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Debit/Credit cards

(16 Posts)
Craftycat Sun 30-Aug-20 12:28:12

Paying for petrol yesterday I was shocked to see my debit card would not scan. I had another card so paid on that.
Got home intending to phone them & see what was wrong but DH informed me that it is happening a lot. The reason is that we use a lot of these devices that just scan your card. The banks have therefore installed a new fail safe & your card will only scan without your pin on 2 or 3 occasions ( he could not remember which) so if it is stolen they can only get limited amount of money out.
I thought I'd pass it on as it did worry me to find I could not pay. I could have asked to put it in machine & use my pin no. if I had known.

kittylester Sun 30-Aug-20 12:36:05

Wow, that's interesting! My jl card wouldn't scan a few times and ,off course, I forgot to do anything about it. But, it worked last time!!

Caro6699 Sun 30-Aug-20 12:44:05

Yes, this does seem to be happening quite frequently now and I have had to go to a cash point to re enter my pin , to get it accepted again. Husband says it is a safety feature to protect a stolen card from being used to make lots of purchases. A good idea I suppose , but some what annoying
when the card is declined unexpectedly

annsixty Sun 30-Aug-20 12:44:15

This happened to my friend recently although she was using her pin code.
It was an M&S card and when she rang them she got some explanation about something being triggered every 2/3 uses but I can't remember exactly what.
Fortunately for her she had another card to use but would have been totally embarrassed as she had taken family members out for a meal.

Maggiemaybe Sun 30-Aug-20 12:46:48

DH has had problems using his contactless Visa card every few times lately. But it’s worked fine using the PIN. So there could well be something in this. I’ve had no problems when (constantly!) using my MasterCard though.

greengreengrass Sun 30-Aug-20 12:57:04

Thanks for this. Until very recently I have avoided contactless. I'm not sure i trust it and I try to check transactions anyway online each day counting pennies.

It is also useful to know for my daughters Nimbl card that i put her pocket money on. Grandchildren might have similar.

I will check if this card is contactless and tell her. After all she is teenage and sometimes loses things. i.e her card unfortunatley. Oh dear I've lost ability to spell.

maddyone Sun 30-Aug-20 13:12:02

Is this 2 or 3 uses on one day? I’m assuming it is as I’ve used my card every time I’ve been to the shop without a problem, but I’ve not used it three times in a day.

merlotgran Sun 30-Aug-20 13:17:18

This happened to me the first time I ventured out to the garden centre when lockdown eased. I was about to reach into my purse to get my credit card when the girl at the checkout said, 'Don't panic, just type in your PIN.'

Phew! Because you do have a moment of panic when that happens.

EllanVannin Sun 30-Aug-20 14:03:22

This has also happened to me with my debit card and it's the same shops I've been using since March. Only every few days never more than once on the same day. I was blaming the machines at the shops grin knowing my card was okay.

I don't have credit cards as I paid them off when I retired.

mokryna Sun 30-Aug-20 14:14:00

I have had times when cards have refused to pay. Very upsetting when to are paying for a meal you have invited people to. Twice was when I was in a forgiven country. I had informed the bank. I was not in debt, there was more than enough money on the account but I had spent the limit set. It was very embarrassing and the bank would not let me spend more.

shysal Sun 30-Aug-20 14:49:45

This happened to me at the beginning of lockdown, in my local bakery and in the Co-op. The Co-op assistant told me to insert the card and add my PIN, which worked. I was very relieved!

Floradora9 Sun 30-Aug-20 15:41:54

It is for your own safety so that if the card is lost the thief cannot use it for lots of transactions.

Pittcity Sun 30-Aug-20 15:45:59

My bank informed me of this some time ago. I was told that my PIN would be required once I had spent a specified amount in a certain length of time. I presume yours would be based on your usual spending patterns.
I usually use my phone to pay so the limits and checks are set by me and I have to unlock the phone to use it. Far safer than a contactless card.

AGAA4 Sun 30-Aug-20 15:52:46

It's good to know this as my first trip out to the shops after months my card wouldn't scan. I put my pin in and it was fine but I was a bit worried.

quizqueen Sun 30-Aug-20 16:36:04

I don't trust contactless so never use it, so I always choose to put in my pin number. I haven't had any card refused but I do have multiple back up cards as I keep small amounts in a few banks so that, if I do get scammed, I wouldn't lose much..

trustgone4sure Sun 30-Aug-20 16:42:34

Same here quizqueen.
My dh has had a nightmare with contactless so never use it.