Buying from OWC/ credit card

Hi all, i live in the UK and am buying some new RAM for my macbook from OWC. It went fine but i have received an email from them with attached pdf files, in which they want me to add pictures of my credit card and a photo id to verify i'm a proper customer. Now i think this could all be fine as i am purchasing from abroad and they state my credit card doesn't participate in international verification that they use.
My question is has anybody else had to do this when ordering from OWC when they live outside the USA?

Thanks in advance

Only my thought and while I feel OWC is a very reputable company...

Had a company ask me for those - not OWC - I declined.
What's to prevent someone that gains access to those pics now being able to prove they are you?

Have you tried paying via their Amazon portal or Paypal?

Besides, a pic of the CC and photo ID merely indicates both of them were probably taken out of the same wallet.
Proves nothing.

Maybe a pic with you holding a sign with today's date along with the CC and ID, maybe...

I agree. There is no way I would send them a picture of my CC and photo ID even though as bobtomay stated OWC is a reputable company. Find another way to pay them or order your memory modules locally in the UK.

If you cannot find some sort of resolution with OWC...order your ram from:

- http://www.crucial.com/uk/index.aspx (Crucial UK website)

If I remember correctly. I think that Crucial has a UK based warehouse as well...so delivery will be quicker.

- Nick

Excellent recommendation from Nick!

Shopped many times from OWC and have never run into this odd request. Maybe you will have to take it up with your credit provider.

Contact them directly if you choose to stick with them. Get some clarification as to why this is needed beyond the short description that's been emailed to you. Otherwise, I'd avoid that request like the plague.

YES i did have to do this the very first time i bought from them with a Credit card. I though what the heck, when i first had to jump through hoops, but once it is faxed off to them, you are fine to go. Its well worth doing as others have said they are a reputable company and to jump through hoops to get that sort of service is well worth it IMHO

@Harry, mate, you probably bought from them so long ago, they didn't have Fax or anything similar to have a quick enough turn around but they do do this as its a security measure, and they don't want to be held accountable for someone stealing a card and going online and spending up big.

@OP do it mate once and then your ok to go and spend your hard earned

EDIT : I remember blacking out all numbers except the last four, so they didnt have a full copy of the Card, and same with the back, i blacked out the 3 digit number you need as confirmation. Just do that OP and they will accept it.
They just need to confirm the name on the card with your ID name

Thanks for all the replies, think i will cancel that order and just pay with paypal as that will be easier.
Went with OWC over Crucial because it worked out quite a bit cheaper but then i may get a charge when it goes through customs but we will see, at least i will know for the future!

Thanks again!

r0ganj0sh said:

Went with OWC over Crucial because it worked out quite a bit cheaper but then i may get a charge when it goes through customs but we will see, at least i will know for the future!

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Very possible. VAT charges in addition to any customs charges.

Crucial's prices were probably more than an OWC...since Crucial has a UK presence...and probably has customs fees & VAT amounts built into their price...where OWC doesn't (but may be added before you receive the package).

- Nick

Depends what the UK government decided on VAT and import duties whether or not you pay any extras. Here in Australia GST does not apply until the purchase price exceeds from memory $1000.00, about £650.0.0. Mind you local sellers are putting on pressure to stop online sales.

You in the UK are like us here and usually pay a high premium for shopping locally.

All ordered now and payed with by paypal, which was really easy, gotta remember to use that more often. Will have to wait and see now if anything else needs to be payed when it arrives, will be good too find out if small bits like this can be ordered from abroad for a better price.

r0ganj0sh said:

Thanks for all the replies, think i will cancel that order and just pay with paypal as that will be easier.

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Paypal can have its own problems. I have a CC for 'net purchases only - had it for years with never a problem or late payment. Plain Visa - Major bank. But on occasion, I will hit a shopping cart that uses PP for verification, and I get the message "This card cannot be used for this purchase."

As far as I know, there is no fix other than apply for another card somewhere and hope it works. Certainly, contacting PP isn't an option unless you are retired with nothing else to do, have a wired phone with no battery, and are willing to call back innumerable times. Unfortunately, you get the same cretin every time. "Why don't you just get another card and save us the problem of having to talk to you?"

Or let your mouse do the walking and shop somewhere else.

cptkrf said:

Paypal can have its own problems. I have a CC for 'net purchases only - had it for years with never a problem or late payment. Plain Visa - Major bank. But on occasion, I will hit a shopping cart that uses PP for verification, and I get the message "This card cannot be used for this purchase."

Click to expand...

I have a similar problem with a debit card I have with a credit union local to the city I grew up in (and long moved from). Every once in a while, I run into a business here that can't process transactions on that card. It's not denied or insufficient funds. It just kicks back some error that it can't process it. Now that you have me thinking about it, I need to get that exact message some time and contact them about it.

Steam is like that. It won't accept my debit card if I want to buy a game. I always have to pull out one of my credit cards to purchase something.

I wonder if the Google Play Store is like that, as i just tried to help a Family member out and got a constant "Cannot complete purchase due to a technical problem, try later" but with no real explanation, even though we could download free Apps ??

Don't think so Brent. They accept debit cards, Paypal, credit cards, etc. I suspect the store was either down at your end or there was some other glitch. Keep trying.