Where does Metro Bank's debit card work?

choc_mouse

I've read that the fee-free debit card from Metro Bank wasn't always accepted due to Metro Bank not updating something (someone else might know more about that...)

I want to start a thread for Metro Bank debit card holders to report which ATM provider + city/country + date the card was used and whether they could withdraw any cash or not. I hope to build a list of non-UK ATMs money savers can head for with some certainty that it will work. Hopefully, the card will be widely accepted over time but this will help some people save money in the short term.

Let me start:
- DnB NOR / Oslo, Norway / 20 Jan 2011 / Card rejected by ATM

https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/personal/metro-bank-accounts/Important-Information-Summary/

MasterCard®* / LINK Debit card allows access to ATMs and the purchase of goods and services wherever the MasterCard logo is shown. Withdrawals from Metro Bank ATMs are free. Some cash machine operators may apply a direct charge for withdrawals from their cash machines and this will be advised on screen at the time of withdrawal. If you make a debit card payment in a foreign currency, we will change the amount of the transaction to sterling on the date we pay it out of your account using the rate for the transaction which is set and provided to us by MasterCard.

gt94sss2

choc_mouse wrote: »

I've read that the fee-free debit card from Metro Bank wasn't always accepted due to Metro Bank not updating something (someone else might know more about that...)

A edition of Money Box (18:02 onwards) last year gave details of some Metro bank customers who have had problems using their cards overseas - as some foreign banks/retailers have not updated their systems to recognise Metro Bank cards.

As always, its best practice to take cards from more than one provider when going overseas to avoid being caught out like this (regardless of who you are with).

Regards
Sunil

Olipro

acceptance of the card is down to merchants/banks keeping their BIN ranges up to date although whether or not they actually need to update them depends entirely on how strict their current ranges are.

A failure to accept the card is not always related to this; if the ATM you are trying to use isn't able to process international cards, it will fail anyway - just because it has the Mastercard sign on it doesn't always mean you can expect it to work reliably, unfortunately.

bottom line? it doesn't hurt to bring a backup card just in case things turn out to be really bad, however, you should consider persevering and simply try all the ATMs of whatever banks are around you, unless you're really unlucky, you should eventually find one that accepts your card without issue which you can then remember for the future.

[Deleted User]

Olipro wrote: »

acceptance of the card is down to merchants/banks keeping their BIN ranges up to date although whether or not they actually need to update them depends entirely on how strict their current ranges are.

A failure to accept the card is not always related to this; if the ATM you are trying to use isn't able to process international cards, it will fail anyway - just because it has the Mastercard sign on it doesn't always mean you can expect it to work reliably, unfortunately.

bottom line? it doesn't hurt to bring a backup card just in case things turn out to be really bad, however, you should consider persevering and simply try all the ATMs of whatever banks are around you, unless you're really unlucky, you should eventually find one that accepts your card without issue which you can then remember for the future.

yep i always bring like 2-3 cards
if it was a major bank in my experience their BINS are more likely to be updated

choc_mouse

Thanks guys. Yes, my back up was Nationwide and I got charged £3+ for a £100 withdrawal. Needed cash for the taxi. I think they only have DnB NOR at the airport, which I think is a major bank, so couldn't really try anything else! I did somewhat expect the ATM at the airport to work with Metro Bank but obviously I was proved wrong.

Olipro

choc_mouse wrote: »

Thanks guys. Yes, my back up was Nationwide and I got charged £3+ for a £100 withdrawal. Needed cash for the taxi. I think they only have DnB NOR at the airport, which I think is a major bank, so couldn't really try anything else! I did somewhat expect the ATM at the airport to work with Metro Bank but obviously I was proved wrong.

a search of Mastercard's international ATMs doesn't show that up for Norway, I suspect your problem had nothing to do with the fact your card is Metro Bank and more that it was a foreign Mastercard.

choc_mouse

Olipro wrote: »

a search of Mastercard's international ATMs doesn't show that up for Norway, I suspect your problem had nothing to do with the fact your card is Metro Bank and more that it was a foreign Mastercard.

You may be right, I don't know. But look at it from a customer point of view. I was told this from Metro Bank:

We may allow you to use your debit card in ATMs in or outside the UK which are operated by other banks if such machines display the MasterCard and/or LINK logos.

As far as I was concerned, I had satisfied all the conditions I was required to and considering the ATM was at an international airport you would think it would be accepted.

I think I'll send Metro Bank a message to ask them why.

System

My Metro Bank debit card has been accepted in every store I have shopped in, both online and high street. I have only had as issue where a couple of companies did not recognise the sort code and told me they could not set up a direct debit. Where I instisted they process the DD mandate manually it has been set up OK. The only company I can't get to accept my account details is Virgin Media. I really can't be bothered trying to explain the ins and outs of updating their banking database to an operative in India. I did try, but I am pretty sure the situation wasn't on their script.

To be fair, I haven't used the card abroad yet - I will be travelling to Berlin at Easter so I will soon find out!

KingL

No problems so far in about 10 different Mastercard ATMs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and several towns in Southern Thailand. No charges incurred (except for the local ones, which they tell you about at the point-of-use).

@ choc-mouse - their get-out-clause is in the word "may" in the first sentence.

Olipro

choc_mouse wrote: »

I think I'll send Metro Bank a message to ask them why.

You would be better advised sending a message to DnB NOR... Metro Bank have absolutely no way of knowing why another bank's ATM refused your card.

erutbjhr

yes i've experienced this problem in China where most ATMs I've tried have rejected the debit card.

The only place I have been able to use it is at selected ATMs in Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China branches.

Having said that, Metro bank were great about it when I called them to tell them about the problem. They asked if I had another card with another UK bank that I could use to get money out… and said they would refund the fees incurred by using the card.

In the end I didn't need to use it, but overall very happy on Metro's customer service.