New HSBC Visa/Credit Card

olliedog

My mother's Maestro card has expired and HSBC sent her a new one but it says Debit Card on top and Visa Card on the bottom. The Card Number (along the middle) which used to include her sort code and account number is now a number like you see on a Credit Card.

I have looked on the HSBC website, but there is nothing about these new cards on there. She asked a cashier at her branch to explain, and was told they didn't know anything about it.

What is going on? It's taken us years to persuade her to use a card instead of a chequebook, and now they do this. Will it be used the same as a Visa card and they'll slam the interest on if she doesn't pay at the end of the month? She's never had a Credit Card and certainly doesn't want one at her age.

I e-mailed HSBC with this query. As my Debit Card is expiring soon, I need to know what's going on for my own account. They replied (from India) playing vague and pretending they don't understand my query.

Is it a Debit or a Visa and how are they going to administer it?

Lokolo

Its been going on for months and they have sent customers information regarding it with new T&Cs of all accounts. There are also plenty of threads about it on thie site.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1177663 <-- new T&Cs
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1390425 <-- new cards

[Deleted User]

It's a Visa Debit card, not a credit card. There's no change in the way you use it at all.

TheEffect

Debit Card - Money is taken from your account when you make a payment. If you don't have the money in your account, you cant spend on the card.

Credit Card - You spend the banks money and pay them back every month. If you don't pay them all of the money back, they'll charge you interest for it.
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The new card you just received is a Debit Card. It's exactly the same as the old Maestro, it's just changed to Visa, meaning you can use it in more places. The sort code and account number are displayed at the bottom of the card making it much easier to work out (rather then counting the last 8 digits of the card number for Maestro).
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In summary, it's the same as the Maestro, with the account number and sort code at the bottom of the card instead of at the top. It's not a credit card and it's your own money your spending, not the banks.

Mike1989

The design of the HSBC credit card is different to the debit card. Normal debit card is a grey type colour, their credit card is black and red. They also use mastercard, not visa. So if that card in question says visa, it is their debit card not their credit card.

BruceyBonus

Does the word DEBIT in the top right hand corner of the card not give away the fact it is a debit card?

olliedog

Thanks all. My mother was getting quite upset about this, plus the fact that nobody in her branch seemed to know anything about it.

BrucieBonus, we did see DEBIT on the top. It was the word VISA on the bottom of the card that sort of hinted it was a VISA Card

TheEffect

olliedog wrote: »

Thanks all. My mother was getting quite upset about this, plus the fact that nobody in her branch seemed to know anything about it.

BrucieBonus, we did see DEBIT on the top. It was the word VISA on the bottom of the card that sort of hinted it was a VISA Card

VISA is more common in Debit Cards then Credit Cards....

ShelfStacker_3

I really don't know how the people in your branch managed to miss it, it has had a huge banner on the front page of the intranet for the past couple of months, along with several circulars and a scheduled training session...

sutton111

It's because they aren't as observant as you Shelfstacker!!

Have you recieved your new card yet?

TEDDYRUKSPIN

I really can't believe that none of the staff knew about this. From April 2008, HSBC will be moving away from the mastercard and maestro brand. Main reason for this, is that VISA is more acceptable worldwide. Some customers will still receive some maestro or even mastercards. This is a slow process.

VISA debit card is similar to the VISA electron, VISA delta cards issued by barclays. They are debit meaning they will take your cash!