US credit cards sent direct to Brazil

I have USAA, I keep my billing address in America. They send me my cards here in Brazil. I've had no problems and they reimburse my ATM fees too.

I had a Bank Debit Card sent one time. It was sent by FEDEX. I don`t think I would use regular mail. I prefer to get it when I`m there or have someone bring it to me.


Jim

Thanks Craig. Have they done this with consistency for various years?

I requested Boeing Employees Credit Union to send my debit card 2 yrs ago and I never received a response. I tried to get money using
the same card at an ATM here in Brazil after that nd it was blocked. So I'll look into that. USAA... they like vets like us.

robal

Capitaone 360 also does not charge foreign fees.

Jim

Thanks for the input Jim.

robal

I have Quicksilver and Venture One from Capital
One. Do you think they would send it to me here in Brazil? Should I change then my mailing
address to be Brazil and my billing address as
usual in America?

robal

They have sent me cards twice in the last year and a half. The whole switch to chip cards thing. Express mail, about 2 weeks of time. Works best at 24 hour banco ATM. Pass debit card as credit and no problems at restaurant / supermarket. They reimburse ATM fees and haven't said anything in the whole time. Address has to stay USA, I switched it once tô here and I could purchase nothing. Put travel notice on accounts long term. Raise ATM withdrawals to $900 a day so you can withdraw R$2400 a day.

Any questions let me know! Yes, they love vets!

I never changed my mailing address when I had my capitalone 360 sent to me here .I just called them and told them I would be in Brazil for several months and asked them to send it here. I had it fedexed instead of by mail. It did cost me R$58 but better than losing it in the mail.

Jim

My brother always send my cards registered by regular mail and no problems so far. US
post office give the tracking number so you can trace where your mail is.

I thought even of using mail forwarding services but they're tricky since they have extra charges. You can request for them to send your mail in bulk like every month but mailing also has gotten expensive. Besides, who would want other people handle your credit card mail? Cloning is rampant. I bought parts of my Toyota on-line and after a month there were lots of unauthorized charges. One guy was buying Victoria Secrets lingeries in Vegas, another buying ballcaps from Queens, New York. I'm glad I monitor my accounts and I'm able to warn my bank ahead of time. Brazil also has already embarked big time.

I'm trying to keep my accounts to maintain my credit score (FICO). I'm always preparing that just in case I have to go home due to pressing emergencies. To diminish some burden for my brother, I'm now directing him to cut some cards that I don't really need. Of course that's after I activate them on-line. If I close accounts I'll lose credit score points because limits are important. If you exceed percentages of
credit card expenses, you're deemed as irresponsible and your score falls. The most
senior cards should be preserved because they determine track record age.

I'll return later. Gotta do some errands. Thanks.

robal

So I gather that addresses has to be always USA on both billing and mailing and I have to call the aforementioned credit cards in anticipation before the expiration (about 1 1/2 mo before) to be able to be sent to Brazil. No automatic sending to Brazil.

I did try to apply with USAA as Craig mentioned but application failed because they wanted to send a text confirmation to my cellphone. They probably detected my IP address in Brazil so they wanted verifications. I only have a VIVO cellphone in Brazil. T-Mobile Pre-paid International Roaming is the answer. I thought about that 2 mos ago when I was home in California but it never materialized because I was very busy partying with relatives and friends; obtaining the new VA Health ID, renewing my California Driver's License; shopping etc. Two weeks wasn't enough. They charge the Simply Pre-Paid Roaming for $5 a month. Unlimited text messages. Calls for $3.50 a minute from Brazil. You have to pay Oi or TIM for the local toll. This should also solve the problem if you want to establish an account with Social Security for benefit verification services. Social Security also want to send you texts for verification and the blanks they send you to fill in are for US residents - lesser digits than people's phone number in Brazil. US citizens applying for SS benefits in my opinion are better off applying on-line than in person because of the new changes in SS benefits that Congress just passed. Customer Service members are not yet very familiar with the recent rules.

There are very easy solutions for me if I wanted to. Some credit cards of mine are linked to my accounts with stock brokerages. But I want to keep them at home and not use it in Brazil for security purposes. Those - they would send with pleasure for their own benefit.  Automatically to Brazil if I request! Anyone who invests in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, Ripples etc can easily be converted in reais thru their gateways and sent to a local participating bank with much much cheaper fees - in minutes! I also don't do that because of hackers. I keep my digital coins in "cold storage" out of internet connection. Just look what happened to Mt Gox that handled Bitcoin. Millions were stolen!

I'll be in California again next April. At the time I will apply for USAA and they can send that text verification on my brother's phone. Who knows, I might even get the pre-paid
roaming from T-Mobile and establish an account with Social Security...

Thanks Craig and Jim!

robal

Hello all,
I have a credit union and various CC still in the US and I also have a CA mail box address for a very long time and they forward my mail in Brazil with no problem, they do it with a tracking number, cost a little more but way more secure.
If you have a g-mail account you can try a google voice number: try login with a vpn service (Opera Browser has it for free) to the US and log in to your g-mail account and try to get a US google voice. I have 2 of them hooked to a OBI box and I can receive and place call for free to the US and using hangout from a smartphone give you mobile access to your US number (according that you have a data plan)
Best
Pas

Hi extrapas33,

Thanks for your input!

Questions:

1. Your CA mail box address: Is that the regular US Post Office box? If yes, do they
    send them in bulk or they send them as they come to your box? Can you pre-
    schedule with them a bulk mailing like once a month? And how do you pay the
    mailing expenses? Do they send everything including junk mail ? And how much
    approximately do you pay for mailing them to you to Brazil?

2. Your mobile phone that you use to access your US Google Voice Number: Your
    broadband or internet provider is of course Brazilian like Vivo or Claro right?

Just making sure that I got the information right. Thanks again!

robal

Hi Robal
For #1: it's a private mail box address. I just call then to know what mail I have before they  send me a yellow envelop with tracking.
they separate junk from real mail, I use them for more than 20 years.
cost around $25 with tracking it's secure for CC or other documents and quick .
I pay them with my CC on file. or cash advance when I'm in LA.
For #2: I'm fresh back to Brazil 2 months now, my phone is still on Google FI network, but we tested my wife cell provider, she did transfer her Google FI number to a google voice number and she has a Claro SIM chip, we have a NET combo plan (internet, tv and cellular) and her cell line work everywhere, we got share data for cell and her google voice work great anywhere she place and receive call OK (free to the US). you can use the "WhatsApp" for free call home too...  but for a home number, the best way is to use an "OBITALK" with a Google voice set up.
Best,
Pas

Looks like that could relieve my brother and my conscience... May I know the name of the private mail box that you use so I can open an account next April when I go home to San Diego? How much is your annual rent?

I don´t know if they have a branch in SD. If none can you recommend another? Thanks.

All the best,

robal