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Hello all!
Many of us live, study, or travel to Israel and prefer using US credit cards.
I haven't seen a "master list" anywhere that outlines which stores, sites, government agencies/utilities, or companies decline US cards, so I thought it might be nice to start one.

I've only transitioned my spend to a US card this past week, so there are still plenty of unknowns.
Please reply to the thread and I'll update accordingly!

Here are my experiences thus far:

Declined US card
-BigDeal http://www.bigdeal.co.il (Groupon copycat) (attempted with Chase CSR Visa)
-Club Teva website (if you happen to be a Teva employee  :))) (attempted with Chase CSR Visa)
-Website getit.co.il; Barclays MC declined
-Clal Insurance
-most gas stations (ask them to pre-charge 400 or 500 shekels if you need a full tank on your car, and if you go under the amount the gas station will refund you.) even better if you know the guy well enough and he'll let you fill up without charging your card first.

Tentative
-AIG Insurance declined through call center (rep mentioned that they do not accept any foreign cards).  However, my card successfully registered through their online portal and will wait to see if it gets charged properly.
-Pizza Hut worked online with Amex; CSR was declined

Other
-Cellarix (Israeli social payment app/site).  It let me send money, but Chase categorized it as a cash advance (attempted with Chase Visa)
-Mika gas stations (only lets you fill up 30 shekels worth when paying at the pump, apparently paying inside gets this raised to 200) (attempted with Chase Visa)

golan and other phone companies now charge an additional 30 shekel per month for processing any foreign card.

also you dont have to put in a real 9 digit number 123456789 works fine or put in your 9 digit passport number instead of teudat zehut.
« Last edited by yman on January 09, 2019, 09:58:19 AM »

Author Topic: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards  (Read 57640 times)

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #160 on: February 20, 2018, 02:34:39 AM »
Nice, which card exactly? CSR? Happy to see this now works!
Happens to be it was a United Explorer. Should it make a difference which Chase Visa?

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #161 on: February 20, 2018, 02:35:21 AM »
I just tried paying BL online and SPG, Aviator WM and Chase Sapphire were all declined because "need to pay with an Israeli cc" :(
When did you try?

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #163 on: February 20, 2018, 03:16:45 AM »
Last night
For a while I had to pay by phone because of the same issue you had. The other day the phone system claimed to be having technical issues (before the stage of entering CC info) so I tried online successfully.

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #164 on: March 01, 2018, 03:06:01 PM »
Message I received from Chaim V'Chessed

Cashless Buses
Beginning this upcoming Thursday, March 8th, bus drivers in Jerusalem will no longer be filling up Rav Kavs or selling single-ride tickets. Passengers will be required to load their Rav Kavs before boarding buses. This is to ensure safer, smoother rides without distraction for bus drivers.

Payments are to be made:

    on the Rav Kav smartphone app
    on the Rav Kav website
    via payment kiosks that are to be set up around the city

Most of the payment kiosks do not accept foreign credit cards. This will create difficulty for both tourists and foreign residents who do not carry Israeli credit cards. Chaim V'Chessed has begun tackling the issue by reaching out to various contacts and officials.

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #165 on: May 16, 2018, 10:32:11 AM »
Electric Company not accepting any of my foreign Visas. Tried online and phone.

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #166 on: May 16, 2018, 01:48:22 PM »
Electric Company not accepting any of my foreign Visas. Tried online and phone.
Last time i paid (about a week or 2 ago) i used amex.

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #167 on: May 16, 2018, 02:26:00 PM »
Last time i paid (about a week or 2 ago) i used amex.
I also recently paid using Amex but I don't want to do that right now because I may close my only Amex card this month. See http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=1572.msg1932562#msg1932562.
Discover Card (which BTW has 5% cashback on groceries this quarter) didn't work either.

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #168 on: May 16, 2018, 04:33:16 PM »
Message I received from Chaim V'Chessed

Cashless Buses
Beginning this upcoming Thursday, March 8th, bus drivers in Jerusalem will no longer be filling up Rav Kavs or selling single-ride tickets. Passengers will be required to load their Rav Kavs before boarding buses. This is to ensure safer, smoother rides without distraction for bus drivers.

Payments are to be made:

    on the Rav Kav smartphone app
    on the Rav Kav website
    via payment kiosks that are to be set up around the city

Most of the payment kiosks do not accept foreign credit cards. This will create difficulty for both tourists and foreign residents who do not carry Israeli credit cards. Chaim V'Chessed has begun tackling the issue by reaching out to various contacts and officials.


The machines at the light rail stations take US cards.

Offline Aron27

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #169 on: May 21, 2018, 08:40:50 AM »
Electric Company not accepting any of my foreign Visas. Tried online and phone.
I have been paying my electic company bills for 5 years with US cards.. last one last week..

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #170 on: May 21, 2018, 09:16:38 AM »
I have been paying my electric company bills for 5 years with US cards.. last one last week..
Many of us have been doing the same thing. Which type of US card have you been using?

Offline Aron27

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #171 on: May 22, 2018, 07:58:26 AM »
Many of us have been doing the same thing. Which type of US card have you been using?
Visa, Amex, MasterCard. Never had a problem with any..

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #172 on: May 22, 2018, 09:02:34 AM »
Visa, Amex, MasterCard. Never had a problem with any..
And which one did you use most recently?

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #173 on: May 30, 2018, 06:55:21 AM »
Is this something new? I can't pay my Rishayon Rechev with any foreign card, both online and on the phone.

Was anyone successful recently?

Offline moe8555

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #174 on: June 10, 2018, 11:30:30 AM »
Is this something new? I can't pay my Rishayon Rechev with any foreign card, both online and on the phone.

Was anyone successful recently?

I recently paid for it over the phone (a few months ago) with Amex SPG.  Online failed.

Offline moish

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #175 on: June 10, 2018, 12:47:56 PM »
I recently paid for it over the phone (a few months ago) with Amex SPG.  Online failed.
Seems like that no longer works

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #176 on: June 14, 2018, 08:10:15 PM »
Is this something new? I can't pay my Rishayon Rechev with any foreign card, both online and on the phone.

Was anyone successful recently?
Just to follow up: I couldnt get anywhere with either online, on the phone or with the kiosk so I bit the bullet and withdrew from an ATM to pay it. Anyways, at the doar, I asked if they can try with my SPG Amex, and no go, but then I tried with my CSR, and lo and behold it worked.

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #177 on: June 17, 2018, 04:39:12 AM »
Can bimonthly income tax estimate/pre-payments for the self-employed (what on earth is the real English terminology for these payments???) be paid with a U.S. card?

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #178 on: October 16, 2018, 03:22:37 PM »
Electric Company not accepting any of my foreign Visas. Tried online and phone.
not accepting my CSP visa either 

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #179 on: October 16, 2018, 04:26:04 PM »
not accepting my CSP visa either
I just paid with amex (online) .