The mystery of my A&L debit card - when is a Visa Debit not a Visa Debit???

[Mrs_Ryan]

Hi everyone

I have been having quite a long running battle with A&L about this and I just wondered if anyone else has had the same grief as me?

I have the Visa Debit card without cheque guarantee, series number 4659. I have had problems in some places paying with it as allegedly the chips on these cards are programmed as a Visa Electron, so basically instead of it actually being a Visa Debit it seems it is an Electron dressed up as a Visa Debit! The cheque guarantee cards which have a different series number read as a standard Delta/Visa Debit card which isnt a problem.

I have complained about this on several occasions but they just keep dismissing me as if Im an idiot and I even got a fairly rude email from their 'internet customer services team' about it.

I rang them the other day after recieving a letter which said 'we cannot offer you a debit card' and they said that when I opened the account I would have had an Electron. Nope, Ive never had an Electron, i said. But you would have done, they persisted. No, I have never had an Electron! My original card was issued as the same card series then destroyed and reissued after it was cloned about 3 weeks after issue. (how unlucky was that???) So basically I was approved for an Electron - which I wasnt told at any stage. She also admitted that some companies dont take this card, and someone i had spoken to previously had said 'Ah.' in a way that said 'yes, we know but we arent going to admit it.' If I had known this, I would not have taken the account as I needed the card to pay for my train tickets to work, and of course the train company wouldnt take it, so I ended up having to pay by cash which I was very unhappy about as I dont ever use cash if I can help it.

I have written them a fairly strongly worded letter but I get the feeling I will get the usual fob-off, my questions are:

1) I feel like I have been mis-sold the account as at NO STAGE was I told about the problems with this card and that some places wont take it, so who do I need to complain to;
2) Has anyone else with this card had these sort of problems...???

Mrs R xx

[yourbank]

1) No one at a bank can promise any type of card prior to opening the account because it is credit scored.
2) Not happened to me so cannot comment further on this one.

[Mrs_Ryan]

Hi YB.

Thanks for your response. Glad to see this post came out ok...

What I was getting at in point 1) Was when I opened the account, it came up on the screen 'debit no chq.' I said to them is that an Electron card. They said no, its a visa debit. Before I signed the forms I asked SPECIFICALLY if it was definitely a Visa Debit and COULD I THEREFORE USE IT TO BUY TRAIN TICKETS AT THE STATION AS IF NOT I DONT WANT IT.
It was Xmas Eve, 20 minutes before closing and I think they were trying to say anything to get me out of there. As i have said later they ADMITTED that train companies systems mean it cannot be used to purchase tickets in person so thats why Im getting at the fact I think its been mis-sold as I asked them specifically when I was approved for that particular card.

[yourbank]

if I was on Martin Lewis' site I would say close the account and open another one that would offer you this. I guess what i need to ask is what do you want to get as an outcome?
They cannot give you a debit card after the fact.

[JonCris]

A basic account with debit card is NOT credit scored The only requirement is (or should be) too ID the client

My BH has a VISA Electron debit card which on occasion, in the past, some distance sellers have refused.

For some reason which I suspect has something to do with the the bank quietly removing some sort of restriction as it hasn't happened for some time

[Mrs_Ryan]

Hi JC and YB,

Its not a basic account - its called a Premier account which is a standard current account with a preferential rate of interest.

Opening another account elsewhere isnt an option Im afraid - I would probably end up with either a cash card which is no use to me or a Solo etc which wouldnt be any use either - one thing it does do right is read as a Visa Debit when I am purchasing online, and I purchase a lot of hotel rooms/train tickets so I need the option to be able to do this.

I just want them to either sort the chip on my card out or just give me an Electron, in which case I will tell them to stick their account and go back to NatWest!!!

[indebtstudent]

I reckon they could erase the credit search, given that its thier error. Its worth a shot I reckon but it won't help you at all in the here and now