Recently I reserved a hotel abroad for an upcoming trip. I had been monitoring rates at different hotels, saw an unexpected 10% drop, so I jumped on it. The reservation required a one night deposit, and when I made it Fido sent usual text "card was charged $xx at XX and the card was not present. To opt out press STOP ".
A couple of days later I tried unsuccessfully to use the card, was denied, tried to access my online account, could not, so I called, and was immediately transferred to the fraud dept. After an unusually rigorous security challenge the agent confirmed that the charge overseas set off their security protocol, so they denied it - but said nothing. When I asked about the text confirming the charge, the response was "that was Fidelity, this is Elan, and we rejected the transaction". I asked why they didn't alert or contact me, and the response was "we don't have your authorization to contact you".
The security concern is reasonable, but the part about "we can't contact you" sounds very fishy. I don't recall any financial institution requiring specific authorization or opt-in to contact me, especially when fraud is suspected. My account info includes email and physical address along with home and cell phone, so they had plenty of ways to contact me.
Just wondering if my expectations are unreasonable about being made aware that they were freezing my card and rejecting the transaction, or this was something they should do.
A couple of days later I tried unsuccessfully to use the card, was denied, tried to access my online account, could not, so I called, and was immediately transferred to the fraud dept. After an unusually rigorous security challenge the agent confirmed that the charge overseas set off their security protocol, so they denied it - but said nothing. When I asked about the text confirming the charge, the response was "that was Fidelity, this is Elan, and we rejected the transaction". I asked why they didn't alert or contact me, and the response was "we don't have your authorization to contact you".
The security concern is reasonable, but the part about "we can't contact you" sounds very fishy. I don't recall any financial institution requiring specific authorization or opt-in to contact me, especially when fraud is suspected. My account info includes email and physical address along with home and cell phone, so they had plenty of ways to contact me.
Just wondering if my expectations are unreasonable about being made aware that they were freezing my card and rejecting the transaction, or this was something they should do.