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Posted to uk.d-i-y
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Charge/debit card, no issue number?
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007, wrote:
My recently issued charge/debit card with a chip (Maestro) has no
issue number. I is issued by Bank of Ireland (Northern Ireland),
hence sterling and, AFAIK, normal UK rules apply.
So, it cannot be used for online purchases.
I rang the bank to complain. They agreed that it had no issue number;
they suggested that some online retailers would accept an order with
issue number unspecified; others would accept '1'.
The bank person then went on to gibe me a short lecture on the folly
of using a charge card online or for telephone order ... others could
get access to your bank account, etc. ... Always use a credit card ...
On reflection, though I was initially unimpressed with the cautionary
lecture, maybe they are correct; I am aware of the protections one has
when using credit card.
The specific case that prompted the complaint was we making a small
purchase, over the phone, from a small local retailer; I figured that
they could benefit from the x% that a credit card would charge them.
Sillyness on my part? Probably.
Are other UK bank charge cards like this?
Royal Bank of Scotland Maestro cards do not bear an issue number either.
Online retailers should accept all domestic Maestro cards whether they
bear an issue number or not - when an issue number is not present then the
start date on the card is normally required instead.
HTH
--
Alistair Riddell - BOFH
Microsoft - because god hates us
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