Need a USA compatible card?

Rich_T_2

Hi all,

I need to sign up to a site in USA which has a monthly reoccurring charge. The site specifies a credit card but I only have a UK debit card so I get declined.

My question is, are UK credit cards the same as USA ones? i.e if I were to get a credit card is it likely to be USA compatible (if that makes sense)?

Any help much appreciated,
Thank you,

InsideInsurance

Cards are ultimately global but by looking at the first few digits it is possible to identify who/where the issuing bank is and what type of card it is. Some merchants (and card processors) chose to block cards that do not meet their target (eg block all debit cards or block all cards from outside the US or block all cards from Nigeria)

Without asking the merchant you cannot say for certain that if you got a UK issued Visa that they would accept it or not

Rich_T_2

That's interesting, so you think even if I were to get a credit card it still might not work?

Is 'reoccurring payment' the equivalent to a debit cards 'direct debit'?

Just spoke to the merchants and they stated all major credit cards are accepted and they are looking into it.

callum9999

Rich_T wrote: »

That's interesting, so you think even if I were to get a credit card it still might not work?

Is 'reoccurring payment' the equivalent to a debit cards 'direct debit'?

Just spoke to the merchants and they stated all major credit cards are accepted and they are looking into it.

It should normally work if they are happy for UK customers. Like someone said above, the site's owner or merchant may choose not to accept money from abroad but unless there is a specific reason (i.e. they don't want foreign customers), it should be fine.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of getting a credit card (or can't) you might want to try a pre-paid card. They are often treated as credit cards and I've used my FairFX US$ one on US websites (even though the account is in dollars, it's still a UK based account).

Rich_T_2

callum9999 wrote: »

It should normally work if they are happy for UK customers. Like someone said above, the site's owner or merchant may choose not to accept money from abroad but unless there is a specific reason (i.e. they don't want foreign customers), it should be fine.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of getting a credit card (or can't) you might want to try a pre-paid card. They are often treated as credit cards and I've used my FairFX US$ one on US websites (even though the account is in dollars, it's still a UK based account).

That's very interesting. I have not herd of FairFX before and that may solve the problem and also help in other areas also.
I think i understand the ideal, can you let me know how it exactly works please?

callum9999

Rich_T wrote: »

That's very interesting. I have not herd of FairFX before and that may solve the problem and also help in other areas also.
I think i understand the ideal, can you let me know how it exactly works please?

You buy the card from the https://www.fairfx.com and top it up with money. You'll then get a card in the post and can use it exactly like a debit card.

I haven't used it extensively in the US (only MLB.com and Amazon.com) so I don't know if it will work any better than your debit card currently does (or doesn't!) though. EDIT: Actually, I've used the card in person in the US dozens of times as well and never had a problem - but then I suspect your debit card could have done the same, so it doesn't really give much reassurance!

bengalknights

Yes any cards should work unless they are after a us based address

CLAPTON

be very careful about recurring payments as these are much harder to cancel than a DD.

Rich_T_2

CLAPTON wrote: »

be very careful about recurring payments as these are much harder to cancel than a DD.

Thanks for warning, do you mean they need the permission of the merchant to cancel and not just the consumer (like a direct debit)?

Do you know if the fairfix card would support reoccurring payment?

Kind regards,

InsideInsurance

Rich_T wrote: »

Is 'reoccurring payment' the equivalent to a debit cards 'direct debit'?

Reoccurring payment - properly called continuous payment authority - has similarities to DDs in that the merchant can is in control and pulls the money from your account (rather than a standing order where you push it). It however is no way near as formalised nor regulated as DDs are and there is no "CPA Guarantee"

That said, Visa and Mastercard have been working on getting things improved but it is difficult to get traction with anyone.

One other key difference is that not all merchants do things in the right way. In theory they should put through the first transaction via their normal merchant ID for the channel of purchase (eg moto, web etc) and all subsequent reoccurring ones should go through a second special CPA merchant ID thus the banks knows the payment is done under an agreed CPA.

Given this creates cost in terms of banking, systems etc some will just keep putting through transactions via their normal Merch ID which makes cancelling it more difficult as the bank will see it as a new purchase not a CPA. Given fees involved etc it also tempts the merchant into storing additional data that they shouldn't

thenudeone

According to the FSA, you have the right to get your card issuer to cancel recurring payments,
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/static/pubs/consumer_info/know_your_rights_payments.pdf
but in practice many card issuers will just point blank refuse.