Sunday, June 10, 2018

Credit Card Caution (Continuation)

In one of my previous blog posts (Credit Card Caution), Rajesh (Destination Infinity) commented that “when I tried an online purchase 4-5 times continuously - again the card was blocked.”. I replied to Rajesh I will write about a similar interesting incident that happened to us.
 
Here is that incident.
 
A few years ago, one of my employees wanted to discuss something important on a Saturday. I took pity on that guy and told him I will take him for lunch. We went to a nice name brand Italian restaurant and had lunch. I then came home.
 
That evening my wife told me she was too lazy to cook dinner and wanted to eat out. I asked her where she would like to go and she gave the name of the same restaurant I had lunch with my office colleague. I told her I had lunch today in that restaurant. She then wanted to go to a different restaurant. It was her favorite restaurant, so I insisted on going there though it will be second time for me in the same restaurant that particular day.
 
We go to that restaurant. We had a nice dinner. The bill came. I gave my credit card and the waiter took it to the register. He came back and whispered: Sir your credit card has been declined.
 
I could have given him another credit card and left the restaurant. But I was in a mood to find out why it was declined. I called the credit company on my cell phone and asked them the reason. They had the most laughable reason. Sir, your credit card was charged in the same restaurant for lunch and it is also being charged for dinner also. It is a very unusual activity and therefore we declined.
 
I had to explain to them it was a legit and asked them to remove the block. They did it immediately.
 
I asked the waiter to process my credit card again and it was accepted.
 
On the way back home, while I was driving, I had an earful for going to the same restaurant twice in a day.

15 comments:

  1. Italian restaurant?
    Was it Louis restaurant in the Bronx?
    Not a good experience there for me as well.

    Regards,
    Virgil Sollozzo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments Virgil "The Turk". After what Michael Corleone did to you in that Louis Restaurant in the Bronx, I will never go there. This is a different Italian restaurant.

      Delete
  2. Hmmmm....I have seen a lot of people embarrassed in such situations and immediately give another card...i think u handled it perfectly....as it was not your fault it got declined....good for you....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments Dee. En Vazhi Thani Vazhi. (My way is unique and separate.)

      Delete
    2. Thalaivar Dialogue how appropriate

      Delete
  3. This is very silly, but at least they remove the block immediately when we call from the registered number. I guess it's because of reasons like this that ppl are unable to dispense with cash.

    Destination Infinity

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. It is natural if they get suspicious if a guy eats lunch and dinner in the same restaurant.

      Delete
  4. Here it happens that so many times their machines are faulty and we have to have the inconvenience of rejection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments Renu. If they say their machine is not working, I will say "thank you for free dinner" and walk out.

      Delete
  5. Haha that is such a funny incident. But it's good that the credit card companies are that strict. I have enabled SMS option. They text me as soon as they block the card and if I reply YES, they unblock my card immediately. Sorry for the delay in commenting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comments Ashwini. Please don't be sorry. I know you are busy with your travel preparation. Make sure your passports are valid for at least 6 months.

      Delete
  6. That was a strange reason to block a card. Usually, companies get a doubt, when the amount is too high. Wonder why a company should feel so paranoid about a lunch and a dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hahaha that was strange reason behind blocking your card. Though you know now your card is with safest bank. Credit card frauds and thefts are increasing with time, and so are the precautions from the service providers :D
    You have so many interesting stories to tell :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Usually people ignore that thinking to settle the matter later and hand over another card. It is a good thing to
    see that you settled it immediately. We cannot blame them also.They might have thought your card would have lost or been robbed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi there! I simply wish to give an enormous thumbs up for the nice info you could have here on this post. I might be coming again to your blog for more soon. casino slots

    ReplyDelete