Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud Protection Measures?

Posted by wlj on Sunday September 15, 2013 @10:40AM
from the ask-hn dept.

HSBC (UK) has erroneously blocked my monthly donations to the EFF on the basis of "fraud protection" for 2 consecutive months now and I'm wondering whether this is a more widespread issue.

Also, is there any good reason why the EFF would be triggering this type of transaction block with banks?

( 5 comments | 9 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud P... by cjbprime on Sunday September 15, 2013 @10:58AM (#6389262)

Donations to charity in general often cause credit cards to be blocked -- my wife and I do this thing[1] where we give large amounts to multiple charities on the same day each year, and last year it took a couple days to get all the charges to be successful and cards unblocked.

I think the idea is that credit card thieves use charitable donations to figure out whether they have a valid card, so they're considered especially suspicious[2].

[1]: http://blog.printf.net/articles/2012/11/27/celebrating-seven...

[2]: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/070607-credit-card-thi...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud P... by thejteam on Sunday September 15, 2013 @03:28PM (#6390002)

This is true. I've had donations to Heifer delayed by credit cards before. I've heard is is pretty common.

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Re:Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud P... by gustoffen on Sunday September 15, 2013 @01:26PM (#6389623)

In case you didn't know, the EFF takes bitcoin donations now.

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Re:Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud P... by cyphunk on Monday September 16, 2013 @08:33AM (#6392909)

and depending on your route in bitcoin may cause just as much scrutiny on your financial endpoints.

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Re:Ask HN: Are Your Donations to EFF Triggering Bank Fraud P... by andrewcooke on Sunday September 15, 2013 @03:40PM (#6390042)

i haven't had problems, but do it annually (i can't remember how, but i would guess it's credit card). i am in chile.

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