# Credit/Debit Cards and Online Shopping



## Jinx (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi everyone, I searched a bit on this topic and didn't find the answer I was looking for. It may sound stupid, but I've just been all confused...:confused2:

I have a debit card and a credit card issued by Emirates NBD (but I only want to use my debit card for online shopping), and I want to use them to purchase items from US online shopping sites and have them sent to my US address... but I'm thinking, I don't even have an address to put in linked to the card when I check out, like I did with my US cards (still boggles my mind how this country doesn't use ADDRESSES!!!). I no longer have a US debit card as my mom closed my account but I plan on opening another one when I go back in about 2 months. 

So I've seen a bit about Shop and Ship and Aramex and are those really the only ways us Westerners can shop at our favorite online retailers? Or will I run into the same problem with the address/cc input again?


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

What's the address your credit card/bank statement gets sent to?

Mine is just a PO Box, I use that.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Your address will be your PO Box number, Dubai, UAE. If you can click on UAE on the shopping site it should allow for this.


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## Saint Ari (Oct 1, 2010)

Supposedly (from what I was made to understand)... UAE issued debit cards are not USABLE for online shopping (just credit cards) ... although my Emirates Debi Card works with iTunes, amazon.com, etc.

I use my mashreq credit card for other online purchases (i.e. paypal, banana, etc) ... mostly for protection.

When they ask for billing / shipping address ... I give 'em US address and it goes through just fine ....


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

SOME debit cards work but most don't apparently. Also some companies actually check the billing address but not all do. Your card's billing address is the one where your statements go or what you wrote in the application.


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## Saint Ari (Oct 1, 2010)

my credit card billing address says Dubai ... I put in my US address when the online retailer asks for the billing address ... also, shipping addres is an entirely different location.

In my experience, US issued credit / debit cards check for the billing address ...


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

like I said SOME sites do check but not all. and yes shipping and billing are different but some sites only take orders when both are the same.


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## Jinx (Jul 2, 2010)

Hmmm, I guess my main problem is that I don't actually know my PO box number. ;; I'm cabin crew for Emirates and so everything gets mailed to them first and then into my personal box. I have never gotten one statement (I've only been here about 7 months, only had my CC for about 2 months) hmmm... but although when I was activating my CC they asked me for my PO box and the Emirates and personal box number was NOT IT and they wouldn't tell me what I actually had it under... confusing because EK set up our bank accounts. I guess I need to do some investigating.

Moe, but also the address I wrote in the application wasn't even an address, at least not in the sense of how you'd fill it out in a US form... it was more like Building Name, Apt #, Street, City...

Saint... so only if it's a US issued card they match the billing address? I guess I will try it... I don't need anything sent to me yet, I just need some things sent home and I figure I'll pick it up when I go in 2 months. And I figure this'll all be easier once I have a US account again.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

When they forward your post, what PO Box number is written on the envelopes?


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

Ok. well your billing address is the address your credit card is connected to and where your statements should be sent to. You need to ask your bank for this, get them to print it out for you.

SOME sites will check your billing address especially if it's not the same as your shipping address. Amazon for example doesn't care much about that but other sites often do.


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## Saint Ari (Oct 1, 2010)

From my experience ... a UAE issued credit card didnt verify the billing address since I put in my US address and it went through with flying colors .... less hassle than putting on a UAE PO Box as the billing address ... some sellers don't like foreign credit cards ... has something to do with fraud prevention or something rather.

If what you're purchasing are small / light enough, have you considered using Aramex's Shop & Ship?


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## Jinx (Jul 2, 2010)

Wanda... it's posted to the Emirates PO Box.

Saint... I guess I could, it's just some makeup. But I was also thinking of buying on Amazon an Xbox live card (which I could just get the code electronically, just wasn't sure about the whole CC billing thing). 

Also, since we are on the subject... paypal can link to the UAE bank account and CC's too, right?


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## Saint Ari (Oct 1, 2010)

shu uemura? sk2? 

shouldnt be a problem ... I have my paypal linked to a UAE credit card .... 

ALTHOUGH, a UAE bank account is an entirely different story ... last time I checked ... NO ... paypal is wired through bank routing numbers ... not SWIFT codes 

If they went though an upgrade ... I'd like to know


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## Jinx (Jul 2, 2010)

Ha, no, a much much cheaper brand. Okay, good to know about paypal.. I hate to use my CC but if that's the only way to use paypal...


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