On Feb 24, 4:48 pm, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my surname
here.uk.com wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

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.

Older Switch / Maestro cards which had 18 or 19 digit numbers need an issue
number. They are being replaced with cards that have 16 digit numbers, which
do not have or need an issue number.

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'.

Using an issue number with a 16 digit number card will result in the
transaction being rejected.

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 ...

Better advice would be to only use online retailers who work through a
secure third party card processor, such as Protx. The retailer never gets to
see your card details that way. From the middle of this year, there will be
additional protection, when Maestro insists upon 3D protection, which
requires you to give a password to validate your card use, similar to the
'Verified by VISA' system, which is currently optional.

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.

Telephone orders have quite different rules from online sales. The retailer
should be able to process the card with the number, the start date, the
expiry date, the security code on the signature strip, your post code and
house number.

Okay, I see that my card does have a security code. My retailer
confirmed my house number and post code, but whatever 'system' he was
using still demanded an issue number -- just like in an attempted
online purchase. But I accept that systems will be updated and that I
should use a credit card.

Many thanks,

Jon C.