Digital River Fraud?

[Stedios]

Why are Valve and HTC using Digital River to process payments if they have been blacklisted by some banks for fraud?
source comments on RPS: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/04/08/vive-shipping-date/#comments

[WarMachine]

They arn't black listed. They are an international company that processes sales. Capitol One told me that my issue would have been denied due to spending $900 to a company overseas. If it would have been $50 they wouldn't have even batted an eye.

Most people in the US are use to fraud protection, I think is required for any US financial institution. Now days CC companies are trying to protect themselves.

[Grim(CW)]

^^ that. Plus some people are crazed and will recall payments if they don't get their way, and it automatically tends to flag some companies wrongly.

Fun example was I used to play Everquest, but couldn't use my bank debit/credit card due to someone having reported them to that bank, so the bank would deny all charges attempted by SoE Online for anyone else attempting it.... When I called them, they flat out refused to allow the charge for my sub to EQ, leaving me to use my backup CC if I ever wanted to play (easy enough, auto bill the CC and auto pay it each much :p )

[=CrimsoN=]

Originally posted by Grim(CW):

...When I called them, they flat out refused to allow the charge for my sub to EQ, leaving me to use my backup CC...

Is that even legal?...

[shponglefan]

Originally posted by Stedios:

Why are Valve and HTC using Digital River to process payments if they have been blacklisted by some banks for fraud?

It's not a blacklist. Rather, it's banks' fraud protection processes kicking in.

I've had the same thing occur with my credit card in the past. I've made overseas purchases and almost each time, they flag the transaction and lock my card out of doing e-commerce. I then have to call the CC company, validate the purchase, and unlock my card.

As a consequence, I've since learned to contact them ahead of time for any such purchases (same with travel), so they don't flag transactions.

Best thing anyone can do is notify their financial institution in advance that they should expect this transaction. Then it's much less likely to get flagged as potential fraud.

[WarMachine]

Originally posted by Red Riding Hood:

Originally posted by Grim(CW):

...When I called them, they flat out refused to allow the charge for my sub to EQ, leaving me to use my backup CC...

Is that even legal?...

Yes. Just as an example recently, VISA refuses to do any transaction with federally Taxed 'legal' cannabis, which are still bound by US commerce laws, but Mastercard will. My previous VISA refused any foreign purchase, even Canada. My current one refuses EAgames because of a previous fraud issue.

[garfie2000]

I had to call my bank and make sure they knew this purchase was coming. I once ordered a book and didn't realize it was only offered in Australia(Australian Author)
Was surprised when A) Card was Blocked and B) paid three times more for shipping than the book cost.
I wanted the book so had to call around to get the charges through, but taught me to make sure I let the bank know what to expect.