I'm currently in Thailand on a 90 day planned stay, i  just got a text message asking if I authorized a 50 dollar debit card transaction. I haven't used that card for anything in recent months. In fact I never use it for any purchases,. except an occasional atm withdrawal back home. I texted back no, and immediately got another text message saying the card was blocked. I called etrade and they insisted they do not and will not send debit cards overseas.  I'm a elite member there for 25 years now.  They said they will only send a card to my usa address on file and will never send one overseas. I asked a follow on question if they would ever send new cards to me if I was an expat living outside the usa, say one that was not blocked but just expiring and the agent  Austin Ryder said no.  I asked him to show me where the website says etrade doesn't send overseas,  and he said it is not written,  but is the policy.  Nobody is currently at my home that  could later fed ex the card to me here in Thailand, so I asked if I could have the card sent to a friend's house who could then mail it to me.  He said, but I would have to. Change the address on file, then there would be a 10 day wait.

 

So be forewarned about etrade.  Now I know in past years they woild send overseas because a similar thing happened about 15 years ago,  I suspect this is just a Morgan Stanley change since they bought up etrade.  

 

I'm not an expat yet,  but I'm glad I'm finding out some problems with etrade now.  I will have more questions for them later when I calm down about living abroad, foreign address, transferring money,  access to my iras, brokerage account etc..

 

I did plan for this and did bring a  card for a different account.   Boy scout be prepared,  plus I did bring enough cash for my expected stay.

 

 

18 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

I'm currently in Thailand on a 90 day planned stay, i  just got a text message asking if I authorized a 50 dollar debit card transaction. I haven't used that card for anything in recent months. In fact I never use it for any purchases,. except an occasional atm withdrawal back home. I texted back no, and immediately got another text message saying the card was blocked. I called etrade and they insisted they do not and will not send debit cards overseas.  I'm a elite member there for 25 years now.  They said they will only send a card to my usa address on file and will never send one overseas. I asked a follow on question if they would ever send new cards to me if I was an expat living outside the usa, say one that was not blocked but just expiring and the agent  Austin Ryder said no.  I asked him to show me where the website says etrade doesn't send overseas,  and he said it is not written,  but is the policy.  Nobody is currently at my home that  could later fed ex the card to me here in Thailand, so I asked if I could have the card sent to a friend's house who could then mail it to me.  He said, but I would have to. Change the address on file, then there would be a 10 day wait.

 

So be forewarned about etrade.  Now I know in past years they woild send overseas because a similar thing happened about 15 years ago,  I suspect this is just a Morgan Stanley change since they bought up etrade.  

 

I'm not an expat yet,  but I'm glad I'm finding out some problems with etrade now.  I will have more questions for them later when I calm down about living abroad, foreign address, transferring money,  access to my iras, brokerage account etc..

 

I did plan for this and did bring a  card for a different account.   Boy scout be prepared,  plus I did bring enough cash for my expected stay.

 

 

 

This is international policy for any credit card bank, and same happened to me when I was in Thailand during covid. Luckily I always have two cards expiring a year apart, so if one goes down, I still have another. 

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

 

This is international policy for any credit card bank, and same happened to me when I was in Thailand during covid. Luckily I always have two cards expiring a year apart, so if one goes down, I still have another. 

I'm told schwaub handles it differently.   But that may be hearsay 

16 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

I'm told schwaub handles it differently.   But that may be hearsay 

Seems you are right, just did a search and several providers can send using secure mail, 

 

Nordea, American Express with more, so better check in you own country

This is one of the pitfalls of being in Thailand. As stated earlier, maintain 2 credit cards and 2 atm cards. I've had to cancel cards several times because of BS charges.

Having a card fed exed to Thailand will run in the $100. neighborhood.

Etrade ... that's a blast from the past. Did a bit of trading on that platform. So much cheaper than Fidelity Inv. Competition is a beautiful thing.

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

This is one of the pitfalls of being in Thailand. As stated earlier, maintain 2 credit cards and 2 atm cards. I've had to cancel cards several times because of BS charges.

Having a card fed exed to Thailand will run in the $100. neighborhood.

Yes. I brought backups zo all is well.. Unfortunately nobody is at my home in the usa that I can rely upon to FedEx me things. In the future, I will be opening schwaub accounts which is much more foreign travel accommodating.