We have two credit card accounts with WAMU, both with fairly high limits of over $13,000 each, and have had these for over 10 years, electing to pay the balances off monthly. Our FICA scores are in the excellent range. We usually travel to London twice yearly and use our card to purchase airline tickets. Never in the past have we had a problem doing so and we always notify them we're going overseas and purchases there have been allowed.
Yesterday, we called Virgin-Atlantic Airlines to reserve two roundtrip tickets to London for a cost of about $11,000 total. When the VA rep tried to put through our card, it was declined. Thankfully, we had a VA rep who was more than willing to help us. She stayed on one phone while we attempted to contact WAMU customer service to see why the card was declined as we knew we had a full credit balance on the card. After waiting 45 minutes in line for CS we finally got through only to be told to call the Fraud Dept at another number. Another 30 minutes waiting. We were then told that there is a daily purchase limit of $2,000 regardless of the credit limit of a card and it was 'that way with all accounts we have." We knew that was a lie and told them so as we've frequently had charges of several thousand dollars and pointed out to them to look at our account to verify that. We kept getting the same party line from the CS rep AND the Supervisor we demanded to talk with and they disconnected the call. Meanwhile the VA rep cheerfully kept waiting on the other phone. We called back... 5 times, only to be told each time the same story. The last time we called we were told that Virgin Atlantic had to personally call WAMU to authorize the charge and naturally no one at VA was available until Monday to be able to do that. So VA held our reservations until they can call from London on Monday to WAMU to attempt to get the tickets authorized for payment. The horrorible thought occured to us of all the WAMU card holders who might be somewhere like Best Buy or Sams Club, buying say, a HDTV large TV for over $2,000 and their cards will be declined and neither they nor the clerk will know why because all the info give is 'declined'. No info saying to call to verify the charges, etc. I cannot imagine how anyone in a foreign country trying to purchase tickets could possibly do so or contact WAMU through their US toll free number. This is a nightmare. I've heard of card limits being lowered, but ours was not, simply told we couldn't spend more than $2,000 a day. The embarassment caused by this was totally unnecessary and if VA wasn't working with us on this we could never get those tickets. What about people who try to get cruise tickets or go on vacations and to to pay hotel bills of a week or more only to have their cards declined?! Our son, who also has WAMU cards called and was told that no there is no daily limit. When he put me on the phone and I told them what just happened to us, they changed their story and told him, sorry... There was a daily limit and 'always has been'. Folks... You better check this new rule on our cards because, as I said, supposedly it's across the board even if they have lied and said it's 'always been that way.' I'd like to sue WAMU. At no place on their website does it say anything about a 'daily purchase limit', nor have we ever gotten a notice about it. Our past purchase history proves we have spent many times over that limit on the frequent trips and purchases we've made. No one at WAMU (and their CS is the worse I've ever encountered) could explain why we could have such a high credit limit and only be able to spend $2,000 a day. This is the most incredible fiasco we've ever had the misfortune to be involved with.
Seething in seattle
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.
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