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CREDIT CARDS
I have heard many for her stories involving
people traveling with their credit cards. But
with all the stories and I've heard, many of
them might have been resolved with minor
disruption, if the travelers would have done
these simple things.
Number 1:
Anytime you travel you should make photo copies
of all of your credit cards airline tickets and
documents, both front and back. You should leave
these photocopies with a friend, and had a copy
of these Xeroxes in your luggage. That way if
you ever lose a credit card you can get it
canceled right away. The majority of problems
with the cancellation of credit cards occur when
you travel internationally. Many travelers
forget who the credit card is with, it's then
many wasted hours calling United States and
trying to find out which bank or institution the
credit card was with. That's where the
photocopies come in handy.
Number 2:
If you travel with someone, especially a husband
or wife, I would make sure you travel with
individual credit cards in separate names. The
reason for this is simple. Many families have
one credit card issued to them. Many families
have one credit card account number one have
individual cards issued to each person. The
problem with this is if one person were lose
their credit card, the others person's credit
card would be canceled also, and you would have
to wait until card was sent to you and three to
five days. By each traveler having his or her
own separate credit card, if one was lost, you
could survive on the other credit card for a few
days until the other is replaced.
Number 3:
Automatic Credit card deactivation can spoil a
vacation. Some banks and credit unions cut off
credit cards that are used 6 or more times in
one day, to try and stop thieves from using
stolen cards. If this happens to you overseas,
you may find it difficult or impossible to have
your card reactivated. Before going on an
overseas trip on which you will use your credit
cards, notify your credit card companies that
you will be away overseas. This will let then
know that your card has not been compromised.
Number 4:
You always read tips about making photocopies of
your credit cards when traveling and placing
these copies in the bottom of your luggage. This
tips is given by individuals in the proper
spirit, however this can actually put you at
greater risk of experiencing credit card fraud.
Anyone who winds up with your luggage will have
access to your credit card numbers and
expiration dates. Anyone rifling your suitcases
can take the copies or make copies of your
copies for their use, ordering merchandise via
the telephone.
Instead, if you want to keep a copy of your
credit card numbers, do so of the front and back
so you have the phone numbers to call your bank
if needed but most importantly, block out
(making sure it cannot be read) or cut out the
expiration dates and names on the face of the
cards. This will make it harder if the copies
fall into the wrong hands.
While your liability in stolen credit card cases
is limited to $50/card, this can quickly add up
if multiple cards are involved.
Number 5:
When traveling abroad and using a credit card,
watch out for the conversion fee that many banks
charge to convert charges in foreign currencies
to dollars. As with traveler's check- some banks
do and some banks don't charge a fee, generally
1% of the purchase amount. So if you have
several cards, it's worth checking with the
issuers to see which one offers the best deal on
foreign currency con- version. Then weigh this
against other factors. Note: The conversion fee
is not included in the legally required
disclosure box that appears in credit-card
promotional material. Even with the
conversion charge, many times ATM machines will
have the best possible exchange rates and
the lowest fees.
Important:
Have your PIN number converted to four digits
before departing on a trip,
as most foreign ATMs will not respond to
six-digit PINS.
Many foreign ATMs only
accept four-digit PIN numbers. If your PIN is
longer, check with your financial institution
about changing it before you leave the country.
Sometimes it's as simple as going to your own
bank's ATM and changing it yourself.
Apart from ATMs, the best
locations for exchanging U.S. into foreign
currency are banks, the biggest ones you can
find. They offer fairly decent rates and low
fees, and do much better for you than the
commercial money-changing kiosks and storefront
establishments. Never use the latter.
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