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Bank of Ireland Gold Card - Purchases Declined

If you have a BOI Gold Card, there are certain stores in the UK where it will be declined, this has no bearing on the amount of credit or your limit but because the retailers don't like the BOI charging structure.

Contrary to popular belief, the card is great but you have to avoid certain retailers.... i'll update this master list weekly so please add a story here if you've had a transaction declined whether online or in person.

Stores that do not accept BOI Cards:

- Next
- La-Redoute
:o 2010 - year of the troll :o

Niddy - Over & Out :wave:

Comments

  • udydudy
    udydudy Posts: 559 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Just checked the Bank of ireland website, the gold card is a master card. is it really possible for any retailer to decline a specific issuer/brand?? I would have thought if they accept mastercard they cannot decline a specific bank as such.
    :beer::beer::beer:
  • never-in-doubt
    never-in-doubt Posts: 20,613 Forumite
    edited 5 July 2009 at 10:39AM
    udydudy wrote: »
    Just checked the Bank of ireland website, the gold card is a master card. is it really possible for any retailer to decline a specific issuer/brand?? I would have thought if they accept mastercard they cannot decline a specific bank as such.

    Yup, that was my argument with Next but they said that BOI merchant charges are too expensive (as are Allied Irish/First Trust) so they do not take Irish cards! I went on about the racism of it but they said they reserve the right to accept or decline any payment, which is true.

    A good example, all European/Irish and US Maestro's share the Maestro brand but won't work over here (we use the old JCCC system, i.e. Switch) - so proves the point; the governing brand (Maestro/Mastercard) doesn't guarantee acceptance if the retailers systems don't allow it.

    You cannot use any US affiliated cards in Cuba, is another example.
    :o 2010 - year of the troll :o

    Niddy - Over & Out :wave:
  • hippey
    hippey Posts: 849 Forumite
    All branded card 'should' work in the UK due to the international agreement, but it does get a bit strange with debit cards - Non-UK debit cards will be charged on the % scale not a fixed fee. Non-UK Maestro is accepted in the UK but charged on the International Maestro rates which are more, so some stores just don't take them.

    However the resulting codes should show the card as 'Card type not accepted' not a 'Decline' they are two different results. Infact if the retailers equipment let you go as far as inputting pin numbers or attempting an authorisation then the retailers equipment is poorly programmed.

    Although it is possible to refuse to accept certain banks cards by blocking the bank identifier codes (first six digits on the PAN), it is certainly not the norm, it will the card type that is being refused. Unfortunatly the scheme logo's & types have been simplified but that has just had it more confusing for the gereral public.
    These are my thoughts and no one else's, so like any public forum advice - check it out before entering into contracts or spending your hard earned cash!

    I don't know everything, however I do try to point people in the right direction but at the end of the day you can only ever help yourself!
  • gizmo111
    gizmo111 Posts: 2,663 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    You cannot use any US affiliated cards in Cuba, is another example.

    Yes but that's not because of a charging structure.
    Mama read so much about the dangers of drinking alcohol and eating chocolate that she immediately gave up reading.
  • never-in-doubt
    never-in-doubt Posts: 20,613 Forumite
    gizmo111 wrote: »
    Yes but that's not because of a charging structure.

    I know lol, I was using it as an example to show certain cards can be blocked..... i.e. certain banks (US affiliated ones) and if Cuba can do it, the UK certainly can! :beer:.
    :o 2010 - year of the troll :o

    Niddy - Over & Out :wave:
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