According to My Bank, Bonaire Does Not Exist

[Ironborn]

I called my bank today in order submit a travel notification for my ATM card, so that it will work without disruption during my upcoming trip to Bonaire, i.e. so that my use of the card overseas does not trigger a fraud alert. The customer service representative had never heard of Bonaire. I spelled it out for him, and it did not come up on their list of countries. I also suggested Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but that did not work either. He did, however, find the Netherlands Antilles, so he put that on the travel notification.

The problem is that, as far as I know, they dissolved the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. So I am wondering if that travel notification will actually work if and when I try to use my card on Bonaire. I encountered some problems trying to use my cards on Curacao last year, and I wonder if those problems resulted from a similar discrepancy.

Does anyone have any solutions or suggestions?

 

[Marie13]

I guess the obvious question is which bank issued your credit card? Major bank like Chase or something smaller?

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
The problem is that, as far as I know, they dissolved the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. So I am wondering if that travel notification will actually work if and when I try to use my card on Bonaire. I encountered some problems trying to use my cards on Curacao last year, and I wonder if those problems resulted from a similar discrepancy.

What country name did the bank note for your travel to Curacao? Are you saying they found "Curacao" on their list and noted that, yet they pinged you with a fraud alert? Or did they note "Netherlands Antilles" for that trip as well?

 

[BreeAbyss]

When I went to Bonaire a couple years ago my bank also only had Netherlands Antilles and I asked whether it will still work and they said it would because it was still in their system as Netherlands Antilles. My cards all worked in Bonaire!

Although that might not mean anything because I've been completely locked out of all my accounts while vacationing in the USA lol. It could have just been good luck that they worked in Bonaire

 

[Trailboss123]

I'd just withdraw the amount of cash you think you will need for the trip and take it with you.
Bonaire currency is the US dollar.

 

[uncfnp]

I use to do travel notifications with my credit cards. The last time I did they said not to bother. Seems they know where I am going as soon as I do. Kind of a scary world we live in now. Big Brother isn't just the government but big corporations.

 

[Ironborn]

I guess the obvious question is which bank issued your credit card? Major bank like Chase or something smaller?

It is a small credit union. It would not surprise me if they had failed to update their country list since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010.

I had better luck with my other ATM card from a major bank. I had to talk the customer service representative through it, though, but she did eventually find a listing for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.

 

[Ironborn]

What country name did the bank note for your travel to Curacao? Are you saying they found "Curacao" on their list and noted that, yet they pinged you with a fraud alert? Or did they note "Netherlands Antilles" for that trip as well?

Yes, I specifically told them that I was going to Curacao, although I don't know what they actually put in the travel notification. When I tried to pay for my dives with it, they declined the transaction. I think it might have been an issue with that particular bank though, as that bank often declines transactions even in other parts of the U.S. that I visit, even after I have given them a very specific travel notification.

 

[Ironborn]

When I went to Bonaire a couple years ago my bank also only had Netherlands Antilles and I asked whether it will still work and they said it would because it was still in their system as Netherlands Antilles. My cards all worked in Bonaire!

Although that might not mean anything because I've been completely locked out of all my accounts while vacationing in the USA lol. It could have just been good luck that they worked in Bonaire

That's what I hope, but I wonder if a transaction in Bonaire will show up with a different country code (or none at all) on the bank's systems and thus cause it to decline the transaction because of the discrepancy, or because my bank's systems think that Bonaire does not exist.

 

[Ironborn]

I'd just withdraw the amount of cash you think you will need for the trip and take it with you.
Bonaire currency is the US dollar.

That's what I plan on doing, but I want to be able to use my cards just in case.

Speaking of carrying large amounts of cash...when you stayed at Den Laman, did they have digital safes in the rooms?