Weird Response From MBNA

GSDMum

Having not used our MBNA card for quite a while (been trying to reduce the debt).

We recently had a hefty bill to pay, and just in case we had a problem, we tried to remember our pin number but failed . Luckily we coped without having to call on MBNA.

So online we requested another pin number - my husband and I have a card each, using the same account, with the same card number.

After a couple of days, we received from MBNA the new pin number, except they sent two pin numbers, for eg: (made up card numbers below)

XXXX XXXX XXXX 1234 = pin 2468
XXXX XXXX XXXX 4321 = pin 1357

We were confused because the last 4 digits of the card numbers did not correlate to our (shared) card number.

We telephone them... and became even more confused. It appears the two numbers were for our NEW cards which will be sent to us when our present card expires - our card isn't due to expire until 04/21!

Upshot, they're going to send us a new pin number (one) for our present card.

How strange.

Terry_Towelling

When a card is reissued following expiry as part of the normal re-issue process, the PIN doesn't generally change, although the last 3 digits of the card number can change (depends on the issuer). Perhaps the change to having different card numbers for multiple-card accounts has come about as a result of Lloyds taking on the MBNA card portfolio.

I am wondering, however, whether the 'new' PINs are the same as the old ones. If you have one of those card readers that so many banks use for online access these days, you could try putting your old card in one of those and entering the 'new' PIN.

If it works - fine. If it doesn't - don't keep trying because you still only get 3 attempts at a correct PIN in a card reader.

GSDMum

Thanks for your reply Terry. No we don't have a card reader for MBNA.

Hopefully we'll get a new pin number this week.

It's not a problem, only that it's disconcerting when something 'weird' happens to a credit/debit card.

Terry_Towelling

You can usually use any card reader with any card - doesn't have to be brand-specific.

GSDMum

Thank you Terry. We've got a NatWest card reader, which we've asked to use every now and again when transferring money.

Could this be used? Sorry for being dim

Terry_Towelling

Should work. I just tested my Barclays card in my old NatWest reader and it checks the PIN just fine.

Stick the card in, press, 'identify', enter your PIN and hit OK.

Like I say, though, if it says 'PIN incorrect' don't keep trying because you only get 3 consecutive wrong attempts before the card is locked.

GSDMum

Thank you Terry, I've learnt something today :cool:

Vortigern

I agree that all the card readers are interchangeable, but not all cards can be used with card readers. The program to validate the PIN is stored on the chip on the card, not in the reader.

The MBNA card does not have this facility. If you put it in a reader it will display "This card is not valid"

Don't worry, the card is valid; it just doesn't work with those card readers.

Terry_Towelling

GSDMum wrote: »

Thank you Terry, I've learnt something today :cool:

Seems it may have been a wasted lesson. Can you let us know if it worked or not?

GSDMum

Strange, I could have sworn I'd replied earlier this morning to you Terry. Not to worry.

I inserted the MBNA card into the NatWest card reader, and got the message 'Wrong Card', the message then tripped to 'Remove Card'.

System

Halifax (LBG) certainly give additional cardholders their own PAN - allowing either card to work independently if the other is lost/stolen.

With MBNA, existing accounts are being migrated onto the LBG platform.