Visa Debit Full Authorisation or Normal ?

jambosans

starM wrote: »

Hi, I have an LTSB Visa Debit Card - card number starts with 4921. Anyway to find out if this card is offline or eletron?

It's not a CG - According to LTSB - They do not issue CG anymore.

MS

I would imagine it is offline. If you have a current account, there is little reason for Lloyds TSB to issue you with an online card. Online cards (normally speaking) are reserved for those with basic bank accounts (an account which shouldn't go overdrawn). Current accounts have the option of an overdraft (even if the bank don't grant you one), so (normally) come with an offline Visa Debit card.

Also, your card is either offline or online. Visa Electron like Visa Debit is really a brand name, although the former is always online (therefore I understand why you mentioned it).

ALIBOBSY

never-in-doubt wrote: »

Ali, basically the onus is on you - the user - to establish the card type and * you're clearly told when you get the card and/or PIN - and to establish the stores that will accept the card, its simple - if you have a Full Auth card then you must not try and use it at obvious places that are not online like a plane (at 30,000ft) or say a train (on the portable handheld device)......

I think yet again it boils down to trial and error and common sense. If it didn't work somewhere i'd use another card that did. If I didn;t have another card i'd pay cash. But thats just me - I carry enough to cover these eventualities and I use trains daily to communte (but I do have Bank Cards so they will always authorise)....

* If not you ring the bank and ask them!

Well I have read on other threads that the bank don't make it clear when the card is sent what type of card it is.
The reality is alot of people who have the online cards won't have other cards to hand or piles of cash at the ready.
As I said it relagates the online cards to cash cards as alot will worry about who will and won't accept the card and so will draw cash instead.

Basic accounts are to a certain extent aimed at those without as much financial knowledge or common sense as those who post on a board like this.
Unless there is something on the card to identify what kind of card it is, it will cause problems for some. I still say it is making things more difficult, it was easy for staff and customers to see/ask if solo/electron is accepted or not.

ali x

Tally-Ho_2

Although I probably should not have done, I kept both the letter that came with my Lloyds TSB 2in1 Visa Debit and the PIN advice letter as well. On neither does it state anywhere whether it is an online or offline Visa Debit Card (The card links to a normal 'classic' current account and not a basic acccount).

I now also have a Nat West Visa Debit 3 in 1 card (received last week after opening the account) and again it does not say on either the letter that came last week with the card, or on the PIN advice notice what sort of Visa Debit it is (this card links to a normal current account as well).

The leaflets for both Visa cards say they can be used quote 'wherever you see the Visa sign'.

Now, my Lloyds one is 'online' in that it does authorise every transaction and my Nat West is 'off line'. I only know this because I have specifically asked after reading on here about the difference. If I had not read these boards I would not have realised there was any difference at all.

So how anyone who is not 'savvy' can tell the difference, or even know that there is a difference, god knows. Hence the potential for embarrasing situations on such as trains, planes etc etc.

Tally

savagej

The terms and conditions of the Natwest account tell you, it says something like "if the card dose not have a cheque guarantee symbol on it then it will always require authorisation and maybe declined where this is not possible."

With the announcement of the end of the CGC scheme, the banks are going to have to find another way of letting their customers know. As you have pointed out you knew where you were with a SOLO/Electron card, but if it is a new Visa Debit card without asking the bank you wont know and I am not sure everyone in either LTSB or NatWest or any other bank will always know the difference.

NoOneReally

I have heard that they will change the colour of the card, in the same way as Natwest do, so Blue for the Online Card and Purple for the offline (Old CGC), and a new leaflet will be sent explaining the difference. But to most people it is still going to be very confusing.

never-in-doubt

Tally-Ho wrote: »

Although I probably should not have done, I kept both the letter that came with my Lloyds TSB 2in1 Visa Debit and the PIN advice letter as well. On neither does it state anywhere whether it is an online or offline Visa Debit Card (The card links to a normal 'classic' current account and not a basic acccount).

I now also have a Nat West Visa Debit 3 in 1 card (received last week after opening the account) and again it does not say on either the letter that came last week with the card, or on the PIN advice notice what sort of Visa Debit it is (this card links to a normal current account as well).

The leaflets for both Visa cards say they can be used quote 'wherever you see the Visa sign'.

Now, my Lloyds one is 'online' in that it does authorise every transaction and my Nat West is 'off line'. I only know this because I have specifically asked after reading on here about the difference. If I had not read these boards I would not have realised there was any difference at all.

So how anyone who is not 'savvy' can tell the difference, or even know that there is a difference, god knows. Hence the potential for embarrasing situations on such as trains, planes etc etc.

Tally

Tally it does tell you mate, read again or check the terms. It will be quite clear.......

The 'accepted wherever you see visa' is true, but remember the retailer can refuse and if the retailer does not use a live (online) system then they refuse payment, not the card or Visa.... so the slogan is in essence true.

Check your terms - it'll be in there, but just ringing your bank will confirm, as you done. :beer:

simax

Easy way to check it seems is at a "Pay at Pump", or similar. If it takes the card, it's offline, if it doesn't, it's an online full auth.

My LTSB classic card seems to be an offline card as it works at "Pay at Pump", however some don't authorise it would seem from the examples above.

They should have just embossed the Visa Electron cards and left it at that. Would have made a hell of a lot more sense!!!!

never-in-doubt

simax wrote: »

Easy way to check it seems is at a "Pay at Pump", or similar. If it takes the card, it's offline, if it doesn't, it's an online full auth.!

Agreed - thats the best way to do it - if it declines at pay@pump it would just say pay in person so not embarrassing etc either

never-in-doubt

Slenderkitten posted this link - its quite useful: http://visa-electron.co.uk/list-of-banks-that-issue-visa-electron-cards-in-the-uk/

NoOneReally

simax wrote: »

Easy way to check it seems is at a "Pay at Pump", or similar. If it takes the card, it's offline, if it doesn't, it's an online full auth.

My LTSB classic card seems to be an offline card as it works at "Pay at Pump", however some don't authorise it would seem from the examples above.

They should have just embossed the Visa Electron cards and left it at that. Would have made a hell of a lot more sense!!!!

My Visa Credit Card and Mastercard Credit card can be used at Pay at Pump so are they offline cards ?, or are Credit cards different from Debit cards in that way ?.