Actually
I understand their panic.

Card theft is very popular in Romania as the government has some other crap to attend but prevent it.
(randomset, Sat 18 Jul 2009, 7:43, 2 replies)

Don't get me wrong...
I would appreciate it if someone had stolen my card and they had cancelled it in time - however, can't they just call FIRST? :)
(Galahad is out of his gourd on yellow bentines, Sat 18 Jul 2009, 7:44, closed)

Yezbut
...having some money stolen is a bit annoying, whereas *not being able to actually spend any money on anything* is potentially life-threatening.
(stalinism, Sat 18 Jul 2009, 9:10, closed)

I used to work for Natwest doing some card security stuff
If you'd had a credit card they would have a; tried to phone you and b; put a security check on your card. Which would have instructed the retailer to phone them before letting you pay but wouldn't in principle have stopped you from paying.

Debit cards were another matter because they used different, more arcane software (and were dealt with by different people in different places). But I never heard of cards being cancelled just because someone had gone abroad. Maybe that's new, or maybe someone just had a spaz out?
(Bernard Bernoulli, Sat 18 Jul 2009, 9:50, closed)

It was a lowly Debit card...
I'd already had to spend money while there for food - which I don't think is unreasonable...
(Galahad is out of his gourd on yellow bentines, Sat 18 Jul 2009, 11:46, closed)

It happened to me.
I went to India, tried to get money out, card was declined. Had to spend 20 quid calling them to get it unlocked. That was a debit card.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Mon 20 Jul 2009, 11:02, closed)