Global Finance in Crisis

This is Juli on the phone - 7.15 am our time - to the really jolly, friendly, helpful Kellie in Rockampton, QLD, Australia, where it's 5.15 pm. She's been on the phone to Australia since 6.30-ish am trying to pay for our Greyhound Kilometre passes with a credit card, into which we have transfered the necessary funds, so there won't be any problems with credit limits, etc. Unfortunately, shortly after this picture was taken, our card was declined.

While Juli is still on the line to Australia, Nick (not shown for reasons of taste and decency) calls our bank to ask why. Apparently, the transaction has exceeded their 'spending' limit.

Bank agent:
"The transaction needs to be authorised by our card team."
Nick:
"But there's more than enough money on the card to cover the transaction without needing any actual credit."
Bank agent:
"Yes, I can see that."
Nick:
"So what's the problem?"
Bank agent:
"The transaction needs to be authorised by our card team."
Nick:
But the funds are available, you've got the card holder on the phone and I've answered all your security questions. I'm authorising the transaction.
Bank agent:
I'm sorry, but the transaction needs to be authorised by the card team, and they don't get in until 8.00 am.
Nick:
By 8.00 am [Kellie] in Australia will be home making her tea.
Bank agent:
Oh.

Anyway, it was all sorted out in the end: the lovely Kellie stayed late (until after 6.00 pm her time--how many travel and ticket sales agents have you come across that would have done that?) and the bank agent phoned back more or less when he said he would and, after asking some more security questions, put me through to someone on the card team, who was able to overide the limit. It would seem that our bank's anti-fraud systems are unable to tell the difference between what Greyhound Australia and a regular coach company do. I suppose six and a half thousand pounds would, on that basis, look like a suspiciously expensive bus ticket. Apparently it happens quite often when the bank's other customers book a week or two's full board and accommodation at Disneyland, which looks to the bank's computers like an ordinary theme park.

Technology, eh?