Charged for using Pre-Paid mastercard

thudu

Hi, I have just booked Ryanair flights (using a Fairfx pre-paid mastercard as recommended by this site - thank you :-) ).

I then pre-booked my airport parking with Holiday Autos and was charged £1.50 for using the same card! I called customer service and advised that this was NOT A CREDIT CARD - but a pre-paid card. They said that their software analyses the card number and automatically distinguishes between card types - thus the fee remains.

I am fuming - not over the £1.50 charge as much as the principle of this. Opinions would be appreciated.

So - do other retailers who charge for using credit cards also charge for pre-paid cards??

Many thanks in anticipation of your responses chaps :-)

jonesMUFCforever

Companies are allowed to charge you for using various cards as long as they make it clear before you make the purchase.
You then have the choice of continuing or going elsewhere.

ElkyElky

Let's face it, £1.50 isn't that bad. Because FairFx is a Mastercard, their system must have assumed it was a credit card rather than a debit card, and a warning of the fee is clearly displayed at the stage of where you enter your card details on Holiday Autos website.

opinions4u

I am fuming - not over the £1.50 charge as much as the principle of this. Opinions would be appreciated.

You wanted the benefits of a Mastercard. You also have to enjoy some of the downsides too.

So - do other retailers who charge for using credit cards also charge for pre-paid cards

Yes.

safc118

most travel companies etc... have charges for master-cards and some Visas if they are not Visa debits

no_more_cards_for_me

Wonder if you get the Section 75 cover ?

opinions4u

no_more_cards_for_me wrote: »

Wonder if you get the Section 75 cover ?

Stop wondering. You don't as it's a Mastercard that's not a credit card.

no_more_cards_for_me

Mastercard ??

dmg24

no_more_cards_for_me wrote: »

Mastercard ??

s. 75 makes the CC provider liable because they are a party to the contract by providing credit. Although the prepaid card is a Mastercard, which would usually (though not always) be a credit card, it does not provide any s. 75 protection because there is no credit facility available.