On the subject of visa debit cards...

bev309

There were a few posts a while back somewhere on the forum, where it was said that a Lloyds TSB classic account card beginning with 4921 was an 'offline' card. This is the same as I have on my classic account card, but noticed that my 16 yr old daughters card also starts with 4921.
I have just noticed now, after scrolling through some other threads on the forum, that the new purple visa CGC from Natwest starts with 4751, which is the same as my 2 blue visa cards, one from a basic step acct, & one from a current plus acct which I KNOW are full auth cards.
So, my point is, do the first four digits of a debit card decide whether it is an 'offline' or 'full auth' card (which looks doubtful now) or is it in the chip or something?
If so, I think we really should be told by the bank, as there are quite a few threads where people are encountering embarrasing situations when their card is declined.
Anyone have any ideas?

Toe-Jam

bev309 wrote: »

There were a few posts a while back somewhere on the forum, where it was said that a Lloyds TSB classic account card beginning with 4921 was an 'offline' card. This is the same as I have on my classic account card, but noticed that my 16 yr old daughters card also starts with 4921.
I have just noticed now, after scrolling through some other threads on the forum, that the new purple visa CGC from Natwest starts with 4751, which is the same as my 2 blue visa cards, one from a basic step acct, & one from a current plus acct which I KNOW are full auth cards.
So, my point is, do the first four digits of a debit card decide whether it is an 'offline' or 'full auth' card (which looks doubtful now) or is it in the chip or something?
If so, I think we really should be told by the bank, as there are quite a few threads where people are encountering embarrasing situations when their card is declined.
Anyone have any ideas?

There is no way of telling what type of visa debit the card is just from the first 4 numbers. The mechanism is coded into the chip and magstrip of the card. Its called the Authorization Mandatory Service Code

Full auth cards are X2X
Offline cards are X0X

The numbering of the card has no bearing whatsoever.

Positive Authorization Mandatory (X2X) Service Code

Service codes are three-digit values which issuers encode in the magnetic-stripe of a card. These codes are used to convey instructions to merchant terminals on how a card should be processed.

The first digit indicates if a card can be used internationally or is valid for domestic use only. It is also used to signal if a card is chip-enabled. The second digit indicates if the transaction must be sent online for authorization always ("X2X") or if transactions that are below floor limit can take place without authorization ("X0X"). The third digit is used to indicate the preferred card verification method (e.g. PIN) and the environment where the card can be used (e.g. at point of sale only).

Merchant terminals are required to recognize and act on service codes or send all transactions for online authorization.

(Extract from Visa Website)

savagej

I hope someone listens to your post as I have saying it for a very long time and yet people still keep ignoring it.

bev309

savagej wrote: »

I hope someone listens to your post as I have saying it for a very long time and yet people still keep ignoring it.

Yes, that does make sense - the card numbers are the same, yet some are full auth & some are offline, so obviously there is info somewhere on the card which allows your transactions to go through or not.:beer:
So, how (apart from being declined:rotfl:)would you know if a card is full auth or offline then if, like the Lloyds TSB debit for example, the cards aren't any different to look at? With Natwest they are different colours.

Toe-Jam

savagej wrote: »

I hope someone listens to your post as I have saying it for a very long time and yet people still keep ignoring it.

Well the card number is used to route the transaction to the correct institution

in the case of my card 4 (visa) 75111 (Bank Identifier) 000000000 (Account specific Information) 0 (Check digit to make sure the card number is in the correct format)

Toe-Jam

bev309 wrote: »

Yes, that does make sense - the card numbers are the same, yet some are full auth & some are offline, so obviously there is info somewhere on the card which allows your transactions to go through or not.:beer:
So, how (apart from being declined:rotfl:)would you know if a card is full auth or offline then if, like the Lloyds TSB debit for example, the cards aren't any different to look at? With Natwest they are different colours.

Like I said you can't physically tell from the card. But I know with my bank it says in a booklet that came with the card that if you have a card without a cheque guarentee facility it is a full authorisation card. But this is only the case for cards from RBS Group banks.

With HSBC i believe it says at the top of your PIN advise what type of card you have, it either says "your visa debit card" or " your full auth visa debit card"

no idea for lloyds

for santander their full auth visa debit cards are unembossed, like a visa electron

simax

bev309 wrote: »

So, how (apart from being declined:rotfl:)would you know if a card is full auth or offline then if, like the Lloyds TSB debit for example, the cards aren't any different to look at? With Natwest they are different colours.

Best way is to try and use a Pay @ Pump and see if it will accept your card. If it won't then it's a full-auth card and you'll need to pay at the kiosk.

bev309

simax wrote: »

Best way is to try and use a Pay @ Pump and see if it will accept your card. If it won't then it's a full-auth card and you'll need to pay at the kiosk.

I don't drive so may look a bit silly :rotfl:
I don't suppose it is much of an issue for me as like a said I don't drive so don't use pay @ pumps & very rarely use trains, so my full auth Natwest & Lloyds 'whatever it is' are fine for my needs, I suppose it would just be nice to know beforehand, should you ever need to use your card in one of these situations, as I know I would be EXTREMELY embarrassed if I couldn't pay for something!

Toe-Jam

simax wrote: »

Best way is to try and use a Pay @ Pump and see if it will accept your card. If it won't then it's a full-auth card and you'll need to pay at the kiosk.

Thats not 100% true tho, my Coventry Visa debit is Full auth, and it works no problems at pay@pump:o

savagej

At some point when especially when the CGC scheme comes to an end, banks will have to make it more obvious to their customers where and when (and when not) their card will be accepted.

savagej

It also depends on the card processing equip, some is not up to date enough to look for the mandatory code so anything including electron will go through. It looks like the coverntry card has "0" in the field and not a "2". Have you had it declined in other places that could not get authorisations, or perhaps the pay at pump machine had a sim card in it?