Online / Offline /Full Auth - What does it all mean ?

MissKitten

Chrisblue1962 wrote: »

Hi, may I ask which Halifax account you have ? Is it a basic bank accout?

My Co-op Cashminder card cannot be used at Pay-at-Pump or train stations , which is a minor irritation.

Hi, It is a Halifax Reward Current Account.

Chrisblue1962

Many Thanks.

Mulligan1

MissKitten wrote: »

Hi, It is a Halifax Reward Current Account.

I have the standard Halifax Current Account, the Visa Debit card is contactless and, like your card, begins 4462 91.

I assume it must be offline as contactless payments are not immediately reserved (unlike most chip and pin transactions), they just appear on my statement a few days later.

And I have never had any issues at Pay@Pump.

reclusive46

Mulligan1 wrote: »

I have the standard Halifax Current Account, the Visa Debit card is contactless and, like your card, begins 4462 91.

I assume it must be offline as contactless payments are not immediately reserved (unlike most chip and pin transactions), they just appear on my statement a few days later.

And I have never had any issues at Pay@Pump.

It will be. The Lloyds group only issue contactless cards on offline cards.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

I recently opened an account with RBS and they had the audacity to send a part functioning debit card.

What's the point of sending out something that only part works and gives me more limited access to MY money.

Let's all go out and buy a table with three legs or a bike with no saddle.

Suffice to say it was cut up and dumped back at the branch with a "please shut my account" letter.

You-kip

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I recently opened an account with RBS and they had the audacity to send a part functioning debit card.

What's the point of sending out something that only part works and gives me more limited access to MY money.

Let's all go out and buy a table with three legs or a bike with no saddle.

Suffice to say it was cut up and dumped back at the branch with a "please shut my account" letter.

Excellent post:)

Mulligan1

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I recently opened an account with RBS and they had the audacity to send a part functioning debit card.

What's the point of sending out something that only part works and gives me more limited access to MY money.

Let's all go out and buy a table with three legs or a bike with no saddle.

Suffice to say it was cut up and dumped back at the branch with a "please shut my account" letter.

I suppose if they (rightly or wrongly) perceive someone to be a risk they want to make sure you really do only spend your money and not theirs!

HereToHelp_2

I think you need to take a step back from the replies to this thread and understand that apart from quoted facts such as one individuals card working or not working in Pay@Pump and in remote locations like on a train the answer does not lie in anything as simple any explanation given.

Unfortunately, it would require much industry jargon and I do not wish to bamboozle you with it as most including myself at times and I have worked in the area of writing computer code that was implemented into systems to allow bank cards to work for one clearing bank; have difficult understanding it and remembering everything for each card type.

The chip on the card is both programmable at the point of issue of the card and it continues to be so throughout the lifetime of the card, even after the expiry date embossed on it to allow you to go on using it.

When it is entered in some devices such as an ATM, these are always connected directly to a bank, instructions can be sent to the chip on the card to do anything from permanently block it, temporarily block it, set no check on the next n (any number the banks like) number of transaction i.e. they can be processed without an authorisation code but instead only verified by a method set such as only by PIN, by PIN and signature, and for Cardholder Not Present transactions which a terminal can be set to override and always seek authorisation depending on the fraud risk, and the reverse where it is set that it must go "on-line" to be authorised but the terminal can over ride this and accept the card based on its own rules (so it is not just the card which is making the decisions) and so it goes on and on and on.

There is no thing as "on-line" and "off-line" cards as if there are only 2 states that these can exist in as you can hopefully see. One day and that day is not that far in the future due to the low cost and speed of now authorising all card transactions it would be best to think of any card now as one that must always require authorisation as its status could be changed and you are not told.

This is with respect to Visa Debit and different rules apply for Mastercard products by region. Maestro is the most flexible, for instance it will work in a Pay@Pump which checks that the card is valid and the bank will allow the transaction to go ahead up to a maximum amount. Then within 20 minutes, this must be re-authorised using the original number with the full amount of the transaction by which your available balance will be reduced.

So, please make sure you are carrying enough cash to cover your own back in the event of technological failure (especially for petrol, in remote areas, moving vehicles and for items of high fraud risk such as razor blades, bottles of spirits and would you believe it back bacon!).

Even when chips can be pre-loaded with funds so you are essentially spending cash and know you have a set amount there is no guarantee the chip on your card will not fail for some reason or the other or the terminal wont be able to read it or be broken.

p.s. apologies for the speeling and grammer errors, the where/were their/there and your/you're errors etc or missing or transposed words. I attempt to correct them after submitting a post but I don't always manage. A small stoke hit me and since them well, if you have ever had one I am sure you can guess. Sorry. At least it does not affect my coding ability which as any programmer will know is always riddled with typo's on first entry, if you are thinking on your feet.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

Mulligan1 wrote: »

I suppose if they (rightly or wrongly) perceive someone to be a risk they want to make sure you really do only spend your money and not theirs!

Not sure but their reticence has possibly made me their shortest lived customer account.

Opened the account, got the crapppppy limited debit card three days later. Asked for a proper one on the blower, was told to wait six months. I said "no way" so cut it up when I hung up and dropped it into the branch next morning with the "please close" letter.

If RBS had anything special to offer then six months might be worth the wait but they are hardly bank of the year.

What concerns me is they don't warn you on account opening that you have only qualified for their more limited card so don't get an opportunity to say sorry no poke it now. You either find out by chance (declined transaction) or perhaps through knowledge on MSE.

The woman on the phone made it sound like RBS had thrown me a moldy old bone and I should be grateful.

At Least my trusty Cumberland Building Society card is "offline" and in fact they don't offer any other type of card (according to them). Incidentally Cumberland use RBS as their clearing system!

On the bright side I look forward to buying a new car later in the year with three wheels and hopefully the showroom might upgrade the car to the four wheel version six months later.

TheEffect

Does anyone know if the HSBC Contactless card starting with 4659 42 is online or offline?

HSBC wouldn't give me an offline card (didn't use the account enough), but weirdly I've just had a contactless card as my replacement... I'm thinking it's an online contactless card?