Starling - Neo bank or Mickey Mouse bank?

colsten

My Starling debit card lives in my safe unless I travel abroad, which I obviously don't do a lot now. I have no experience with using Starling, or any other debit debit card, at petrol stations as I pay with a cashback credit card. You are almost certainly right though  that there's increased use of Starling, and also Monzo, debit card by fraudsters, as it appears to be easier to get a Starling/Monzo debit card than a debit card with most other banks. I gather from discussion forums that Monzo had a blanket block for all ASDA petrol stations at some point but have partially lifted it now, as their fraud detection procedures have improved. It sounds as if Starling are in a similar position.

[Deleted User]

When did Starling block pay@pump? I've been using Starling at pay@pump since end of 2017. I haven't filled up since March and it was still working then. I won't be happy when I go to fill up next and Starling card doesn't work.

colsten

Deleted_User said:

When did Starling block pay@pump? I've been using Starling at pay@pump since end of 2017. I haven't filled up since March and it was still working then. I won't be happy when I go to fill up next and Starling card doesn't work.

I don't think they blocked pay@pump for all their customers. If you refer to the information from the Starling website I posted earlier, you will see they say "At the moment some of our customers will be asked to pay at the till ". 

It would be interesting to hear from you after your next fill up.

WillPS

Highland76 said:

So I guess that means fraudsters are more likely to use a Starling bank debit card than others banks' debit cards at pay at pump locations? Because i don't see other major UK banks/BS restricting their debit cards at such locations. And also do Starling debit cards not require a PIN to be entered when trying to use at pay at pump locations? 

Tesco Bank block Pay @ Pump from all Current Accounts which don't have an authorised overdraft. Most annoying as it prevents you 'double dipping' to collect more Clubcard points.

ryan92

I use Starling as my main account and Pay@Pump has always worked. What it does do though is takes £30 off the balance rather than the normal £1 elsewhere.

[Deleted User]

ryan92 said:

I use Starling as my main account and Pay@Pump has always worked. What it does do though is takes £30 off the balance rather than the normal £1 elsewhere.

That doesn't really bother me as I never try to fill up when I don't have the money already in the account plus I always fill up £50+ anyway.

[Deleted User]

colsten said:

dahj said:

Starling say their card is accepted at any Mastercard location but it's clearly not and they aren't upfront.
Seems like a Mickey Mouse setup to me.  

Not sure whether you perhaps refer to a starling other than starlingbank.com when you say they aren't upfront. This is on the starlingbank.com website right now:

Something that you find out after the fact - hardly upfront but perhaps my standards are higher than others!
For example, NatWest's Current accounts terms (section 7.2) would count as upfront.

Anyhoo, their new credit/overdraft rates aren't competitive, so I'm only keeping for free ATM usage abroad.
I have other cards to use for fuel purchases but some others may not have that luxury. 

[Deleted User]

The thing with these Fintech banks are that they were designed for London centric hipsters doing hipster things like buying their morning coffee tap 'n' go in a hurry and jet setting the globe for meetings. Things start going south when the masses start using it for mundane everyday life.

[Deleted User]

colsten said:

Deleted_User said:

When did Starling block pay@pump? I've been using Starling at pay@pump since end of 2017. I haven't filled up since March and it was still working then. I won't be happy when I go to fill up next and Starling card doesn't work.

I don't think they blocked pay@pump for all their customers. If you refer to the information from the Starling website I posted earlier, you will see they say "At the moment some of our customers will be asked to pay at the till ". 

It would be interesting to hear from you after your next fill up.

I've just filled up today at ASDA pay@pump with my Starling card and it worked fine just like all the previous times.

Filled up £45 and £30 showing as pending on the Starling app.

But my card is one of the older purple cards, not the newer teal vertical cards.

maybells

I’ve found Starling to be fantastic overseas. Not had any issues with them at all. Though of course, I always have my Halifax Clarity with me too.

In the UK, Starling acts as my back-up account. I keep it with me in case my main debit card gets swallowed by an ATM. I’ve tried and failed to use my Starling card at pay pumps. Though it’s not a major inconvenience for me as they’re not my main bank anyway.