Posted December 13, 2012
I live in the United States. I like GOG.com. I have been a member for a few years. I have had three banks in that time. My first bank never gave me any problems buying from GOG.com. I moved.
Bank 2 hit me with all kinds of little charges that they could never explain, and finally (after much persistence) relented and took them off my account.
I had a few other problems with that bank, and switched to Bank 3. The people at this bank are generally very helpful and friendly.
However, I tried to purchase a game the other night and found I wan unable to do so. I went to the bank today and was told that I was probably not allowed to purchase from GOG.com because the country they were in was on a "restricted" list. I told them the company is in Poland. Nope, Poland is not on the list.
A phone call is made to a manager. They say that GOG.com is trying to process my payment through either Spain, Germany, or Russia, and that those countries are restricted.
Why are those countries restricted?
Because there is a lot of fraud in those countries, says the bank. And the bank can be held liable for any kind of fraudulent charges that occur as a result. But the bank can unblock my card for $50.
Oh, I say, does me paying $50 relieve the bank from liability?
No.
Then why am I paying $50?
That helps the bank recover any losses.
$50 isn't that much money to protect against losses.
*Blank stare.*
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It's becoming more and more commonplace for individuals to make financial transactions across national borders. Maybe it's just the area I'm in, but I would really hope that banks would be on top of this sort of thing since it is their business.
I really like the people working at this bank, but I was beginning to get aggravated. The person I spoke with was acting like I was in some kind of danger of getting my information stolen even though I told them I have been doing business with GOG.com for years and never had a problem.
In fact, I told them that I was at risk of someone stealing my information if I used their online banking system. Again, I was just met with the kind of stare from someone who doesn't have an answer. I know that stare, because I've given it before, lol. Difference is I then admit that I don't really know the answer. Here, I just keep getting talked into circles.
Bank 2 hit me with all kinds of little charges that they could never explain, and finally (after much persistence) relented and took them off my account.
I had a few other problems with that bank, and switched to Bank 3. The people at this bank are generally very helpful and friendly.
However, I tried to purchase a game the other night and found I wan unable to do so. I went to the bank today and was told that I was probably not allowed to purchase from GOG.com because the country they were in was on a "restricted" list. I told them the company is in Poland. Nope, Poland is not on the list.
A phone call is made to a manager. They say that GOG.com is trying to process my payment through either Spain, Germany, or Russia, and that those countries are restricted.
Why are those countries restricted?
Because there is a lot of fraud in those countries, says the bank. And the bank can be held liable for any kind of fraudulent charges that occur as a result. But the bank can unblock my card for $50.
Oh, I say, does me paying $50 relieve the bank from liability?
No.
Then why am I paying $50?
That helps the bank recover any losses.
$50 isn't that much money to protect against losses.
*Blank stare.*
--------
It's becoming more and more commonplace for individuals to make financial transactions across national borders. Maybe it's just the area I'm in, but I would really hope that banks would be on top of this sort of thing since it is their business.
I really like the people working at this bank, but I was beginning to get aggravated. The person I spoke with was acting like I was in some kind of danger of getting my information stolen even though I told them I have been doing business with GOG.com for years and never had a problem.
In fact, I told them that I was at risk of someone stealing my information if I used their online banking system. Again, I was just met with the kind of stare from someone who doesn't have an answer. I know that stare, because I've given it before, lol. Difference is I then admit that I don't really know the answer. Here, I just keep getting talked into circles.
