Personalised Credit Cards

jarvir

I have recently been contacted by Natwest informing me that they are withdrawing the facilty to personalise credit cards. My existing Natwest card has a photo of myself on the card and I found it an excellent added security feature to prevent fraudulent transactions. Also when photo ID is required when using the card, it eliminated the need to carry a separate photo ID. This has been invaluable on holiday abroad when photo IDs are nearly always required.
Although I am now looking for an alternatice credit card issuer who offer this service the main reason for this post is to inform those of you who have been put in the same position of having this service stopped that you can try and ask for your initial fee to be reimburdsed. I wrote to Natwest to ask for my initial fee to be returned to me as there was no mentione of a cessation date when I originally applied and they have since credited me with my initial £10 fee.

Joeler

This must be a joke...

N9eav

Not necessarily... In the USA some of the card companies allow you to upload a photo and they will print your credit card....... Not sure about the UK though... Natwest used to have wildlife pictured cheques
http://www.capitalone.com/imagecard/index.php?linkid=WWW_0608_CARD_TGUNS01760_CCMAIN_C2_02_T_CICL

vwman_3

And Mint cards do.... or should I say did...

flyingscotno1

It was an idea that RBS and Natwest had that cards got a photograph of the user on them to prevent stolen cards being used fraduently and as a back up to the signature particularly where it was being used by someone not the card holder in shops.

My father way back in early 1990s got his picture on the card then, but it never took off, problems I believe with civil liberties groups (I may be wrong on that score however if someone knows better) and with chip and pin the banks withdrew it AFAIK.

gt94sss2

National & Provincial Building Society used to offer the same facility - for free - until it was taken over by the Abbey in 1996.

I think the prime reason the idea never took off with more issuers is that the cards cost a lot more to produce than normal ones..

Regards
Sunil

scott_lithgows

gt94sss2 wrote: »

National & Provincial Building Society used to offer the same facility - for free - until it was RUINED by the Abbey in 1996.

I think the prime reason the idea never took off with more issuers is that the cards cost a lot more to produce than normal ones..

Regards
Sunil

Fixed that for you.

INT1

N9eav wrote: »

Not necessarily... In the USA some of the card companies allow you to upload a photo and they will print your credit card....... Not sure about the UK though... Natwest used to have wildlife pictured cheques
http://www.capitalone.com/imagecard/index.php?linkid=WWW_0608_CARD_TGUNS01760_CCMAIN_C2_02_T_CICL

The only UK issued cards that allow you to personjalise with a photo is a pre paid card.
These are underwritten by first pre pay I think...

The photo cards yu mention cost double to manufacture, but if people are happy to pay that not sure why the banks stopped it.

As C+P is out now, the whole idea is that the merchant should not touch your card and only you should insert in the C+P terminal, so the cashier would not see your picture anyway.

N9eav

When I used my card in the USA a few weeks ago, I never used the PIN once. Some times I did not even sign! They just swiped the card entered the security code from the back and that was that. Seems very poor security

INT1

It is in the states, that country is a favourite for counterfeit cards being used which is why it causes problems for holiday makers that want to shop there.

bake_a_lolo

INT1 wrote: »

The only UK issued cards that allow you to personjalise with a photo is a pre paid card.
These are underwritten by first pre pay I think...

The photo cards yu mention cost double to manufacture, but if people are happy to pay that not sure why the banks stopped it.

As C+P is out now, the whole idea is that the merchant should not touch your card and only you should insert in the C+P terminal, so the cashier would not see your picture anyway.

Recently I was looking at options to get a card with your personal photo on it (I'm currently with Lloyds TSB) and turned out that Lloyds is not doing it I would have to close my account and go to, let's say Natwest, open an account and order a personalised credit/debit card.

Nightmare.
So I've found something like "Custom Credit Card Stickers" website (I cannot paste the link for some reason) they are doing a sort of a stickers for bank cards with the holes for chip and the numbers, you can upload your own photo and stuff. I was acctually suprised how good quality it is. It is apreatty good alternative if you want your card costumised. Uploaded a photo of my girlfriend, she wasn't too crazy about it :-)