Curve card blocked after multiple transactions

7sefton

Hi there

I use my curve card to make lots of small transactions necessary to unblock bank rewards (eg TSB cashback and co-op everyday rewards). These are debit card deposits into an online savings account. 

Never been a problem, but got an email today saying my card was blocked as I am going against curve’s ‘everyday value proposition’ and not using it for real transactions.

Anyone else had this?

Costabit

Over the last few days Costa Coffee have been selling their hot drinks for 50p via their app. I have probably had about 12 drinks and have used my Curve card for all of them along with various other small transactions at local shops , sometimes for less than £1 as well.
Doesn't seem to be a problem to Curve as assume that they see these minimal purchases as " real transactions " and they can distinguish between deposits and purchases, although I all ways thought that debit card deposits were OK through Curve.
Out of interest , were they all to the same savings account ?
That may have been the problem.

PRAISETHESUN

Haven't seen this recently, but I'm not surprised. Curve has taken a dim view to cash recycling in the past. A few transactions like that here and there are probably okay, but if you go and spam hundreds to meet TSB and Co-Op reward criteria it's fairly likely to get noticed.

There's nothing stopping you using the underlying card directly to meet the criteria, avoiding any possible future issues with Curve.

colsten

Buying 20 coffees a day is very different to paying 20 x £1 into a savings account on the same day.

I am not surprised to learn that Curve don't like the money transfers. They are not alone with this. It's happened at Monzo and Starling, and KRBS have already stopped taking online debit card deposits altogether. I am sure others will be following. It's just a question of time. 

Best to grovel profusely, saying you are very sorry that you unwittingly breached the T&Cs / the fair use policy, and that you wouldn't do it again. That way, they may unblock your account. 

enterprising2016

Hi 7sefton

Wondering which bank's savings account have you been using Curve to make deposits into?
I sometimes topped up Amazon gift card account by GBP 1 almost 10 times on one or two days a month. Have not fortunately received any warning from Curve card so far.

jay1804

enterprising2016 said:

Hi 7sefton

Wondering which bank's savings account have you been using Curve to make deposits into?
I sometimes topped up Amazon gift card account by GBP 1 almost 10 times on one or two days a month. Have not fortunately received any warning from Curve card so far.

It probably because you're using it at a retail merchant, not a savings account.

gsmh

I have to say I love it that the 'free money' paradigm is becoming unsustainable for the money leechers.

[Deleted User]

The Curve business model isn't particularly sustainable as practically every transaction will be loss making - if you aren't a paid customer - you have limited value to them.

gsmh

Deleted User said:

The Curve business model isn't particularly sustainable as practically every transaction will be loss making - if you aren't a paid customer - you have limited value to them.

Absolutely. I used the free Curve card when I wanted to use a Triodos debit card and a Capital One credit card, neither of which support Apple Pay. It's a good way of breathing some life into such products. Now I use a bank where the debit card allows Apple Pay I can see no reason why I should use Curve. Juggling cards can be done within Apple or Google Wallet so why use Curve?