Financial services

[Crossfire8207]

Hello to my full timers, A general question on setting up a bank that can be used country wide without many withdrawals and transfer fees with a checking or savings account.

[ependydad]

We currently use a local credit union out of Maryland (Tower Federal Credit Union). I find that with the app and getting cash back after purchases, we almost never need to use an ATM.

We also have Bank of America, but they flagged our mail service as a commercial address and required a different physical address. It’s part of the Patriot Act but most banks don’t enforce it. I used my in-laws’ address for the physical address and my mail service as the mailing address. Nothing has ever been sent to my in-laws.

When I needed to wire money for my RV purchase, it was convenient to have a local BoA location for help with it. Supposedly I could have done it online or with the app, but I liked having a babysitter.

However, I rarely use BoA and incur a $12/month fee since it doesn’t have a direct deposit to it.

[Crossfire8207]

I was thinking of keeping a local bank as well but don't they always most of time need to know where your traveling?

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by Crossfire8207

I was thinking of keeping a local bank as well but don't they always most of time need to know where your traveling?

Not sure banks care where you go . I have kept my local bank even though i'm only there a couple months a years . able to deposit checks over the banks app with my phone . no need to have a bank everywhere or even have a bank that is everywhere .

[formerFR]

my local bank, in my small home town of less than 2,000 folks, is the easiest bank to deal with - they have a smartphone app, which allows even for check deposits, an online account, which provides for sending 'check' payments, with THEM paying the postage, and a Visa DEBIT card, which is accepted everywhere... just like any other Visa card.
The card allows us to withdraw 'cash' anywhere there is an ATM, or bank, or when checking out at many retail stores now, like W*mt, or even grocery stores.

There's really no 'need' to change anything. And it's likely you'll really need a lot less 'cash' than you think you will...but it's really easy to find if you actually do.

I had a situation several years ago where I was going to buy a car from a private owner. They certainly would not want to accept my check, and my Debit or Credit card did nothing for them - only 'cash' would work. But my local bank was 250 miles away, and I didn't even have any more personal checks... so, what to do? ATM's only provide a certain 'amount' in a single withdrawal transaction, such as $500 per day. The car was 10 times that.

I called around to different local banks and credit unions, but none seemed to want to accept and cash the only thing I had to offer: my DEBIT card. It was not from 'their' bank, and I was not 'their' customer.

But, I found a somewhat new-to-me unique bank:
'TD BANK'(TD Ameritrade)... I called them and surprisingly they had no problem 'cashing' my DEBIT Card from another bank for $5,000... as long, of course, if I showed up in person with my ID CARD as well. It worked just fine.
Would WF or BOA or Citi do the same? Maybe.

I don't think the 'banking' thing today is any big deal as folks might 'fear' it is when they start to travel alot, whether 'full time' or not, it's just the same. Even 'full timers' go back 'home' from time to time.

Now, getting your MAIL so easily might be a different story, but even that is not as hard or problematic as many think, at first.
With so many options of mail forwarding, email notifications of the 'mail' you are receiving that day, and with so much 'business' and payments done online, there are usually simple ways to take care of it.

[KRedburn]

Many of the credit card companies prefer you indicate you are traveling.
BoA and my local credit union also have our cards.
They also have a "secure" app that you can inform them of travel.
One thing I have noticed is that BoA checks your cell phone location that must be VERY close to the charge location like a fuel stop. Another step in fraud protection. A bit annoying but I have had an account shut down while traveling with previous notification of travel and card number was "used" 3000 miles from my location. It was nice to have quick notification of fraud attempt. I asked them to sent new cards to my next destination location and card was there upon my arrival in a fedex envelope.

I used my "backup card" in the interim.

[formerFR]

Originally Posted by KRedburn

Many of the credit card companies prefer you indicate you are traveling...
One thing I have noticed is that BoA checks your cell phone location that must be VERY close to the charge location like a fuel stop.

yes, our W*mt Mastercard will deny a charge if it thinks you have 'traveled' too far away from your 'home' zip code, the zip code on your billing, though I suggest that adjoining states are part of the 'area' you are in since simply going into another nearby zipcode, or even over a nearby state line, does not trigger this.
We have to call them, though, and request them to open up our card for the next '30 days' to certain areas or states that we might be traveling, even though I usually tell them 'all' states, because, after all, we are TRAVELING.
If you've ever pulled into a fuel station, scanned your card at the pump, and have had a 'please pay inside' message, you may go inside and find that your card is not valid... a really WEIRD and annoying moment, especially when you used your card previously that same day, and you pay your bill every month, and are no where near your purchase limit. If you take the time to call the card company, they'll give you the rundown that the card is being used outside of your area and their system has flagged it as potential fraud. You then have to 'prove' who you are, that YOU have the physical card on your person, and that you are at the fuel station the card was being scanned at. The first time this happens it is NOT a fun situation.

I also hate having to call them every 30 days during travel months, which they require in order for this not to happen.


I'm not sure about your comment of 'cell phone' location - how would your CARD be somehow tied into your cell phone? Are they accessing your cell phone, or are you just assuming that they are since they 'know' where you are using the card? If so, the CARD scan is the location, not your phone. I highly doubt ANY card company has the authority to somehow tie into your phone provider's system to somehow 'track' where you are. It's the card, not your phone.

[Crossfire8207]

Very awesome feedback everyone thank you so much this was very informative and will look at all of these options happy safe travels.

[KRedburn]

Quote:
I'm not sure about your comment of 'cell phone' location - how would your CARD be somehow tied into your cell phone? Are they accessing your cell phone, or are you just assuming that they are since they 'know' where you are using the card? If so, the CARD scan is the location, not your phone. I highly doubt ANY card company has the authority to somehow tie into your phone provider's system to somehow 'track' where you are. It's the card, not your phone.[/QUOTE]

It is not your card that is associated but you account that is associated to the card and to the mobile application that is on your cell phone. Hence your esid and gps locator function within the cell phone operating software.

With in the disclaimer of the bank mobile application there is a section that the application will provide "mobile location" within the services provided for assistance in fraud protection.


cheers!

[Crossfire8207]

How do you put your information at the bottom of thread
Ie name and rv name toed vehicle and where you from?

[formerFR]

Originally Posted by KRedburn

It is not your card that is associated but you account that is associated to the card and to the mobile application that is on your cell phone. Hence your esid and gps locator function within the cell phone operating software.

With in the disclaimer of the bank mobile application there is a section that the application will provide "mobile location" within the services provided for assistance in fraud protection.


cheers!

I guess you are using your PHONE as the device that is providing the payment? such as ApplePay?

if that's the case, then I would think that the phone is simply providing the 'information' of your card account to the retailer, not the gps location of the phone, no different than if you provided the actual card itself - your card account has your 'home' zip code, and is compared to the 'zip code' location of the retailer you are at - I would doubt they are 'tracking' your phone's location since that is probably illegal. Mobile location probably is simply to say that your phone is being used at a particular geographical location(the store or fuel station) when it is being scanned.

"The company does not track, log, or watch what you’re buying with Apple Pay, or where you’re using it. Nobody can trace the transaction information back to you."

Your bank's own 'mobile app' is not a payment method, and would not be in play when using your credit or debit card, either physically or thru a payment device.


But, I've been wrong in the past.
Ask my wife. : )

[KRedburn]

Originally Posted by Crossfire8207

How do you put your information at the bottom of thread
Ie name and rv name toed vehicle and where you from?

Under the User CP at top. go to edit signature.

[KRedburn]

Originally Posted by formerFR

I guess you are using your PHONE as the device that is providing the payment? such as ApplePay?

if that's the case, then I would think that the phone is simply providing the 'information' of your card account to the retailer, not the gps location of the phone, no different than if you provided the actual card itself - your card account has your 'home' zip code, and is compared to the 'zip code' location of the retailer you are at - I would doubt they are 'tracking' your phone's location since that is probably illegal. Mobile location probably is simply to say that your phone is being used at a particular geographical location(the store or fuel station) when it is being scanned.


But, I've been wrong in the past.
Ask my wife. : )

Nope, not using phone to make payment. Phone has online banking application that communicates with bank or credit union. The app is gathering the gps location of the phone and sends to the bank. If a transaction is done with the credit card the bank will compare the location of the transaction with the phone location. As long as the phone is turned on there is a phone location generated by the cell towers/wifi that associates your esid of the phone. the phone also transmits on a regular basis so that the cell service knows where you are at. That info is also sent to the bank by the mobile bank application. I do not use the "scan my phone" to make a payment nor do I use my phone to make any payments.
I use the mobile app because of the location feature to lower chances of fraudulent usage. I get notified of every bank/cc transaction that occurs on any of my accounts.

[Crossfire8207]

Thank you very much keeping fingers crossed this worked lol

[Crossfire8207]

This forum site is very helpful

[formerFR]

Originally Posted by KRedburn

Nope, not using phone to make payment. Phone has online banking application that communicates with bank or credit union. The app is gathering the gps location of the phone and sends to the bank. . .

o.k.... 'splain yourself here, as I am confused.

-You are making a physical CARD handoff to a retailer, for a purchase(or you are scanning it yourself at a fuel pump, for example)

-You are using your BANK's card, not a credit card from a non-banking source

-You are allowing your phone's GPS to provide a physical location of 'where' you are(where the phone is, anyway) to your BANK(the mobile app)

-the BANK compares the retailer's 'location' to your phone's GPS location

-the BANK approves the transaction if the two are somehow 'close' (?)
or otherwise using the location info to help confirm/deny fraud (?)

.....oh my - good goobalies!

[Chuck_S]

USAA.

-- Chuck

[KRedburn]

You got it! By the way: 1984 happened many years ago! Big brother knows

The CC is sponsored by the bank in my case BoA visa. I use it to get miles on my purchases. My bank accounts checking/savings are held by "other bank" which also has a mobile app.

I cannot make a credit card transaction without myself and the DW being notified of a transaction along with the provider of the transaction "point of sale". This is true for all whether traveling or local.

In addition, if the cc questions the transaction a notification is sent to me and wife to verify the transaction. reply yea or nay.

[DAISY BOYKIN]

I travel with BOA (Bank of America), set and keep it up to date with BOA of travel plans through the BOA APP. Use BOA debit card and credit card. Have a limit set for purchase amount to be notified if limit is exceeded. When traveling
notified through phone TEXT of each purchase amount, even at gas pumps. I can make a purchase for 1 dollar, I get a notice to phone TEXT of purchase. If I exceed the set amount of a credit card purchase, I immediately get a call from security of the BOA credit services on my dedicated phone number to OK the purchase with a pass word given to security service. If I need cash, Hello Wally World for a small purchase and check out cash. I also carry Navy Fed Credit Union Credit card, Murphy Fuel Credit card for my discount for Diesel fuel. My local BOA made arrangement with a BOA near Niagara Falls in NY
for a safe deposit box for two weeks to store my Firearm when crossing the border. I have been banking with BOA for close to 30 years. They do help me pretty good when traveling.

[Crossfire8207]

Thank you very much Daisy Boykin just what I was thinking of using Bank of America very good information.