Avoiding Declined Credit Charges?

I feel like this question could fit into any number of categories/groups in the Community, but here goes:

Has anyone had experience with having somewhat regular charges declined on a business credit card due to suspected fraudulent/suspicious activity? And do you have any tips on how to avoid it? I have recently had a number of similar recurring charges for larger amounts (in hundreds and thousands of dollars) in international settings be declined automatically and then having to go through the lengthy process to call in each time to unlock my account and reprocess the charges with the original vendor. I am glad that my credit card company is proactive in trying to protect my account, but as I have to keep calling in for the same thing and it's being caught on a business card account for legitimate expenses, I'm also finding the situation really frustrating as it's creating more work for something that shouldn't be happening.

Perhaps it is because of the international nature of my work in the field of translation that inherently complicates things (as I both travel internationally and also make transactions with international vendors), but I would love it if anyone had advice on ways to keep this from happening, especially if you have personal experience with issues like this. I would think that a business account usually would be expected to have more regular charges and at higher amounts than a personal account, but perhaps I'm wrong in this assumption.

  • I use American Express. There  is a hefty yearly fee involved but it is a piece of mind that if this happens to me I can report it and it will still allow me to use the card. Happy New Year. I hope you have better luck!

  • Thanks  ! Mine is a bank-branded MasterCard, so really I guess it is the bank at the end of the day which is causing all this headache. Nonetheless, one would think being a business card would have certain benefits in addition to the protection. As a smaller business, though, I really don't have a budget yet to spend more money on something like a high annual fee credit card account that offers a better piece of mind.

    Happy new year to you too! Hoping the coming year has a lot less financial hassles on the credit card front. Sweat smile

  • Here is to a less stressful New Year!

    Cheers! 

  • i'd contact the company directly to see what they suggest

  • Thanks for the reply,  . Hopefully this doesn't happen again.

  • hello Aaron
    I am the founder of a start-up in America, who is outside the United States, and I used the company's business VoIP number for all government online work without any problems.
    Now I can't use VOIP numbers for financial work and I urgently need a domestic mobile phone number. What should I do?

  • Hi  . It doesn't sound like your issue is quite the same one I'm experiencing, though I sympathize greatly with your predicament. I honestly don't have a good solution to suggest for you, as I either have multiple SIMs for phones and use WiFi calling when out of whichever country I need to call locally in; or I am blessed to have companies which natively support VOIP/app calling and have no issue receiving my calls. Sorry I can not be of more help!

  • I have had this occur occasionally but it is usually a one-time error and when i tell the vendor to try again it has always gone through. Many of these fraud detection systems use algorithms and from time t time there will be a glitch. That is why you always need to have a backup payment option so your suppliers do not delay shipment.