First Direct - Problems with chip in Debit Card

BumbleB10

I anyone having problems with their Debit card. Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card - possibly for a week- after I spent 30 mins telling them about my issue. An issue they know about, but wait for the customer to contact them - rather than the other way round.

How are we going to go 'cashless' - if they can prevent access to your money as a when they want to for as long as they want to?

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!
When I pointed out that local branches have been shut, this appeared to be a surprise....
Its apparently my fault that I cannot access my money, because I can't go to the nearest branch!!!!

Bank industry are happy to take our money - not bothered if the system fails.
Theres something concerning emerging here........

KxMx

That's why you should always have back ups and not rely on a single source.
I have two credit cards (visa and mastercard), two current account with debit cards and a small amount of cash at home.

born_again

BumbleB10 said:

I anyone having problems with their Debit card. Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card - possibly for a week- after I spent 30 mins telling them about my issue. An issue they know about, but wait for the customer to contact them - rather than the other way round.

How are we going to go 'cashless' - if they can prevent access to your money as a when they want to for as long as they want to?

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!
When I pointed out that local branches have been shut, this appeared to be a surprise....
Its apparently my fault that I cannot access my money, because I can't go to the nearest branch!!!!

Bank industry are happy to take our money - not bothered if the system fails.
Theres something concerning emerging here........

So have you entered the pin wrong 3 times & locked it?
Have you tried pin services on a atm to unlock it? 


Bank will not know your pin is locked till you call in and they look at your account. 

p00hsticks

BumbleB10 said:

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!

As KxMx says - you should always maintain at least two accounts with different banking groups fo such scanario. From your description, if you had such a setup, there would be nothing from stopping you from transferring money online from your Frist Direct account to another account with a card that DOES work.

EarthBoy

There's always Google Pay, or Apple Pay.  They will still work even if the card itself is faulty.

PRAISETHESUN

Curve (https://www.curve.com/en-gb/) would also let you use your card in this instance. But I agree that it doesn't solve the underlying issue of the original card being faulty. A week to get sent a replacement doesn't sound unreasonable to me though.

Shakin_Steve

born_again said:

OBumbleB10 said:

I anyone having problems with their Debit card. Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card - possibly for a week- after I spent 30 mins telling them about my issue. An issue they know about, but wait for the customer to contact them - rather than the other way round.

How are we going to go 'cashless' - if they can prevent access to your money as a when they want to for as long as they want to?

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!
When I pointed out that local branches have been shut, this appeared to be a surprise....
Its apparently my fault that I cannot access my money, because I can't go to the nearest branch!!!!

Bank industry are happy to take our money - not bothered if the system fails.
Theres something concerning emerging here........

So have you entered the pin wrong 3 times & locked it?
Have you tried pin services on a atm to unlock it? 


Bank will not know your pin is locked till you call in and they look at your account. 

Why would a new card be necessary for a locked PIN? Surely the bank would just issue the same instructions you have?

From the OP:

"Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card "

born_again

Shakin_Steve said:

born_again said:

OBumbleB10 said:

I anyone having problems with their Debit card. Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card - possibly for a week- after I spent 30 mins telling them about my issue. An issue they know about, but wait for the customer to contact them - rather than the other way round.

How are we going to go 'cashless' - if they can prevent access to your money as a when they want to for as long as they want to?

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!
When I pointed out that local branches have been shut, this appeared to be a surprise....
Its apparently my fault that I cannot access my money, because I can't go to the nearest branch!!!!

Bank industry are happy to take our money - not bothered if the system fails.
Theres something concerning emerging here........

So have you entered the pin wrong 3 times & locked it?
Have you tried pin services on a atm to unlock it? 


Bank will not know your pin is locked till you call in and they look at your account. 

Why would a new card be necessary for a locked PIN? Surely the bank would just issue the same instructions you have?

From the OP:

"Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card "

Who knows what the OP told them.

Have spoken to enough people who have said PIN is locked, but when trying to find out where they locked it (ATM or POS) is never easy. Different answers for these.
So do know some reps simply take the easy way out and issue a new card. But if it is locked with a faulty chip. It will be replaced as lost & stolen, rather than simply replaced. To remove any corruption from the chip.

Could be OP has managed to damage the chip & it will then need replacing.

Shakin_Steve

born_again said:

Shakin_Steve said:

born_again said:

OBumbleB10 said:

I anyone having problems with their Debit card. Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card - possibly for a week- after I spent 30 mins telling them about my issue. An issue they know about, but wait for the customer to contact them - rather than the other way round.

How are we going to go 'cashless' - if they can prevent access to your money as a when they want to for as long as they want to?

So I cannot access my money unless I go to a branch to take out cash!!!
When I pointed out that local branches have been shut, this appeared to be a surprise....
Its apparently my fault that I cannot access my money, because I can't go to the nearest branch!!!!

Bank industry are happy to take our money - not bothered if the system fails.
Theres something concerning emerging here........

So have you entered the pin wrong 3 times & locked it?
Have you tried pin services on a atm to unlock it? 


Bank will not know your pin is locked till you call in and they look at your account. 

Why would a new card be necessary for a locked PIN? Surely the bank would just issue the same instructions you have?

From the OP:

"Mine locked and have been told that there is a fault in the chip...

I now have to wait for a new card "

Who knows what the OP told them.

Have spoken to enough people who have said PIN is locked, but when trying to find out where they locked it (ATM or POS) is never easy. Different answers for these.
So do know some reps simply take the easy way out and issue a new card. But if it is locked with a faulty chip. It will be replaced as lost & stolen, rather than simply replaced. To remove any corruption from the chip.

Could be OP has managed to damage the chip & it will then need replacing.

Or....it could be that the OP is simply telling the truth?

[Deleted User]

Since they've issued a replacement card, its a bit moot - it could be faulty or just locked.

The OP could have mitigated by having an alternate card  or using Apple/G Pay with their First Direct account. Curve may have worked but it debits the 'faulty' card; which was likely stopped.

[Deleted User]

There is a massive difference between a known fault that presumably affects every customer whose card had that batch, and a single fault with just your card. If there is a known fault with all the cards, they would simply issue new ones as it is cheaper than having to deal with all the calls and complaints. If it's just 1 card then of course they aren't going to contact you as how would they know?

Claiming the system fails (it hasn't) and that the bank are stopping you accessing your money (they aren't, you can use other payment methods or cards) is hyperbole.

Just complain like normal if you have had some hardship as a result and they'll probably give you some money to go away as well.