Sainsburys MasterCard refused by EDF Energy

moredosh

Hi all,

Just attempted to pay my EDF Gas Bill with my new, successfully activated Sainsbury's Credit Card (Master Card). EDF tell me, however, they're unable to take payment with this particular credit card. Their system takes credit cards generally but not this particular one.

Does anyone know what's going on - and how to get round this?

I know from past experience with EDF that if they make a payment and screw it up, e.g. by entering the wrong sixteen digit number, the system won't let them do it a second time the same day.

I've posted this on the Gas/Electric Forum too as I wasn't quite sure whether it belonged here or there.

Many thanks.

tobago22

My EDF Energy Bill does not seem to allow payment by credit card

cosmile

i have an established mastercard and i just tried to pay for my shopping online at tesco.it would not go through ,i phoned the credit card company .they said their systems are down.i paid with different card in the end !

moredosh

EDF do take CCs generally: I've done it before.

It turns out, however, that Sainsbury's Bank are currently experiencing a technical issue which they're working to resolve. Unlikely to be sorted before 3pm this afternoon, might be a lot later.

cosmile

seems to be something to do with mastercard and my visa card went through fine.

moredosh

Since the EDF fiasco, have used my Sainsbury's Card several times with other companies without problems until attempting a BT from it with my new UlsterBank card.

Here's the story.

Sainsburys are, as of Aug 2006, migrating their cards from
Visa (sixteen digit numbers commencing 4779)
to
Master Card (sixteen digit numbers commencing 5126).

When you make a CC purchase, the software scrawls though a Table Of Usable Card Numbers (this is not the technical name, just a description - perhaps someone here who works in banking can enlighten us as to the actual term) to ensure that those first four digits represent a valid CC company. Because companies introduce new first four digits from time to time, these need to be updated otherwise a company's software won't recognise new four figure numbers. That was what was happening with EDF and UlsterBank - in both cases, much running around and a very helpful higher level customer service manager sorted the problem. UlsterBank being a bank you wouldn't imagine they would have this problem, but there you go.

Other companies with whom this caused (causes?) problems include Amazon (not used Sainsburys CC with them myself).