Curve Card

The_Urbanite

I have no problem with any of my cards linked to Curve - all of them are rewards credit or debit cards. Cash withdrawals are a tiny fraction, less than 3% of card use and not had a problem with any of them.

I am following the story with interest but haven't yet seen anything to suggest it is anything other than an individual exception because of the way the card is being used, possibly suspected cash recycling.

scragend

stevenhp1987 wrote: »

SamJ35 wrote:

One would assume that taking £200 cash out via curve from a CC and depositing into a current account would not be in line with their fair usage policy?

That's correct - will likely get your Curve card terminated.

It does explicitly state no cash recycling.

How would Curve know though? Two scenarios:

(i) I withdraw £200 cash via Curve from a CC, and go on a bender in the pub with my mates;

(ii) I withdraw £200 cash via Curve from a CC, and go and pay it in to my current account in a branch.

According to Curve T&Cs, (i) would be fine but (ii) wouldn't. But in both cases all Curve would see is the cash withdrawal, how would they know what I had done with the cash afterwards?

WillPS

I agree, the T&Cs are worded in such a way that the only prohibited action is one they can't prove.

Other cash recycling methods, such as using the 'add money by debit card' feature on Starling Bank's app, are not against the T&Cs as they are currently worded - even though they would be much more detectable.

scragend

WillPS wrote: »

Other cash recycling methods, such as using the 'add money by debit card' feature on Starling Bank's app, are not against the T&Cs as they are currently worded - even though they would be much more detectable.

And long may it stay that way

FF99

I have had a Curve card now for a few months and have successfully transacted a substantial number / value of online transactions - mainly paying HMRC tax.

I have signed Mrs FF99 up, but she is now 3,000 odd in the queue. She has sent some referrals but that has done nothing to improve her position. Does anyone know what the current waiting time is for a new card ?

baggers02

SnowTiger wrote: »

Curve is probably opening accounts in bulk. Maybe ten or twenty thousand at a time. That would explain why the queue suddenly drops by a large number.

Yes I think this is the case - I signed up last friday, position 3000 ish, today the card is ready to be issued.

zerog

I withdraw £200 on the 1st of every month, and use Curve wherever Amex is not accepted (since I would have to use one of the linked cards anyway), no problems or declined transactions so far.

jcontest

Just a heads-up on this in case anyone is a big spender.
I have my Curve card linked with my NatWest Rewards card and I now seem have paid a 3% "Cash Fee" to NatWest for my last Transaction on the Curve card!


I have been using it for a while, some Merchant readers will not take the card (but if you ask to try on a different machine it sometimes works) but other than that I have had no issue, and I have had nearly 100 transactions with the thing and never been billed an extra bit.


I worry that NatWest has started doing this through fear of people cycling cash, but to be caught offguard can be quite bad as it means that I could have been hit with £30-£40 of fee's if I keep using it.


Going to reach out to NatWest tomorrow to see if all transactions will now be viewed as cash, if so then that makes this card nearly useless.


The charge in question is exactly 3% of my last transaction and on the same day that the transaction hit the account, no other transactions hit. The fee itself is generated by NatWest, not Curve. No other transactions are on my NatWest card other than the Curve entries.

starM

Wondering if Curve is reporting to Natwest that it is a cash transaction.

I have used my Curve to withdraw £100 from Barclaycard today. Will see if any cash transaction charge appears.

Can you ring Natwest and ask?

OceanSound

jcontest wrote: »

Just a heads-up on this in case anyone is a big spender.
I have my Curve card linked with my NatWest Rewards card and I now seem have paid a 3% "Cash Fee" to NatWest for my last Transaction on the Curve card!
..........
Going to reach out to NatWest tomorrow to see if all transactions will now be viewed as cash, if so then that makes this card nearly useless.
....... The fee itself is generated by NatWest, not Curve. No other transactions are on my NatWest card other than the Curve entries.

Curve terms say this:

General fees
Fee for spend using credit card - Free
Fee for spend using debit card - Free
....
Transaction Fees
Fee for purchases in the currency selected for the Curve Card or any other Payment Instrument - Free.

I believe this ought to be raised with Curve so they can investigate why the payment went through as a cash transaction.