US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards?

[Jaymez]

I'm a newbie - has anyone else had this problem? I have been alerted to US Airways miles by someone who has used them successfully for a while so I have every confidence in them if only I could buy them! I signed up my wife and I successfully to the program and received member numbers etc. Waited the required 12 days then attempted to take advantage of the November special buy 50K miles get 50k bonus miles. I had a confirmation everything had gone through OK but then a few days later I received an error notice:

Dear xx_xx_xx_xx_X,
Dividend Miles #: xx_xx_xx_xx_XX

We were unable to complete your purchase of Dividend Miles because there is a problem with your account and we are unable to complete the purchase. The transaction shown below was cancelled and your credit card was not charged.

Date: Nov 07, 2012
Transaction Number: 92407339525159623
Dividend Miles Account Number: xx_xx_xx_xx_
Miles Purchased: 50,000 + 50,000 Bonus
Please return to Buy Miles and re-enter your purchase and payment information (using an alternate credit card if required) ensuring that all your information is correct. Or you may contact the Dividend Miles Service Center at 1-800-428-4322.

Sincerely,
Dividend Miles


There was no explanation what the problem was, so I'd check all was OK with my credit card and the data I had entered and try again only to have the same thing happen. I used a different credit card as well. In all I tried 4 times! Same result.


Today I finally called US Airways from Australia at international telephone rates. It took almost an hour and after answering questions from robots, then explaining the problem to one person, then another (Russell), then another, and finally to Jim, I was told that the problem lies with 'Points.com' rejecting credit cards from Australian residents because of past problems with credit card fraud. Jim said he gets 2-3 calls a day from Australians where this has happened and that there is nothing he or US Airways can do about it. This guy Jim, who I gather was fairly high up in the call centre hierarchy did say quite pointedly that "US Airways don't fly within 6,000 miles of Australia but I guess a bunch of people down there have heard about the deals and want to take advantage of them." He said there was nothing he could do and he had no phone number he could give me for Points.com he simply directed me to their web site.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so did you find a solution? As US Airways have extended the deal till 7th Dec, if I can fix this I'd like to take advantage of the bonus!

I did wonder if there was a simpler explanation or whether this was a deliberate thing because too many Aussies were getting on to the deals.

 

[markis10]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Have you spoken to your bank who will have a more detailed record of what happened, or tried with a different credit card?

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

There was no explanation what the problem was, so I'd check all was OK with my credit card and the data I had entered and try again only to have the same thing happen. I used a different credit card as well. In all I tried 4 times! Same result.

I am going to guess that the issue is lies with your credit card/s. For example if you have never used your card for foreign transactions, then usually the first attempt will often seem 'suspicious' to your bank and they will decline to process it. To counter this, you call your bank prior to any foreign transaction (such as points.com is one) and advise them that that you will be making some foreign transactions in the next few days.

 

[trooper]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Several of my family (and myself of course!) have purchased miles using various Aussie issued CC,s...

No problems for any of us.....

 

[Jaymez]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Yes I spoke to both Visa and Amex who both indicated there appeared to be no record of an attempt to transact on the card!

 

[Jaymez]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

I am a regular traveller and have used both credit cards overseas. Occasionally, such as last year in China I get calls from Amex or Visa to double check I had actually made a transaction, so they are usually on the ball with me. The first time I had the problem I contacted the card companies and they indicated they had no record of an attempted transaction so the rejection wasn't at their level. I told them what I was trying to do.

 

[markis10]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Yes I spoke to both Visa and Amex who both indicated there appeared to be no record of an attempt to transact on the card!

Did you make two transactions, one Visa one Amex?????

 

[Jaymez]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

I think I have found the problem no thanks to US Airways and in particular 'Jim' who claims he gets 2-3 Australians a day who have their credit cards rejected. When completing my Dividend Miles membership application form I was asked to provide my home phone number (including area code). I don't know what format I typed it in. Either as (08) 12345678 or 0812345678 but I noticed on the membership acceptance notice I printed off for my file the phone number was showing as (081) 2345678. I think this is because in the US every area code is three digits.

When you input your credit card details to purchase the Dividend miles you are also asked to enter you address and phone number details. I wondered if there was a preliminary check automatically matching the information on the Dividend Miles membership files and the credit card application. So when it came to phone number, instead of entering (08) 12345678, I simply entered 0812345678.

I received the initial acceptances I had previously received so I wasn't about to celebrate, but this morning I had an email in my inbox confirming the purchase of 50,000 points plus 50,000 bonus points and I logged in and checked my wife and my dividend mile account balances and we both have 100,000 miles sitting in our accounts. So maybe we have had success at last. The debit hasn't appeared on-line in my credit card yet but we are further down the track than we have been before!

 

[Jaymez]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Tried different combinations and also 28 degrees Mastercard!

 

[Jaymez]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

Credit cards debited! - So it was all about that phone number matching! All those idiots at the US Airways Dividend Miles help desk have no idea and 'Jim' who get 2 - 3 calls a day from Australian's with credit card problems didn't suggest it could be an issue.

Thanks for the input all. I have learnt a lot from reading past post and I am going to look forward to collecting more US Airways miles and spending them at the 'pointy end' and also picking up some other tips on this very useful site!

 

[AlecG]

Re: US Airways Miles Promotion and Points.com problem with Aust resident credit cards

I'm experiencing a similar issue with points.com and buying Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles. Three days after I made my initial transaction I received a similar email to the one received by the OP. I rang Alaskan Airlines and explained the situation and was told that it was points.com who declined the transaction because I was using a card with an Australian billing address and they deemed it possible fraud due to Alaskan not flying to Australia. The CS agent asked me a few questions about why I was buying the miles and after seeming satisfied with my answer placed me on hold and then came back to let me know that points.com had released the hold on my account and that I could attempt to buy the miles again.

Going through the process once again, this time my card comes up as declined. I log into my internet banking and find that the transaction has actually gone through as a preauthorisation and proceed to ring the bank to ask why the card has been declined. The bank says the transaction went through just fine.

So now I am stuck with two preauthorisations on my credit card account and no points! Aside from the phone number trick, are there any other tricks anyone has found in being able to successfully purchase miles with a points.com partner and an Aussie credit card?