Bank Card Readers - all the same?

mooch

I've amassed quite a collection of these bank card readers but have only just discovered today that you can use some (or is it all?) bank cards in any reader.

Thought it might be useful info to anyone else like me who has lost a reader or just doesn't want to be messing around with lots of them.

Loughton_Monkey

Interesting.

I have a Barclays one. THought I'd try other cards in it:

First Direct: Fine
Lloyds: Fine
Halifax: Fine
Santander: "This Card is Not Valid".

Intelligent reader wouldn't you say?

jimjames

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

Interesting.

I have a Barclays one. THought I'd try other cards in it:

First Direct: Fine
Lloyds: Fine
Halifax: Fine
Santander: "This Card is Not Valid".

Intelligent reader wouldn't you say?

Latest JD Power survey - Santander bottom of class for service for 3rd year running. Card reader must be wise to it!

novice-saver

IMHO, the card readers may be a bit more subtle than that.

although the technology is shared by several of the banks (for instance a Natwest card is recognised by a Nationwide labelled reader) try authorising a transaction with the "wrong" reader.

or if you want a worry, google "optimised to fail" and read the (2meg) academic paper.

Sceptic001

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

Interesting.

I have a Barclays one. THought I'd try other cards in it:

First Direct: Fine
Lloyds: Fine
Halifax: Fine
Santander: "This Card is Not Valid".

Intelligent reader wouldn't you say?

Which Santander accounts use a card reader? I have never required one for a Santander current or savings account.

Amba_Gambla

Gah, these things are horrible. If my bank ever send me one, I'm closing the account and moving elsewhere

G_M

A very efficient extra security device.

Nat West, Tesco and Nationwide are interchangeable. Of course when putting another card in you need the appropriate PIN......

I_luv_cats

I have a Co Op card reader.

I thought they were personal to you as you have to put your PIN number in and didn't think your PIN was stored on your card.

Loughton_Monkey

I_luv_cats wrote: »

I have a Co Op card reader.

I thought they were personal to you as you have to put your PIN number in and didn't think your PIN was stored on your card.

It has to be, because when you insert the card into a shop reader, only over a certain amount does it electronically go to the main computer for authorisation.

Biggles

novice-saver wrote: »

although the technology is shared by several of the banks (for instance a Natwest card is recognised by a Nationwide labelled reader) try authorising a transaction with the "wrong" reader.

It's not a problem authorising a Co-op payment with a Nationwide reader (or, indeed, authorising a Nationwide payment with someone else's NW reader).

asc99c

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

It has to be, because when you insert the card into a shop reader, only over a certain amount does it electronically go to the main computer for authorisation.

Also, when you enter your PIN, it is validated or rejected immediately, while the rest of the transaction tends to take a lot longer as it goes off to the bank.