Had something similar happen when I bought staging furniture for a property listing—same store as usual, but bigger total. Instant fraud alert. Makes me wonder if certain merchant categories trigger more scrutiny than others...?
I've noticed similar patterns when making bigger purchases, especially related to home improvement or furnishing. From what I've read, banks do seem to flag certain merchant categories more aggressively—furniture stores, electronics, and even home improvement centers. Maybe because these types of merchants often get targeted by scammers or fraudulent transactions? When I bought appliances for my new place, the bank froze my card instantly. Had to call in and verify everything... definitely seems category-related rather than just amount-based.
I've had similar experiences, especially when clients are furnishing new homes or doing renovations. Makes me wonder if banks have some internal list of "high-risk" merchants or something? Maybe it's not just fraud but also the frequency of chargebacks or disputes in those categories... who knows. Either way, it's reassuring to know they're paying attention, even if it is a bit annoying to deal with at the moment. Did they at least resolve it quickly for you?
Had something similar happen when I bought furniture for my own place a while back... the bank flagged it immediately. Maybe there's something about large home-related purchases that triggers their system? Did they give you a reason or just unblock it quietly?
"Maybe there's something about large home-related purchases that triggers their system?"
Yeah, big home purchases definitely trip the alarms. Banks usually flag anything out of your normal spending pattern—especially if it's furniture or appliances, since scammers love those categories. Last time it happened to me, I called them up and they just said it was an automated security measure. They cleared it immediately after confirming it was me. Annoying, but honestly better safe than sorry...
