**WARNING** Halifax Clarity / HBOS Credit cards

sunguy

BE ***VERY** careful with credit cards issued by HBOS.....and in particular their Clarity card.

The Clarity card is designed for travel and is promoted on this website.

Fantastic card when you are able to actually use it.

The warning is that despite this card being designed for travel, THEY WILL NOT GIVE YOU AN IN-COUNTRY EMERGENCY REPLACEMENT unless you claim you have absolutely no other cards and are not travelling with anyone else. i..e. you will be destitute without the replacement card.

THEY WILL TRY THEIR ABSOLUTE BEST TO FIND ***ANY*** REASON NOT TO REPLACE THE CARD - EVEN TRY TO SEND YOU CASH INSTEAD.

**ANY** replacement card **MUST** be sent to your REGISTERED address and WILL NOT BE SENT ANYWHERE ELSE...except for the emergency replacement which

Also be *VERY* careful about card vaildity dates - THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE ARE UNABLE TO EXTEND THE VALID TO DATES FOR CARDS ON YOUR ACCOUNT....i.e. if you are going to be out of the country with the card when your card expires, there is no way to request HBOS to re-issue your card with a new set of valid dates prior....although I have been told that 8-10 weeks prior to the validity date expiring, the new date will appear on their system and you can request a re-issue at that point.

In summary - DO NOT EXPECT ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM HBOS if you are out of the country - they would rather you didnt bother them with such matters because they CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOU!

grumbler

sunguy wrote: »

...DO NOT EXPECT ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM HBOS if you are out of the country - they would rather you didnt bother them with such matters because they CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOU!

Calm down and stop shouting...
What about "THEY WILL... TRY TO SEND YOU CASH"?.

Generally, it doesn't surprise me if a card provider refuses to send a replacement card to any address except the registered one, let alone abroad and especially to third world countries.
This is rather an extra service/perk than a default one. It's a common knowledge that one needs spare cards when travelling abroad.

sunguy

Okay...here goes....

HBOS have created a card specifically for travel.....

Customer has wallet stolen whilst travelling (very common occurance).

As customer is travelling with someone - doesnt matter who....then dont bother to help them....send new credit card to home address in home country (which is of absolutly no use whilst abroad).

The money bit - *IF* you qualify for an emergency card, they will push you to let them send cash via Western Union rather than send you a card.

Why should I stop shouting - do you not think this is a disgraceful situation to be in - a travel card that will only ever send your card to your home address rather to where you need it ?

AMEX and MANY other providers will send an in-country replacement(in-country means a physical credit card printed with generic logo at a local VISA/MASTERCARD banks miniting facility).

PS. 20-odd years ago, the last time I lost my card, HFX sent me an in-country replacement with no-quibble - arrived to the middle of nowhere in 2 days.....

Third-world countries still produce credit cards in country.....there is still a fedex/dhl/courrier service - though it may take a few extra days depending on where you are.....but in a MAJOR city in the USA(as in my case) - this shouldnt be an issue.

HBOS just dont want to spend a few pennies to send you the card...this is not an extra service or perk if you design a card specifically for travel.

grumbler

sunguy wrote: »

Okay...here goes....

HBOS have created a card specifically for travel.....

http://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/clarity-card/

One simple rate & no usage fees - however and wherever you use your Clarity Credit Card.
...You can transfer balances to us (£100 minimum) from most credit cards and some store cards, excluding other Halifax products.
What's really exciting about the Halifax Clarity Credit Card is that there are no usage fees:

• No fee to transfer a balance
• No cash withdrawal fee (some ATM providers may charge a fee)
• No fee to use it anywhere worldwide
• No annual fee

I don't even see the word 'travel' here, but I am happy to have it and use abroad regardless of the fact that they don't offer emergency replacement.

Customer has wallet stolen whilst travelling (very common occurance).

Reasonable customers have more than one card and don't keep them in one wallet.

As customer is travelling with someone - doesnt matter who....then dont bother to help them....send new credit card to home address in home country (which is of absolutly no use whilst abroad).

I don't see any relevance of "travelling with someone "

The money bit - *IF* you qualify for an emergency card, they will push you to let them send cash via Western Union rather than send you a card.

Well, sending cash is definitely less risky than sending a card. What alternative do you suggest to WU?

Why should I stop shouting - do you not think this is a disgraceful situation to be in - a travel card that will only ever send your card to your home address rather to where you need it ?

No, I don't think so. I would have checked this in advance and had a few spare cards regardless.
What you want is a service typically offered by insurance companies, not by card providers, although as I said above some providers can offer this as a perk.

AMEX and MANY other providers will send an in-country replacement(in-country means a physical credit card printed with generic logo at a local VISA/MASTERCARD banks miniting facility).

Well, good for them. Do Amex really offer Visa/Mastercard replacement?

.....there is still a fedex/dhl/courrier service - though it may take a few extra days depending on where you are.....
HBOS just dont want to spend a few pennies to send you the card...

I think Fedex and DHL cost much more than a few pennies.

this is not an extra service or perk if you design a card specifically for travel.

You say so.

sunguy

You know - no wonder you only have 20k thanks versus 50k posts....

There is absolutely no reason to flame me....

"Reasonable customers have more than one card and don't keep them in one wallet."

Maybe true for folks like you and I, but not everybody is as travel savvy....

As for your link to the Clarity card, yes; HBOS have removed the travel perks marketing.....but who cares...thats not what I or many, many others have been sold!

For printing, I think you will find that most banks outsource to companies such as evolis and datacard....and they will print cards for whomever they have contracts with, whether it is M/C AMEX VISA or Sainsburys.....

It may also surprise you to know that companies such as DHL/FedEx, etc give rather serious discounts to major players - for example, I had a $50 gift card sent via DHL from Dallas, TX by Hilton.....the price for the postage should be more than the card was worth....I doubt they would do that if this is what it cost them!

So Grumbler, ... moral of the above STOP TROLLING AND START HELPING!

sunguy

PS. As for the travelling with someone - I dont see the relevance either - but, HBOS do.... they will refuse a card or cash via Western Union if you are traveling with someone who has funds....

One last point.....what would you rather - £1800 in local currency via Western Union ripe for the taking of any mugger, or a new card, which if you were really unlucky, you could get replaced again without losing a penny?

The WU service is a one-time deal....if you take he cash, you have to take as much as you think will be needed....more risky - and what if you underestimate ?

grumbler

sunguy wrote: »

You know - no wonder you only have 20k thanks versus 50k posts....

Is 20K too few or too many?
IMO, 2/5 is a very reputable ratio for all boards except a few where even spam gets thanked routinely by many regulars. Debt-Free Wannabe is a good example.
You are welcome to take the lead with, say, 3/5.

There is absolutely no reason to flame me....

Was it not you who flamed HX?

"Reasonable customers have more than one card and don't keep them in one wallet."

Maybe true for folks like you and I, but not everybody is as travel savvy....

Yes, it's much easier to blame everybody around than to blame yourself and to be more 'savvy'.

As for your link to the Clarity card, yes; HBOS have removed the travel perks marketing.....but who cares...thats not what I or many, many others have been sold!

Sold by whom? And it's called 'Clarity' not, say, 'Travel', for a reason - I think because it has never been marketed as designed for travel specifically like you imply.
Hardly a surprise that some other cards with much higher charges for everything can afford some perks like emergency replacement.

sunguy

Flaming HX...no...letting people know useful information about Clarity Cards...yes...

So Grumbler, ... moral of the above STOP TROLLING AND START HELPING!

the_insider

http://www.mastercard.co.uk/emergency-services.html

Less shouting on here and more common sense would have had a new card on its way to you by now.

Good luck and enjoy the rest of your trip.

sunguy

the_insider - feel free to contact mastercard international - they will tell you that they cannot issue an emergency card without authorisation from your card issuer.

HBOS - the card issuer will not authorise a card unless you have absolutly no alternative means of payment, including someone else you are traveling with.

Less flaming; more sence; more listen - much better!

Biggles

sunguy wrote: »

The warning is that despite this card being designed for travel

First I've heard of that. However, to summarise,

unless you claim you have absolutely no other cards and are not travelling with anyone else.

In other words, if you haven't prepared properly for your trip (all card providers warn that you should carry alternatives in case your own card is stolen/lost/blocked for any reason), they will send a replacement. Fine. And even

They will (snip) send you cash instead.

Also fine.

I like the Halifax card even more.