Purchasing Ebooks online with a Canadian Credit Card?

[burnalot]

Hello!

I am a university student living in Chiang Mai from Canada.

Amazon REFUSES my credit card.

I am trying to purchase .PDF, EPUBS, Ebooks for school, and NO ONE will accept my credit card.

I have courses starting this week and I NEED to get these bloody books!!!

Anyone have any success?

Cheers

[uptheos]

Have you tried contacting customer service as they would know.

I use my Bangkok Bank CC without a problem, I would have thought a Canadian CC carried more clout.

Why restrict this post to the Chiang Mai forum?

[daveAustin]

Is it your local or Canadian CC? If latter, perhaps your Canadian bank has temp blocked purchases due to where you're buying from. Did you tell them?

Alternatively, I've bought Amazon books through a smartphone, Kindle app.

Alt2, did you try the likes of epubbooks or gutenberg (not illegal, mods)?

[Dante99]

Find out if you are being blocked by Amazon or the Bank that issued the card then call them and sort it. As Mr Austin suggests above it is probably your bank and they just need to talk to you to confirm things.

Lots of people here buying online with foreign credit cards.

[BangnaBound]

I buy ebooks on Amazon with my Canadian credit card all the time, so there is definitely no problem. As others have said, it's either the bank or amazon's automatic fraud protection system.

[Seligne2]

I have bought many ebooks with my TD Bank credit card. Does the bank know that you are overseas? I am pretty certain this has to do with your bank, and Amazon is just following their restriction.

[uptheos]

I have bought many ebooks with my TD Bank credit card. Does the bank know that you are overseas? I am pretty certain this has to do with your bank, and Amazon is just following their restriction.

Bank shouldn't have to know you're overseas, that's the purpose of having a credit card the freedom to travel without cash.

If the card was being used fraudulently the owner would have contacted the bank

[Suradit69]

I use my US credit card on Amazon all the time for Kindle books or for actual books sent to me in Thailand. My account with Amazon shows an invoice address that matches the billing address for my credit cards, although I don't think they actually check that or care one way or the other.

Have you used the same credit card(s) for any other purchases recently? There's probably a toll-free number (or number you can call and reverse the charges) on the card to call for any customer service issues. Check with them.

[NancyL]

I have bought many ebooks with my TD Bank credit card. Does the bank know that you are overseas? I am pretty certain this has to do with your bank, and Amazon is just following their restriction.

Bank shouldn't have to know you're overseas, that's the purpose of having a credit card the freedom to travel without cash.

If the card was being used fraudulently the owner would have contacted the bank

Banks will often block a credit card purchase that looks fraudulent and that includes one that pops up from someplace outside the normal pattern of purchases. So, it's just a good idea to notify your credit card company when you plan to make a trip so they don't block purchases you plan to make from that location.

[Mapguy]

OP,

You have to talk to your bank or other issuer of your card. You probably have a few strikes (statistically) against you already. One, you are a student most likely with little or no credit record. Two, you are in a country that unfortunately has a bad reputation for credit card fraud. Three, I'll wager you never told the issuer where you are and how long you expect to be there. That does help a lot in many instances albeit usually when you have some history with them of stability and reliability.

So, rack it up to life experience and call the issuer to tell them what's up!

Don't worry. Not having the books around here doesn't count for much! You'll no doubt do fine.

As a matter of interest, why did you come here to study anyway? And study what? That needs books.

[northernjohn]

Is it your local or Canadian CC? If latter, perhaps your Canadian bank has temp blocked purchases due to where you're buying from. Did you tell them?

Alternatively, I've bought Amazon books through a smartphone, Kindle app.

Alt2, did you try the likes of epubbooks or gutenberg (not illegal, mods)?

I agree contact your credit card people and tell them where you are. I use my RBC Visa for Amazon and have no problem with it.

[uptheos]

I have bought many ebooks with my TD Bank credit card. Does the bank know that you are overseas? I am pretty certain this has to do with your bank, and Amazon is just following their restriction.

Bank shouldn't have to know you're overseas, that's the purpose of having a credit card the freedom to travel without cash.

If the card was being used fraudulently the owner would have contacted the bank

Banks will often block a credit card purchase that looks fraudulent and that includes one that pops up from someplace outside the normal pattern of purchases. So, it's just a good idea to notify your credit card company when you plan to make a trip so they don't block purchases you plan to make from that location.

I know people that make loads of trips, I have done though not so much any more.

If they /I had to notify the bank every time it would be a real pain in the ass and if I forgot I would be stuck. There have been times I've flown out of a country on a few minutes notice, no time to notify or even bother to think about the bank. Never had a problem and that includes my CC with Bangkok Bank.

Maybe for people that never go anywhere, then after 5 years a charge suddenly pops up, the bank might think hmm.

[Suradit69]

I use my US credit card on Amazon all the time for Kindle books or for actual books sent to me in Thailand. My account with Amazon shows an invoice address that matches the billing address for my credit cards, although I don't think they actually check that or care one way or the other.

Have you used the same credit card(s) for any other purchases recently? There's probably a toll-free number (or number you can call and reverse the charges) on the card to call for any customer service issues. Check with them.

PS: which Amazon site are you trying to use? I usually buy actual books to be sent to me in Thailand from the Amazon UK site since the shipping is cheaper than from the US, but for some reason I need to use the Amazon US website for Kindle books. I think it has something to with some unfathomable copyright laws.

[uptheos]

OP,

You have to talk to your bank or other issuer of your card. You probably have a few strikes (statistically) against you already. One, you are a student most likely with little or no credit record. Two, you are in a country that unfortunately has a bad reputation for credit card fraud. Three, I'll wager you never told the issuer where you are and how long you expect to be there. That does help a lot in many instances albeit usually when you have some history with them of stability and reliability.

So, rack it up to life experience and call the issuer to tell them what's up!

Don't worry. Not having the books around here doesn't count for much! You'll no doubt do fine.

As a matter of interest, why did you come here to study anyway? And study what? That needs books.

You don't usually get a Canadian CC without good credit history.

How long since you were out of the country and using a CC?

[Mapguy]

OP,

You have to talk to your bank or other issuer of your card. You probably have a few strikes (statistically) against you already. One, you are a student most likely with little or no credit record. Two, you are in a country that unfortunately has a bad reputation for credit card fraud. Three, I'll wager you never told the issuer where you are and how long you expect to be there. That does help a lot in many instances albeit usually when you have some history with them of stability and reliability.

So, rack it up to life experience and call the issuer to tell them what's up!

Don't worry. Not having the books around here doesn't count for much! You'll no doubt do fine.

As a matter of interest, why did you come here to study anyway? And study what? That needs books.

You don't usually get a Canadian CC without good credit history.

How long since you were out of the country and using a CC?

All things considered, not just credit records, if you'll reread my post.

And I am not a grduate student, have been outside of the "home country" for many years, have an excellent credit record, and normally advise credit card issuers of long-term international travel plans.

You might also overrate the confidence of issuers of credit to students or not be knowledgeable about modern marketing techniques! So, a "block." Even for textbooks!

OP doesn't strike one as terribly sophisticated --- and that is not an insult. The problem simply appears to be a lack of experience.

[burnalot]

Wow!

I am the OP.

Lots of excellent advice, thank you.

I will check with bank, and also check with Amazon.

My credit history is excellent.

Always amazes me though, how certain people make such odd assumptions to a pretty normal question.

And where I'm going to school, what I'm studying, and assuming that I am a young, 20 year punk-kid is entirely irrelevant.

Just sayin.

Thanks all, who provided relevant advice!

Cheers