My credit card keeps declining in Malaysia and I have enough money on there and all international transactions are activated - what do I do?
My Millennium BCP Mastercard worked fine online but failed at almost every physical store in Malaysia. When I called the bank, they said their fraud protection had temporarily blocked card-present transactions due to unusual activity. They lifted the block right away once I confirmed my travel. I recommend calling your bank’s international support line and explaining your location and plans. Also carry cash or another card in case it happens again.
I had a similar issue with my NAB Visa card. It was set up for overseas use but every transaction in Penang got declined. Turns out the card was trying to process using contactless and the terminals didn’t accept it. I tried inserting the chip instead and it worked. Also double-check if your card is being processed as credit or debit at the terminal. I now carry a backup card just in case.
My Axis Bank credit card kept failing in Langkawi. Worked fine at the hotel but declined at restaurants and petrol stations. I called Axis and they told me some terminals in Malaysia don’t support chip-only cards properly. I switched to using my debit card and had no problems. Also make sure your card supports offline or fallback transactions. Sometimes the issue is the terminal, not your bank.
This happened to me in KL with my Barclays credit card. I had enough balance and international usage turned on, but it kept getting declined at shops and even an ATM. I called the bank and they said their fraud system had flagged Malaysia as high risk. They unblocked it immediately after verifying it was me. Try calling your card provider directly and ask them to whitelist Malaysia for your card.
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Tried HSBC, First Direct, and Revolut cards at CIMB Malaysia - none of them worked. Tried two different ATMs. No success.
Tried withdrawing RM400, didnt get the money but it was deducted from my account! Working on getting a refund.
Had a few Public Bank ATMs out of order recently. Annoying when you need money urgently.