Post Office Travel Money Card - nightmare

shellsterooney

Just wanted to share that i have found taking out and trying to use the Post Office Travel Money Card overly complex and riddled with flaws as a result.

Setting the card up on-line took a couple of days then i discovered the Post Office lady had mis-spelt my name but there is nowhere to change it on-line. Setting up all of the on-line passwords and codes seemed to go on forever and i do all of my banking on-line. I then topped up my card directly from my bank account which i linked to my card so i could top up from my mobile...

You then have to set up different log-ins for your mobile so by this point i'm losing track with which log in codes and pass codes are for which screen. Anyway as a result, when i went to use the card in a restaurant in Spain i ended up using up my 3 tries trying to get it right so we ended up using our credit card anyway. Next, i tested out the card at a cash point with the original pass code the post office had given me (which i believe i had changed on line to something memorable which didn't work) - i got cash out. However trying then to use the card which seemed to be working at our hotel was declined immediately - i rang the Post Office help line when i got back to be told i had blocked the card myself so that was why it was declined, which didn't make sense considering i could still draw cash out (for which there was a charge). I also asked should i not have received a phone call to advise me but apparently it was my fault so no. If i hadn't had another card on me we would've been really stuck.

Next i asked for the balance of £400+ to be credited back to my bank account and the card closed, no it cannot be credited back to the bank account linked to the card. Instead i have to wait 3 weeks for a bar code which I then take into a Post Office and have to have returned to me in cash! I asked the customer service employee to pass on my complaint about the complexity of the logins, no phone contact & not being able to withdraw back to my bank to which she became clearly irritated with me! (maybe alot of similar complaints?)

Bitterly disappointed with the whole thing, especially after i convinced my husband to try it when he wasn't keen - his opinion is that the Post Office is not set up to deal with this kind of banking, i think he's right now

NiftyDigits

You should have listened to your husband. In addition, you are going to take a very nasty hit on the exchange rate conversion back from foreign currency to Pounds. Another 5.75% gone. A terrible idea all round on your part. Especially since you've been a member here for years. You have the benefit of the best consumer info around.

sandsy

Sorry you've had problems.

But I've had my PO card for many years with no issues. I agree the login is more complicated than it need be but I managed to synchronise one of the passwords for the mobile app.

just the first time this year, I had reason to query a transaction that appeared to be declined at the time but was deducted from my balance. It was handled well by email, saving me the expense of calling from abroad (although they offered to call me, if it was convenient).

Always a good idea to carry more than one card!