DOTTYMO

I seem to have problems paying for patterns etc from the US. I have a debit card and it always tells me to us something else, why? I pay for items from other countries and no trouble. It looks as if I will have to open my PayPal account again which I closed because money went out with no item ordered or won at eBay.

patricej

i confess i don't understand, either, why a merchant wouldn't prefer debit card transactions.
the buyer either has the money or doesn't.
the merchant will know that before shipping.

however, i have often read that a credit card is safer to use than a debit card.
i know from personal experience that it's much easier to get a fraudulent charge reversed from a credit card than it is from a debit card.
with a debit card, if they get your money it's really gone.
by the time the bank puts it back - if they ever do - you are drowning in all sorts of disaster.

have you considered getting a credit card to use exclusively for online purchases?
send payments immediately from your bank account to correspond to purchases made.
the interest fees would stay low or 0.

DOTTYMO

Hi, I use this card only for small purchases and have very little in it. Usually I check there. Is enough or a transaction. I have another debit card with main account which I never use on line or anywhere. I had a credit card but was silly so tossed it.

AFQSinc

When you get the message to use something else, what exactly does it say? Does your card have the ability to be used as a debit or credit card? Unless it is asking for a 3 or 4 digit code on the back that your card doesn't have or the site is asking for zip code verification which is like a post code but with no letters and only 5 digits.

AFQSinc

A credit card is not exactly the answer as some American websites will not accept all foreign credit cards. My SIL has this problem often trying to use a British credit card on an American site.

Lori S

Many sites are highly suspicious of a Foreign Debt card. They are often associated with some scams on retailers.. so many have stopped taking any foreign debt cards.

woody

I also sometimes have trouble with an Australian credit card, it comes up with a message saying that the address doesn't match??? It can be sooooo frustrating.

Tink's Mom

I wonder if using a VISA gift card instead of a debit card would be better...online they wouldn't know it was a gift card...it would just show up as a VISA.

Anael

After my PayPal account was hacked twice I now remove my credit card from my account every time I made a payment. It's a bit of a hassle every time I want to use PayPal but they can't hack my account anymore.
I have no problems using my credit card when buying from shops in the US.

Jingle

My Husband has been trying to buy a special stove pipe, we are in the states and the company is too. Since he wanted it shipped to his business instead of our home, no one their during the day. He had to provide a a picture I.d., driver's license and fax to them. They have never seen him and wouldn't really know if the pic is of him or not. I use the same card for online purchases and never had a problem.Sale would be $200.00 or less. I have bought several sewing machines online for lots more money than this. He would tell them to forget it but, they seem to be the only ones with that particular stove pipe. Some companies are just hard to buy from.