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Lloyds bank.. Help please

Hi in new to this forum been viewing for a while and thought il post a question..

Ive just opened a basic account with LLOYDS BANK and im worried about their systems are they reliable and upto date the reason i ask this because i got offered a natwest account but they have issues with their systems did i do the right thing by sticking with lloyds..

Also how can you tell the difference beetween an Offline and Online Debit Card

Thankyou

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year :beer:

Comments

  • Midslad27 wrote: »
    Hi in new to this forum been viewing for a while and thought il post a question..

    Ive just opened a basic account with LLOYDS BANK and im worried about their systems are they reliable and upto date the reason i ask this because i got offered a natwest account but they have issues with their systems did i do the right thing by sticking with lloyds..

    Also how can you tell the difference beetween an Offline and Online Debit Card

    Thankyou

    Merry Xmas and Happy New Year :beer:

    My card is offline contactless & starts with 4921 81 not sure if that helps.
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,683 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you have a basic account it's almost certain you have an online card.
  • Online cards start 4659 01 and will be silver in colour.
  • Yorkie1
    Yorkie1 Posts: 12,175 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I've not had any difficulties with Lloyds systems being unreliable.

    (Famous last words).
  • stclair
    stclair Posts: 6,854 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    SimonSays wrote: »
    Online cards start 4659 01 and will be silver in colour.

    It would appear the card is now green:

    http://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/cash-account.asp
    Im an ex employee RBS Group
    However Any Opinion Given On MSE Is Strictly My Own
  • Also how can you tell the difference beetween an Offline and Online Debit Card
    You may notice the difference - the online card will always phone home for authorisation regardless, so you may notice it is slower, especially at places that have old card terminals or slow systems.

    It may not work in some places where it's not possible to have a live connection to the merchant services provider, such as on trains and planes. Pay at pump may not function as it should either. Your card may not come with contactless payment at all.

    An offline card will work pretty much anywhere, as in it will work without needing to phone home all of the time. Therefore it is possible for it to work in places where there is little/no connection to the merchant services provider.

    You will also notice it is a little faster when it doesn't have to call home, as it will just ask you to remove your card straight away. It's also why offline cards come with contactless, as they don't always call home - like for example on London buses, where they accept contactless cards.
  • PaulW922
    PaulW922 Posts: 1,040 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    An online card can have Contactless. For example Orange Cash and Paypal both do, but the transaction will always be authorised which takes a few seconds. Offline is of course usually instant with Contactless payments.
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