Credit union card gaffs

When my wife, Diane, and I travel, we always advise our credit card and ATM card issuers of our travel plans, even when we leave California to visit other states. We belong to separate credit unions.

In 2009, after a European river cruise, we were on a tour extension in Transylvania. Immediately after leaving the ship I successfully accessed funds from an ATM. Later on, the card was refused, but we used my wife’s with no problem at that same ATM. Subsequently, on another occasion, her card was refused (mine was still not working).

Upon our return home, we talked to our respective credit unions and learned that, most likely, they had improperly processed our travel notifications, if at all.

Before our 2010 trip to Edinburgh, we had problems three times trying to purchase event tickets in Edinburgh from home with our credit cards, even though the agencies had been advised that purchases were to be made in Edinburgh on my card from my home.

This was eventually straightened out, and purchases were made by phone by me from my home, with the transactions being recorded in Edinburgh.

DON THOMPSON
Garden Grove, CA