MSE News: Mystery new debit card charges revealed

originalmissy

Ok I'm a little confused:think:,hopefully someone can help.
A few months ago I recieved a new NatWest Visa Debit card replacing my old solo card. I have had no problems using this card both online and in stores untill recentley.
Due to my job and the way I am paid, I set up an epassport account. I applied for and recieved both a 'virtual visa' and a physical Electron card. I have not yet used the virtual card and have only used the electron to withdraw cash from an ATM, (this is the only use for the eclectron, the virtual card is for online use only), but I needed to be able to transfer funds from my epassport account into my bank account so I added my personal visa debit card to my epassport account, in much the same way that you can add debit/credit cards to your paypal acount. It works great and I'm happy with it:), however, I am being charged £1.25 everytime I transfer funds to my bank account. I should mention that epassport is American, so funds are in $ but converted into sterling when it hits my account. So am I being charged for the currency conversion or am I being charged due to the BIN number? Can I claim back the £1.25? if so who from? and how do I stop it from happening again? I need to perform this transfer every week so if I'm going to be paying everytime it won't be long before it mounts up:eek:.
Thanks for reading, I hope I haven't lost you half way through and am grateful for any info/advice

JavaKrypt

Hey, excuse the bump but I'm a bit confused over this.

I'm with Halifax, and I've been getting these charges for a while (opened the account in 2006). I did ask them about them previously and they said the same as they did just before I got off the phone with them - it's not their problem and they aren't the ones charging me.

I must be owed at least £100 minimum in these stupid £1.50 charges, so I'd like to claim them back. Biggest culprits are as usual, PayPal/Ebay, Amazon, ASDA etc. There are a few retail outlets too, like Tesco, Burton, H&M, Topman, Zara etc. where I've shopped over the years and still been charged.

I've read the page and explained this to the guy on the phone, but he still said it wasn't the bank, it was the retailers individually charging me, which makes sense because the Bin must be showing as a credit card (?), but the bank is still allowing them to charge me. He said the money SHOULD be going back into my account after payments, but it never has. The only time it has is when I've claimed a full refund for a item, never when I've paid and kept an item. When I should still be getting that £1.50 charge back within a few days after payment (maybe the retailers realize I am a debit card, not a credit card payer?)

The bank basically told me I have to individually contact each retailer and ask for the £1.50 charges. This doesn't seem feasible nor easy. I'd have to first spend money to get a full bank statement from my bank, then write letters to every company and paying the expense, and even then they still may not refund it?

What can I do? Is there really no way I can make the bank get these funds back for me making it a lot easier - and secure for the future? For the meantime I am still using them and dealing with these charges, but I am moving bank at the earliest opportunity.

rb10

JavaKrypt wrote: »

Hey, excuse the bump but I'm a bit confused over this.

I'm with Halifax, and I've been getting these charges for a while (opened the account in 2006). [...]

That's very odd ... since this issue only affects Natwest, RBS, Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks, and not Halifax.

The issue described here is with the BINs of their new cards.

What are the first 4 digits of your 16-digit card number? They should be 4462 if it's a full current account.

JavaKrypt

The code is 491754. Which, on the list of (Wikipedia, can't post links) shows as "491754 - Halifax (United Kingdom bank) VISA Electron (UK)".

rb10

JavaKrypt wrote: »

The code is 491754. Which, on the list of (Wikipedia, can't post links) shows as "491754 - Halifax (United Kingdom bank) VISA Electron (UK)".

Ok ... so it's an Easycash or Cardcash account that you have (that's why the code isn't the same as the one that I posted earlier).

If someone else with a Halifax Easycash has the 16-digit card number starting 491754 and doesn't get charged for it, then the problem on your account isn't with the BIN (the problem that this thread is about).

chambta

JavaKrypt wrote: »

Hey, excuse the bump but I'm a bit confused over this.

I'm with Halifax, and I've been getting these charges for a while (opened the account in 2006). I did ask them about them previously and they said the same as they did just before I got off the phone with them - it's not their problem and they aren't the ones charging me.

I must be owed at least £100 minimum in these stupid £1.50 charges, so I'd like to claim them back. Biggest culprits are as usual, PayPal/Ebay, Amazon, ASDA etc. There are a few retail outlets too, like Tesco, Burton, H&M, Topman, Zara etc. where I've shopped over the years and still been charged.

I've read the page and explained this to the guy on the phone, but he still said it wasn't the bank, it was the retailers individually charging me, which makes sense because the Bin must be showing as a credit card (?), but the bank is still allowing them to charge me. He said the money SHOULD be going back into my account after payments, but it never has. The only time it has is when I've claimed a full refund for a item, never when I've paid and kept an item. When I should still be getting that £1.50 charge back within a few days after payment (maybe the retailers realize I am a debit card, not a credit card payer?)

The bank basically told me I have to individually contact each retailer and ask for the £1.50 charges. This doesn't seem feasible nor easy. I'd have to first spend money to get a full bank statement from my bank, then write letters to every company and paying the expense, and even then they still may not refund it?

What can I do? Is there really no way I can make the bank get these funds back for me making it a lot easier - and secure for the future? For the meantime I am still using them and dealing with these charges, but I am moving bank at the earliest opportunity.

Halifax are having you on. They are charging you.

rb10

chambta wrote: »

Halifax are having you on. They are charging you.

But Halifax don't have any £1.50 charges for using your debit card...

tightarsey

I've just received my new embossed Cooperative / Smile Visa Debit Card replacement (with Debit logo) replacing my existing Visa Electron Card (with Electron logo) which expires on 03/11 (31/03/11). The new card is valid from 01/04 (01/04/11). The complete 16 digit card number is identical starting 450875. Its a shame I can't upload the cards (without shielding numbers) to show they are 'identical' card numbers (with different consecutive end/start dates), but 'branded' differently

So unless ALL Cooperative Visa Electron Cards in issue expire on the 31/03/11, which they don't, and coincidently, Cooperative had made the system change on the 01/04/11 - They are clearing breaching advertising standards by advertising at least one of these cards incorrectly. They can't be both a Visa Electron card and a Visa Debit Card unless the system change occurred on the 01/04/11 for everyone. (the bin type 'switch' actually took place around 1st October 2010)

Which proves the point - Cooperative have been ripping off their existing customers with valid Visa Electron cards, by charging them Visa Debit card fees. Cooperative have been trying to keep this 'under the radar', but issues like this highlight the f**k up.

The only real way to solve this, is by Cooperative putting up their hands and admitting they have made a big mistake - reissuing all Cards with the correct Card number 4988 (Visa Debit). Cooperative should be be forced to refund ALL fees incurred incorrectly by Customers using a Genuine Visa Electron Card since October 1st 2010 by examining all card transactions over this period.

The point here is the card in my possession is a valid unexpired Visa Electron Card (with Electron logo), I expect the card to behave as one, and incur the fees related to Visa Electron Cards until it expires. Not for my Visa Electron Card to incur fees relating to Visa Debit.

What's to stop fees related to Visa Credit Cards being applied to my new 'Online Debit Card'? - basically nothing!
(In communications, Cooperative don't refer to the Card as trademarked Term 'Visa Debit Card', but 'Online Debit Card') - the reason is most are not a 'true' Visa Debit Card.

Banks are trying to blame retailers, retailers are trying to blame banks, in this case it is clear the Cooperative are to blame by issuing cards with identical card numbers. Don't be fobbed off by Cooperative, retailers get the 'bin type' information from the Cooperative.

Complain if you get incorrectly charged for using your existing Cooperative Visa Electron Card.

coolesticeking

To be honest with the Co-Op yes they should have really just changed the card numbers to avoid this when they changed to VISA Debit.

A lot of places are now seeing Co-Op's cards as VISA Debit instead of Electron but some are not.

They still see them as Electron and not going through as VISA Debit...

To blame, it's the acquiring bank or service provider that the merchant is using for not updating the BIN database they use not the Co-Op's..

jambosans

rb10 wrote: »

But Halifax don't have any £1.50 charges for using your debit card...

In Sterling. However they do charge £1.50 plus 2.75% for foreign currency card transactions. (link)

Halifax wrote:

Buying goods and services in a foreign currency

When you use your debit card abroad to pay for goods and services, or to withdraw cash at cash machines, the exchange rate we use will be the Visa Reference Exchange Rate. We will charge a conversion fee of 2.75% of the amount of the transaction and a fee of £1.50 for each payment.

Unless the OP is confused, and these transactions took place in a foreign currency (Paypal and Amazon.com - possibly; Asda, Topman, etc. - unlikely), then the charges are incorrect.

@OP: I would collate all the charge details, and make a formal written complaint (sent recorded delivery), process linked below:-
http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/howtocomplain.asp