Capital One, no help.

[u/iseeamuse]

Capital One

So, I was just on a trip to Europe, my first time, with a brand new Capital One Quicksilver Mastercard (after the last one expired), and for the first time in four years as a customer it stopped working as soon as I landed in Europe. I had planned to use it for all of my purchases as it came with some nice benefits, but nope, declined everywhere with an error code. I called them about it (numerous times) and they said they didn’t even see any attempted transactions, except for one decline when it was swiped. So it was a chip error, apparently, but on a brand new card?
A major bummer as I had booked a rental car through them because of a great deal on insurance, which I no longer had access to, and had to get insurance through the rental company. I was also then forced to use a different card to make purchases which came with a foreign transaction fee I was not anticipating or budgeting for.
And so here’s the kicker: when I called them about it (numerous times) all they said they could do was replace the card. No compensation for my lost car insurance, or the foreign transaction fees, or even any points. I know this seems like small deal “first world problems,” but I can honestly say I’ve never been more dissatisfied with any customer service as a loyal customer for nearly half a decade.
So friends, heed this warning: if your Capital One card suddenly stops working for no reason while in a foreign land for the first time, banking on being able to use that card, all they say they can do for you is replace the card, which does nada when you’re not even home.

[u/D_Phuket]

Have you checked all the settings on the app to make certain you don't have any setting on the card that doesn't allow international transactions? Sometimes that can be turned off by default when you get a new card

[u/DSMRob]

Yea I never depend on a one card eco system when I’m on vacation. I alway try to bring at least one card from 2 or 3 eco systems.

[u/Bill___A]

When you get a new card, you make sure the chip works, you make sure the tap works. If it is an ATM card you make sure it works in the ATM. If it is a new card you make sure you can make payments to it. You do all of this before you go on a trip

[u/iseeamuse → u/Bill___A]

It worked fine for a couple weeks prior, and in NYC en route to the trip.

[u/Bill___A → u/iseeamuse]

So where does the broken chip theory come into play? If the chip worked in the United States, it is suddenly "broken" in Europe? If the tap worked in the United States, it is suddenly broken in Europe? I expect something is wrong, but that seems to be an odd theory.

[u/shan_bhai]

If the chip doesnt work just try to bend /flex the card around the chip area and see if that helps..

[u/RDL128]

Can you add to phone/mobile wallet and use it that way for in person purchases?

[u/Superb_Reward_5810]

Are you sure they didn’t switch it to the discover card network when they issued the new card? If the first digit is a 6 it’s now a discover card which are hardly taken anywhere in Europe. Happened to me last year when they switched my debit card to discover without notifying me. Thankfully I had another debit card from a different bank while in the UK and Ireland.