing online purchases (canceled stuff/blocked card usage because of potential fraud).

Just curious, when I use either of my Visa cards (from two separate Canadian banks) with Volks' payment system, I go through an extra 'Verified by Visa' step, which is an extra password hosted by Visa (or wherever the site is) just for using that card. Do others get that? I wonder if it's just some Visa cards, or all of them.

 

Yeah, I get that as well and haven't had any such transactions flagged. I believe the bank has to be actively participating in the verified program for that though. That said, these days I pay everything with paypal and haven't had any flagged purchases through them either.

Just curious, when I use either of my Visa cards (from two separate Canadian banks) with Volks' payment system, I go through an extra 'Verified by Visa' step, which is an extra password hosted by Visa (or wherever the site is) just for using that card. Do others get that? I wonder if it's just some Visa cards, or all of them.

 

Volks' isn't the only site that triggers the Verified by Visa system, but I've never had a 'fraud warning' type problem either when doing online purchases (canceled stuff/blocked card usage because of potential fraud).

 

Ha, I haven't seen that thing in a long while. I think my old credit union used it but the new one doesn't seem to. And yeah it's something that the bank participates in AFAIK. It's kind of annoying because I see it so rarely that I never remember my password, haha.

Just curious, when I use either of my Visa cards (from two separate Canadian banks) with Volks' payment system, I go through an extra 'Verified by Visa' step, which is an extra password hosted by Visa (or wherever the site is) just for using that card. Do others get that? I wonder if it's just some Visa cards, or all of them.

 

Volks' isn't the only site that triggers the Verified by Visa system, but I've never had a 'fraud warning' type problem either when doing online purchases (canceled stuff/blocked card usage because of potential fraud).

 

I get that as well and I have a MasterCard that I use and not a Visa. It's basically only Volks and Mandarake that get that extra step though, every other site (including some other Japanese sites) never seem to need the extra verification.