I’ve “signed up” for monthly donation for iNat. Once I did my first donation for this month, my credit card became restricted to use. The Bank said that it appeared as a suspicious transaction.
I won’t write this if it would be easy to remove the restrictions. Yet the only way is to request a new card. This means makes it hard to donate every month if ill need to request a new card every time :)
Did anyone have a similar situation? My bank is Swedbank.
Never heard that about iNat, but once had to get a new card after paying for a taxi (not the first time), it’s something stemming from the bank, not what you pay for.
In the US; you can let card company know about upcoming “weird” purchases so it is not blocked. Is there not a way for your bank card to have such a note added to it? For monthly thing that theres a set amount and date for, id think it would be easy to do if they have that functionality like here.
I recommend: Contact the bank. Go in if there’s a branch near you, or call a customer service line. Be very, very nice to the person you talk with – that’s the only person in the whole bank who knows or can be induced to care that you exist. Explain that you’ll be making a monthly donation to this great non-profit organization you’ve been part of for the past few months or years. Apologize for taking up the person’s time. Thank him/her for listening. Offer to give them the URL (internet address) so they can check it out right now. Ask if there’s a way to OK the monthly withdrawal. You’ll no doubt have to get a new card for this time but if there’s a way to OK future transfers, it will be done. Thank profusely.
Thanks for supporting iNaturalist, @gretavalvonyte. Unfortunately I’m not sure if there’s much we can do on our end. I don’t remember hearing this happen to anyone else, and it seems like an issue with your bank and Donorbox, our donation platform.
It’s also possible to donate via either direct bank transfer or via PayPal - that might allay suspicions from your bank.
Sometimes weird things raise flags with banks. I had one where I bought a humidor (you know, a wooden box), and I get a text from my bank’s alert line asking if I just bought electronic equipment, and without noticing that the value of the electronics was about the cost of the humidor I ordered, sent back No. When I realized the mistake and called the bank, endured 10 minutes of hold music (the same 20 seconds looped, pretty sure that’s a torture tactic) before getting it solved.
My advise - do not do monthly donations. Do one per year. Did this - no problem.
And at the end of each loop, “We’ll return to take your call in just a moment.” Either that, or trying to persuade you to use the website – which you tried first, and called because that didn’t work.
Even worse, at the end of every loop there’d be a slight click, so you think they’re answering, but then it’s just the insipid message about “how important my call is”. And I’m not exaggerating the 20 seconds thing, it was like one of those terrible singing greeting cards, over, and over, and over…
That’s so unfortunate that happened; it can really put a crimp on things if that’s your only card! Over the years, I’ve had it happen after buying gas or paying for goods or traveling outside my normal area without notifying the back first. But, I don’t think I’ve had it happen with a reoccurring charge like a subscription. I echo the advice to work with your card’s customer service .
Other countries must do things differently. I have never had to get a new card for things like this; just call them and have them unfreeze my existing card. The only time I have to get a new card is when the strange charge really is fraudulent.
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