Help? From the Community

[orlando2k7]

I don't know where else to turn to so I am asking the FFR community for advice on what to do with this situation of mine...

I didn't know where else to post this so I put this in Chit Chat.

So here goes:

Problem:

Today November 1, my girlfriend was supposed to come from Toronto to Los Angeles on a ticket that I had bought her using my credit card. So everything was planned like a month before, and she got her passport and everything and she dealt with her visa and everything to travel to the U.S. So there was no problem with her status in coming to the United States.

So the day she was supposed to travel, she went to the airport picked up her boarding pass and checked her luggage in. Everything was going fine until she got to security in Toronto Pearson International. Where they detained her and eventually arrested her for having false credit card information. Which is what I think and a couple of my friends think is the biggest load of BS, anyone can ever give you. I tried everything from calling U.S customs to verify what happened at the security check and I got no answer from them. So then I proceeded in calling Canadian Customs and Peel Police. They told me that they couldn't divulge any information regarding what had happened. So now I am left in the dark, with my girlfriend not talking to me because she is mad at me for some reason, when I tried my very best to resolve the credit card information problem. The airport made her miss her flight and now she has to rebook. Which can cost anywhere from $400-$500.

So my question for the community is what do you think I should do?


Sorry if this doesn't make much sense right now, but if you need me to clarify then I will edit the post. I am in dire need for help right now.

Help?

EDIT: This happened in Toronto not in the states.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Wait if the credit card information is claimed to be bad and it was you whom used it wouldn't you be arrested as well?

[Zageron]

Ouch, that sucks beyond belief. Out of cash because of some ass holes that were having a bad day. :(
Keep trying to talk to her, it's obviously not your fault. She probably provoked the staff somehow, or swore, or something along those lines.

Live with it, but be careful how to shell out cash :[

[orlando2k7]

Wait if the credit card information is claimed to be bad and it was you whom used it wouldn't you be arrested as well?

Well the credit card information is not bad because I had made the purchase a month ago, and I got the bill for it already. So that was not the reason. She was detained for having false credit card information. My credit card information, problem is that she didn't have my credit card information or card because I have the only copy of the card. So their reason didn't make any sense.

[foilman8805]

So...they detained her because...why?

The credit card information should have nothing to do with this since the ticket was already purchased if I understand correctly. Did she need to pay for something while she was at the airport, or what? If she already had the boarding pass in hand...I'm really confused...and I'm really sorry to hear about this. It's gotta be the most frustrating thing that's ever happened to you.

[orlando2k7]

So...they detained her because...why?

The credit card information should have nothing to do with this since the ticket was already purchased if I understand correctly. Did she need to pay for something while she was at the airport, or what? If she already had the boarding pass in hand...I'm really confused...and I'm really sorry to hear about this. It's gotta be the most frustrating thing that's ever happened to you.



Right she had her boarding pass, she didn't have to pay anything she was supposed to pick up the pass and then go through security and that was it. Step on plane and leave. Also yeah this is the most frustrating thing EVER. =[

[foilman8805]

Whose name did you put on the ticket?

[Phynx]

Customs restrictions are the worst hassle. The Canadian Customs at the border ruined my brothers $4,000 stereo system because when they went to check under the speakers box, they didn't disconnect any wires and since the box was built to stay in the car, they took a saw and cut it out, totally ruining the box and ripping all the wires. This is a very nice suede box and they just ruined it and their reason for it was that they HAD to check in the box to make sure no drugs were hidden there and my brother's going to court against them soon or whatever he can do I guess. I was pissed as fuq. He's flaming. They won't pay the damages because it was "regulation" that they did that. So yeah, I know how you feel when it comes to border crossing frustrations.

[orlando2k7]

Whose name did you put on the ticket?

Her name was on the boarding pass, but when you pay, obviously you use your own credit card. You never give her your number or anything so there is no possible way that she could have stolen my credit card information because even on the confirmation papers that I have there is no part of my credit card number on there at all.

Wow, dude. That's tough to cope.

Although... I don't understand why your -girlfriend- lives possibly 2,000+ miles away.

Yea. I love this girl like no other, which is why I would do anything to be with her even if it was for a short time.

[Maraxus11]

I honestly know nothing about customs and all the laws surrounding what one can or cannot do in this situation. The fact that this happened in Canada makes it even more difficult, because for all we know their system might be wildly different.

So the Canuks thought she had stolen your credit card and used it to buy her ticket, eh? Well here's the deal. Odds are you actually are at fault here for not pre-emptively clarifying this somehow with the airport. I'm not sure how you could've done this, though. Then again, your GF could have told them to call you to clarify it as well. She actually probably did, but they didn't want to hear it. With all these crazy terrorists running around these days, I guess you can't blame em.

I'd say keep calling the Toronto Airport until you get connected to someone with authority and explain the situation to them. Then ask how you can avoid the problem in the future (i.e. how you can prevent this same situation from occurring if and when you get your girlfriend another ticket w/ your credit card).

With regards to the gf herself, try giving her one more call and tell her that this WASN'T YOUR FAULT. If she's too thick to grasp that then don't call her for a while; give her some space and let her cool off till her mind isn't clouded with anger at the situation. Because this just happened today, she isn't thinking straight.

[orlando2k7]

Yeah, you are right I will give her some space, but honestly what has happened today is in my opinion totally out of line. I don't know what to do, I keep thinking that legal action should be involved. What makes this worse was that I had called all the places possible and talked to all authorities possible and none of them could give me a straight answer. So I was left in the dark.

Now why do I have to preemptively have to clarify this with them, when people all over the world do this? So it doesn't make any sense to me at all.

[TD_Project]

Don't bother trying to file a lawsuit or anything legal, they are trying to do their job by stopping terrorists from entering the US, or any criminals for that matter. They, in turn, make your country safer.

It is unfortunate of your situation however. I hope nothing but the best, but legal action should be out of the question. It's pressure from both sides, US and Canada to stop criminals and I guess your girlfriend looked suspicious. Although they seem to be a bit ridiculous, their principles are good.

Good luck in the future.

[MrRubix]

Man, this brings back memories of my long distance relationship back in high school. Sigh.

Unfortunate predicament, man.

However I feel like there's something to this story that isn't being said. There's nothing against buying a ticket for someone using your own credit card. This happens all the time, and people are let through without hassle. Something was done incorrectly at some point.

If it's your credit card, you have every right to know what happened. You really need to call them and get to the bottom of things and figure out exactly what rules were broken here. Otherwise, if they screwed up, I'd demand compensation.

[Demidetirus]

Move to a more terror-lax country.

[ShastaTwist]

Your girlfriend doesn't exist.

[Tater Tot]

Your girlfriend doesn't exist.

So orlando2k7's girlfriend was just a longstanding mass hallucination?

I'd like to know, did you contact a lawyer? You might want to look into that once you've exhausted all other options.

[Rubin0]

This entire situation sounds shady.

[ShastaTwist]

Everybody was thinking it. I was just saying it.

Sounds pretty fishy. No logical explanation. No answers from the airport. Your girlfriend is mad at you for something that isn't your fault at all. Maybe she got cold feet and this is just a giant ploy.

[orlando2k7]

News flash!

They detained her for having false credit card information, from a friend of hers... it wasn't mine. So the credit card was a friend of hers and when confronted they said that it was stolen.

The thing that bugs me is that, why did in her flight status say that she was detained for having my credit information, not someone else's?

[ShastaTwist]

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Why did she have her friend's credit card in the first place?

[orlando2k7]

To hold for her, she had gotten it from a friend a while ago or something along the lines of that. When she was detained they found the card and immediately said it was stolen, but with friends consent it's technically not stolen right?

[ShastaTwist]

Yeah, I don't know.

I'm still confused about why your girlfriend is mad at you.

[orlando2k7]

Well, since the airliner said she was detained at having my card information, I thought that it was my responsibility for helping her. But as I was reading through my facebook messages from her, it said that she was stopped by security for having someone else's credit card.

She is mad because I acted? I don't know honestly, but she is mad. I mean honestly what would you have done in my situation? If the airliner says it's because of having the person who purchased the ticket's credit information?

[Rubin0]

This girl sounds like trouble, Orlando.

[ShastaTwist]

She has no right to be mad. You didn't do anything to have her be angry with you. If anything, she should be happy that you tried to help and alleviate the situation.

[orlando2k7]

ShastaTwist: I know right nothing to be mad about. But yeah i am bummed right now :/. I guess time will let me know whether or not to continue the relationship or not.

Rubin0: She's not trouble, but she has had trouble with previous relationships, so she is the type of girl that doesn't fully trust guys anymore, I am one of the few she does trust so I am trying my best to keep her.

[foilman8805]

I'd like to know how customs officials even knew she had that credit card.

I've never been asked to show them my credit cards before...

But at least it all make more sense now. Orlando, there's no reason for you to blame yourself or anything, and I'd say that she's probably more mad at herself than she is at you, but naturally, she chose to take it out on you.

Hope it all gets resolved and you get to see her.

[orlando2k7]

I know right? She said it was when they found out she had only a one-way ticket coming to the states that they checked all of her crap. Still doesn't make sense to me. I mean she was going to buy her return ticket to Canada when she immediately got here. So they have no right to say that she can't do that.

[Rubin0]

One way tickets trigger suspicions of terrorism, unfortunately.

[foilman8805]

Ah, a one-way ticket. They checked all of her crap because they thought she may try to stay in the United States illegally. If a round trip had been purchased, I'm just about 100% sure this never would've happened.

[orlando2k7]

Are you serious? Is that really what caused this? These people are effing retards... how do they know for a fact that she was going to stay illegally. When she wasn't even close to doing that?

[foilman8805]

They don't know anything, and that's why they have to make sure that they are not letting in a terrorist, or someone who plans to stay as an illegal immigrant.

Airports are serious business, man. Especially when you're crossing borders.

[orlando2k7]

Wow. These people are really something.. so now they have ruined my weekend, possibly cost me my relationship.

Gah. I don't know what to do. =[ Especially about my gf, she's really mad at me.

[ShastaTwist]

She's an idiot if she's still mad at you.

[foilman8805]

Well, if she can't put an honest mistake aside, then she still has some **** to learn, and if she doesn't appreciate that you at least made the effort to purchase her ticket so that she could visit you, then she has even more **** to learn.

Give her some time to cool down, and you take a breather too. Be thankful no one was arrested for the credit card mishap.

[Tater Tot]

I wasn't trying to be mean shasta, I just thought what you said was hilarious. :)

And yeah, a one way ticket into the US is seen as very suspicious by the government. It basically raises the questions, "Why one way? Are they not planning on coming back?"

As for your gf, give her some time to cool down and she'll most likely get over it on her own. Reminding her will probably just make her angrier.

[orlando2k7]

Yes, that is very true she is an idiot for being mad at me especially when I at least tried to help, whether or not it was my fault.

I will take my time apart from her for a couple of days, I'd rather relax and take my mind off of things for a bit, I'm really frustrated and stressed out...