Curve card cash withdrawals

Stuart_W

Anyone else struggling with cash withdrawals from a curve card?

I know since the changes last autumn, charges are likely to be added where the underlying card is a credit card, but more recently I have found attempts to withdraw cash when the underlying card is a debit card are unsuccessful at the cash machine. Certainly worked fine in January but not now.

It will fail in the cash machine but work moments later at a checkout.

Combined with Curve not allowing cashback at the supermarket checkout even when the underlying card is a debit card (they never have, from day 1) the benefits of a curve card seem to continue to diminish, as very few places are left that accept debit cards but not credit cards, and it seems I can't use it to get cash in any shape or form either.

It might just be my underlying banks - Co-op and Reliance - that are choosing to reject cash withdrawals, and no change from Curve, but whatever it is that's caused it, the "one card for all" plan is likely to be lost on me.

I don't very often withdraw cash from a cash machine, get supermarket cashback or withdraw at the post office, but I like the option to be there. My regular debit card once again has moved up to pride of place in the wallet.

[Deleted User]

The card is in essence a top-up/prepaid card with some magic done in the background.

You can't request cashback at tills because the transaction is being made on the curve card - their system doesn't know what the underlying card is.

Wellard_Mann

I very rarely withdraw cash from ATMs, preferring to use contactless/Google Pay wherever possible. I did, however, make a cash withdrawal a couple of days ago using a Curve card with no issues. My underlying card was a debit card, with a different bank to the ones mentioned by the OP. Possibly a bank issue?

jimroy

!!! wrote: »

The card is in essence a top-up/prepaid card with some magic done in the background.

You can't request cashback at tills because the transaction is being made on the curve card - their system doesn't know what the underlying card is.

I've used my Curve Card for cash back in the past with no issues. But I do have enhanced limits. I seem to remember you needed those for it to work.

jimroy

Wellard_Mann wrote: »

I very rarely withdraw cash from ATMs, preferring to use contactless/Google Pay wherever possible. I did, however, make a cash withdrawal a couple of days ago using a Curve card with no issues. My underlying card was a debit card, with a different bank to the ones mentioned by the OP. Possibly a bank issue?

Yes. I withdraw cash from an ATM using my Curve Card with an underlying debit card only these days.

Before the rule changes, I could withdraw cash direct from an ATM or via cash back in store with an underlying credit card with Curve. I wouldn't risk it now.

tehone

Works fine for me (underlying card is currently set to be a Santander debit card)

Stuart_W

jimroy wrote: »

I've used my Curve Card for cash back in the past with no issues. But I do have enhanced limits. I seem to remember you needed those for it to work.

Really?

I have enhanced limits, but cashback has never been available. Curve support confirmed cashback isn't supported last ssummer. It doesn't appear as an option for the checkout assistant - and they are usually confused because it is a debit card and don't understand why cashback isn't an option, although I think fewer people ask for it these days. Very few debit card providers would want to block cashback, as cashback is cheaper for banks than ATM withdrawals.

I didn't even realise the bank knew it was asked to approve cashback, I just thought anamount was authorised with the retailer as a purchase - certainly in the early days of cashback this was the case, but that's going back a bit.

Fingerbobs

Stuart_W wrote: »

Really?

I have enhanced limits, but cashback has never been available. Curve support confirmed cashback isn't supported last ssummer. It doesn't appear as an option for the checkout assistant - and they are usually confused because it is a debit card and don't understand why cashback isn't an option, although I think fewer people ask for it these days. Very few debit card providers would want to block cashback, as cashback is cheaper for banks than ATM withdrawals.

I didn't even realise the bank knew it was asked to approve cashback, I just thought anamount was authorised with the retailer as a purchase - certainly in the early days of cashback this was the case, but that's going back a bit.

Depends where you go. I know at least two of the big UK supermarket chains will allow purchase-with-cashback on a Curve card, and the full transaction amount including the cash goes through as a purchase to the underlying card, and comes off Curve's purchase limits, not ATM limits.

McWedge

benefits of a curve card seem to continue to diminish

It can still make a non-contactless card contactless which is useful

jimroy

Stuart_W wrote: »

Really?

I have enhanced limits, but cashback has never been available. Curve support confirmed cashback isn't supported last ssummer. It doesn't appear as an option for the checkout assistant - and they are usually confused because it is a debit card and don't understand why cashback isn't an option, although I think fewer people ask for it these days. Very few debit card providers would want to block cashback, as cashback is cheaper for banks than ATM withdrawals.

I didn't even realise the bank knew it was asked to approve cashback, I just thought anamount was authorised with the retailer as a purchase - certainly in the early days of cash back this was the case, but that's going back a bit.

It works fine with my Curve Black at my local supermarket.

Stuart_W

McWedge wrote: »

It can still make a non-contactless card contactless which is useful

Agreed. It also provides instant spend notifications which the underlying card might not (but presumably within time this will eventually become a standard feature across all providers - like internet banking is now).

Still not sure how the product has a long term profitable future though.