difference between Maestro & Visa Debit?

Lychee

hiya,

Can anyone explain to me the difference between a Switch/Maestro card and a Visa Debit card, please? It sounds like it could be exactly same product but different brand :P Not sure though so would like clarification. Would shops accept either? What about cash machines that will accept Visa Debit?

Thanks in advance.

Fatboy_NSS

It's the same as te difference between Mastercard and Visa, ie not much at all. I doubt you could find a retailer or ATM in the UK which would accept one but not the other although I'm not sure what the situation would be abroad. They're certainly both streets ahead of Solo and Electron, which should be avoided where possible!

Lychee

Thanks, Fatboy_NSS I did wonder if Visa Debit cards are more like Electron cards so it's good to know it's not!

Izual_Rebirth

On some sites that you can only pay by credit card you can also pay with Visa Debit.

456789

Also VISA allows you to claim back money via Visa Chargeback if a retailer goes bust etc. Maestro only allows this for foreign retailers and has some other limits

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act does not apply to debit cards

kruncher

Hey guys!

I have just found out that my Maestro is being changed to a Visa Debit card. How well are Visa Debit cards protected on the Internet?

If I enter my Visa Debit card details on an American website under "Visa Card" will this work? or will I still require a Visa Credit Card? Is it just as secure or should I be using a credit card for online purchases?

Thanks,

Lokolo

No idea about American websites but Visa for Visa Debit Cards works in the UK.

Some sites you just select Visa, some you have to select Visa Delta.

glider3560

Lokolo wrote: »

No idea about American websites but Visa for Visa Debit Cards works in the UK.

Visa works fine outside the UK. I've used my Visa Debit on several US websites, including one that had Visa Credit Card as the only Visa option.

hippey

Yes, visa will work. However Maestro is not regonised at all in the US.

paulmcerlean

Maestro works very well in the US in cash machines at main banks - not so much in stores as a debit card facility.

Visa debit however is accepted everywhere you see the visa sign including the US.

Toe-Jam

In the UK and Ireland Maestro is just a brand name rather than a physical payment processor. When you use your Visa cards they are processed via Visanet. When you pay with Maestro Domestic UK its processed via the old Switch card gateway, and in Ireland (South) via Laser. So they are not true Maestro cards. Only international Maestro cards are processed via Mastercards processing centre. Which is why they are sometimes declined here in the UK because switch doesn't recognise the number format 6759 BIN has always been Switch.

The switch gateway is closing down, and most banks are phasing out Maestro altogether. It is hopeless using it in America, nowhere takes it only the atms