Unexpected replacement card from Santander

PinkPig

A couple of days ago Santander sent me a new debit card. The last one was a Visa Electron, this one looks exactly the same (it's flat rather than embossed) but it says Visa Debit rather than Visa Electron.

But I didn't ask for a new card and the old one isn't expiring yet. Should I be worried? Why would they have just sent me a new card? The letter with it is just a generic 'here's your new card' letter which doesn't tell me anything.

laurel7172

When my bank sent out new cards without warning they were followed by a card reader (for internet banking) shortly afterwards.

But I'm sure the change from Electron to debit is enough to explain it.

masonic

laurel7172 wrote: »

But I'm sure the change from Electron to debit is enough to explain it.

If it's not embossed, then I wouldn't have thought it was a full debit card.

Only reason I can think of is if they were removing the cheque guarantee facility?

tightarsey

Cooperative Visa Electron Scandal: Customers charged £18 on flybe.com using a Valid Cooperative Visa Electron Card when flybe.com states Visa Electron fee is zero. Effectively the same for Santander, assuming they have kept your card details the same.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2762262

[Deleted User]

either removing the cheque guarantee card or Santander is phasing out Visa Electron which i believe they are as most get Visa Debit now anyway
they also tend to send a new card at least a year before your old card expires :S

izools

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=unembossed+visa+debit

It is a full VISA debit card, of the unembossed variety, so it cannot be "Swiped" by the old style carbon-tracing paper machines, which, tbh, I haven't seen in use for over a decade anyway...

tightarsey

PinkPig wrote: »

A couple of days ago Santander sent me a new debit card. The last one was a Visa Electron, this one looks exactly the same (it's flat rather than embossed) but it says Visa Debit rather than Visa Electron.

But I didn't ask for a new card and the old one isn't expiring yet. Should I be worried? Why would they have just sent me a new card? The letter with it is just a generic 'here's your new card' letter which doesn't tell me anything.

PinkPig, does the new card issued have the same card number as the last one, what's the first 4 digits of each of the cards? (These digits are known as the bin type of the card, how it is recognised by retailers as Visa Electron, Visa Debit, Visa Credit)

System

No, its only Coop who are stupid enough to change the type without changing the card numbers!

[Deleted User]

tightarsey wrote: »

PinkPig, does the new card issued have the same card number as the last one, what's the first 4 digits of each of the cards? (These digits are known as the bin type of the card, how it is recognised by retailers as Visa Electron, Visa Debit, Visa Credit)

31010 - visa debit
32010 - electron