[JRTJH]

We have experienced some (not many) credit card companies that monitor card use closer than other companies. As an example, on our last long trip out of the local area, the company sent two or three "notice emails" to our listed email address. We don't monitor that email account daily when we are on the road, so we didn't get the notices. On about the 4th or 5th day, the company called our home, left a message on the answering machine. We got that message when we checked later that evening. The message they left said that they had noticed some "suspicious activity" on our credit card and asked that we call a "fraud number" to confirm the card use. When we called, they told us that it is company policy to allow charges up to a specific limit, but when the "out of ordinary" charges exceed a specific amount, they restrict the card until they can confirm that it is us using the card. The "trigger" that caused them to notice was the card being used in "out of the area" zip codes. That caused them to question if it was really us or if possibly the card had been stolen and was being used by someone other than us.

With the current laws giving consumers protection against fraudulent use, the company is "on the hook" for charges in many cases, so to prevent losses to the company by having to write off fraud charges, they set policy that limits the amount they can lose before they stop honoring the card.

It makes sense to me. All of their losses are paid for in higher interest rates by those of us using the cards, so their "restrictive policy" actually saves me money.

That might be what happened, you can contact the company who issued the card at the number on the back of the card to ask why they refused to honor your card. They should be able to explain it to you in a way that makes sense to you.