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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 57636 times)

Offline moe8555

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #240 on: September 08, 2020, 12:36:49 AM »
Also, this site codes as a department store when paying via Paypal with a Mastercard: https://www.tzabar-express.co.il/

Good to know if you have a bonus offer that includes department stores (Citi tends to).  Lots of items.

Offline JlmBoi

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #241 on: September 08, 2020, 01:15:39 AM »
Ivory.co.il no foreign cc
The chiddush of DDF is the way Dan Deals with all us crazies 🤪

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #242 on: September 08, 2020, 02:58:57 AM »
I paid for my Israeli passport yesterday and once again my US credit card was declined. (Based on past experience I only tried one card one time now.)

Offline moe8555

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #243 on: September 08, 2020, 04:46:20 AM »
Ivory.co.il no foreign cc

KSP also a no-go, unfortunately.

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #244 on: September 08, 2020, 05:45:42 AM »
Ten Bis does not take US CC IME

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #245 on: October 05, 2020, 07:06:33 PM »
Golan Telecom charges a surcharge of 30 Shekels for paying with a foreign card. Anybody have experience paying using a US-based Paypal account with a US credit card?

Offline BB59

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #246 on: October 06, 2020, 06:46:10 PM »
Ten Bis does not take US CC IME
I used US CC successfully twice about a month ago

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #247 on: October 06, 2020, 06:47:19 PM »
I used US CC successfully twice about a month ago
Which cc? Would be amazing.

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #248 on: October 06, 2020, 06:54:16 PM »

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #249 on: January 06, 2021, 03:15:34 AM »
I am trying to pay מס הכנסה using US Visa cards and it's not going. Anyone have experience with that?

Offline Ergel

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #250 on: January 06, 2021, 03:35:03 AM »
I am trying to pay מס הכנסה using US Visa cards and it's not going. Anyone have experience with that?
I couldn't get מס הכנסה to take an American card. Let me know if you get a card to work
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline Jack out of the box

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #251 on: June 03, 2021, 05:06:29 AM »
קרן משנת יוסף recently switched credit card processors and stopped accepting foreign credit cards. It could be that if you have a card on file then it will continue to work as long as you don't make changes. (I learned the hard way when trying to switch from one foreign card to another.)

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #252 on: August 26, 2022, 09:04:19 AM »
Apparently Visa (maybe MasterCard too) has changed their process with foreign transactions. It used to be that the $ amount shown pending was not final. Now it seems that the exchange rate is determined immediately upon purchase. In theory that should be a good thing as I can choose to pay when the rate is up. However there is now more transparency in their rates. I see over and over again that they seem to be taking a premium of something like 0.5-1%.

Offline rbs-g1.5

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #253 on: August 26, 2022, 09:34:32 AM »
קרן משנת יוסף recently switched credit card processors and stopped accepting foreign credit cards. It could be that if you have a card on file then it will continue to work as long as you don't make changes. (I learned the hard way when trying to switch from one foreign card to another.)
if i remember correctly mine stopped working without having switched anything

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #254 on: August 26, 2022, 09:38:33 AM »
IMPORTANT : When you donate money you may want to reconsider using your american card if you have better options ,as the beneficiary will get hit with fees. My shul uses Nedarim plus and goes thru a differant organisation.It took a while to realize that it was costing alot.(I dont remember exactly how much it was )

Offline drosenberg88429

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #255 on: August 26, 2022, 10:38:54 AM »
IMPORTANT : When you donate money you may want to reconsider using your american card if you have better options ,as the beneficiary will get hit with fees. My shul uses Nedarim plus and goes thru a differant organisation.It took a while to realize that it was costing alot.(I dont remember exactly how much it was )

They get hit with fees even when charging in shekel?

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #256 on: August 26, 2022, 10:48:12 AM »
They get hit with fees even when charging in shekel?
Israeli CC processing companies tend to charge the merchant more when billing a non-Israeli CC. However they do offer flat-rate deals so it may not actually make a difference to the merchant.

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #257 on: August 31, 2022, 06:01:22 AM »
Just did a purchase from ksp.co.il. I always try to use a US CC and it never works, tried a US Amex and it didn't go through, but then my Citi Premier did! And the payment was processed and is currently being prepared for shipping.

I will note that I did use 100 Israeli AMEX points for a 10NIS discount.. Don't know if that made a difference or not (and if anyone ever finds a better use for those dumb points, please let me know)

Offline Moshe Green

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #258 on: August 31, 2022, 06:44:04 AM »
They get hit with fees even when charging in shekel?
in my store i pay something like 3% as opposed to 1.4 for israeli ccs. its very hard when im only making 10% on an item and 3 is going to the cc :(

Offline moe8555

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Re: Master List: Israeli companies and sites that decline US cards
« Reply #259 on: August 31, 2022, 09:18:09 AM »
Just did a purchase from ksp.co.il. I always try to use a US CC and it never works, tried a US Amex and it didn't go through, but then my Citi Premier did! And the payment was processed and is currently being prepared for shipping.

I will note that I did use 100 Israeli AMEX points for a 10NIS discount.. Don't know if that made a difference or not (and if anyone ever finds a better use for those dumb points, please let me know)

Mastercards work, Amex does not.  I don't think Visa works either.  It's been like this a long time now actually.. also works in store.