Pati
10+ Posts
Returned recently from a lovely trip to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast and found, unfortunately, that my bank account had been drained. Fortunately I had taken precautions and put a limited amount of money into the account with the separate ATM card and not exposed our regular household checking, and I had sent for enough Euros to get me through the first few days. So thankful that I did!
I used the ATM machine right in the center of town, and because I took out 200 Euros and used my credit card for the small purchases I made, I really didn't notice anything was wrong until our week in the apartment was up and we were back in Rome. Then I got a notice from the VISA fraud dept. wondering had I tried to make these withdrawals? It listed a couple of attempts for about 100 Euros each, and it included an 800-number. Thankfully I had also added a temporary international calling service to my cell, because of course I was put on hold.
Well here's what happened, and I only know this after several two hour long sessions at my local bank.....the day after my first ATM, someone attempted to remove 800 Euros. That was over the limit, and they hadn't figured out my pin. Then they tried a small amount and that was rejected also, but they must have gotten the pin correct after that, so for the next four days, at different locations around Naples and Rome, they removed 400 Euros a day. When the well ran dry and they tried the smaller amounts, there was now insufficient funds and FINALLY! the fraud dept. alerted me. I informed them that I had not made a withdrawal since the first one in Sorrento, and they cancelled my card. Too little, too late.
When I sat down with the bank and he handed me a print out of the activity on my account, there was an i in the column next to the 800 Euro attempt and I asked what it meant. Incorrect pin, he said, and the next one? Same. Why then wasn't I informed right then and the whole thing could have been avoided? What good is a fraud department if it waits until there are insufficient funds because you've been drained? It ended with VISA denying the reimbursement and the bank eventually paid. But I did have to show receipts to prove I was no where near where the transactions occurred. When I asked about the bad timing, I was told that I had alerted the bank that I was going to be in Italy, so....so what? Jet lag had made me forget my pin? Twice?
So what is the answer, traveling community? Take more Euros with me? Any suggestions?
I used the ATM machine right in the center of town, and because I took out 200 Euros and used my credit card for the small purchases I made, I really didn't notice anything was wrong until our week in the apartment was up and we were back in Rome. Then I got a notice from the VISA fraud dept. wondering had I tried to make these withdrawals? It listed a couple of attempts for about 100 Euros each, and it included an 800-number. Thankfully I had also added a temporary international calling service to my cell, because of course I was put on hold.
Well here's what happened, and I only know this after several two hour long sessions at my local bank.....the day after my first ATM, someone attempted to remove 800 Euros. That was over the limit, and they hadn't figured out my pin. Then they tried a small amount and that was rejected also, but they must have gotten the pin correct after that, so for the next four days, at different locations around Naples and Rome, they removed 400 Euros a day. When the well ran dry and they tried the smaller amounts, there was now insufficient funds and FINALLY! the fraud dept. alerted me. I informed them that I had not made a withdrawal since the first one in Sorrento, and they cancelled my card. Too little, too late.
When I sat down with the bank and he handed me a print out of the activity on my account, there was an i in the column next to the 800 Euro attempt and I asked what it meant. Incorrect pin, he said, and the next one? Same. Why then wasn't I informed right then and the whole thing could have been avoided? What good is a fraud department if it waits until there are insufficient funds because you've been drained? It ended with VISA denying the reimbursement and the bank eventually paid. But I did have to show receipts to prove I was no where near where the transactions occurred. When I asked about the bad timing, I was told that I had alerted the bank that I was going to be in Italy, so....so what? Jet lag had made me forget my pin? Twice?
So what is the answer, traveling community? Take more Euros with me? Any suggestions?