Fraud protection

I was at Kmart yesterday purchasing $1,300 in gift cards for work. I swipe one card. Declined. Sweet. I swipe a 2nd card...and now the clerk is looking at me weird and calling over managers. Sweet. Kmart is one of our national sponsors...and if some who-ha happens with me or my credit card...or whatever....let me assure you....the story will be told all the way up to our national office. It just works that way with them. So. Sweat starts pouring from my head and I start thinking, "dang, I know I paid my bill...I know I have the credit line to pay for these...what in the HELL is going on here?" Then seconds later, my cell phone blows up...I have 2 incoming calls. I pick up #1...its the fraud department of card #1. I listen to the voicemail from the 2nd call...it's the fraud department from card #2. I am sooooo happy for the protection...but dang. We got a call at 8 am this morning (yes on a Saturday) from card #1 to verify my attempt to use the card....yet AGAIN. And...I just spent 20 minutes on line with card #2 clearing that up (after spending 45 minutes on hold yesterday trying to clear it up). Again...love the protection....but lesson learned is that if you are going to make a big purchase at a Kmart....call your cards and alert them....because no one ever spends that kind of cash at Kmart. I know MY purchasing history doesn't include 'em.