Card not working at Post Office

Compound_2

When using a new BoS Classic Vantage debit card to withdraw cash at a Post Office in England, their card reader didn't recognize the chip. However, an older Club Lloyds card from the sister bank worked fine. The BoS card works at an ATM. Any ideas where the problem might lie?

wiseonesomeofthetime

Some banks don't have a contract with Post Office Counters Ltd so their cards won't work at the counter. The ATMs outside post offices are run separately, using I believe LINK so that's why cards do work in them. I noticed this with Monzo a few years back. 

You would expect BoS to have a contract with them though, if Lloyd's do, but 🤷‍♂️

Bridlington1

There is no reason Bank of Scotland shouldn't work at the post office. See:
https://www.postoffice.co.uk/bank-of-scotland

Moreover I used BOS at one of those banking hubs, which is run by the post office yesterday and it worked fine.

All I can think is that the post office's internet connection may have dropped. I remember trying to pay some cash in at the post office last year and about 6 different debit cards failed to work for this reason, then the original one worked fine when I went in again the next day. So it could have been bad timing, where the internet connection dropped when you tried to use BOS, but had picked up again by the time you tried to use Lloyds.

mab3000

Sounds like it could be the chip wearing out on the card, or even have had a faulty chip on it when it was sent to you (this happened to me with a replacement Lloyds debit card this year).  It’s not unusual for the cards chip to be an intermittently working/not working when it is wearing out. 

I’d maybe try it again and if it still doesn’t work, I recommend ordering a replacement card. 

SiliconChip

mab3000 said:

Sounds like it could be the chip wearing out on the card, or even have had a faulty chip on it when it was sent to you (this happened to me with a replacement Lloyds debit card this year).  It’s not unusual for the cards chip to be an intermittently working/not working when it is wearing out. 

I’d maybe try it again and if it still doesn’t work, I recommend ordering a replacement card. 

Not likely to be wearing out given that the OP says it's a new card. But the replacement card may well be the simplest solution anyway.

OP, was the transaction contactless or inserted, and did you try both methods with the same result (that's if it's possible to use contactless to withdraw cash at a PO, it's not something I've ever done)?

born_again

There are 2 sides to the chip.

POS & ATM. It could be that the POS side needs resetting (3 wrong pin & it locks). Try using a ATM & PIN services. Failing that could have been something on the chip blocking connection.
Does it work for other POS transactions?

sheramber

After using at my local post office many times my card was rejected with no explanation.

I contacted the bank who confirmed no problem with card and no record at their end of rejection. Thought it might be problem with PO connection and suggested I try again next day.

It worked the next day

Compound_2

SiliconChip said:

OP, was the transaction contactless or inserted, and did you try both methods with the same result (that's if it's possible to use contactless to withdraw cash at a PO, it's not something I've ever done)?

The card was inserted. Didn't see a contactless symbol for any other option. The machine suggested I'd entered the card the wrong way round, while the cashier who could see what I was doing thought it wasn't a card they take.

born_again said:

Does it work for other POS transactions?

I haven't tried yet as it's a new card and I have a cashback credit card for purchases. I suppose a next step could be to try a small debit card transaction next time in a store.

AstonSmith

Have you got one of those PinSentry (or similar) things for online banking? If so, you can easily test to see if the card's chip is working.

Insert - Identify - PIN - Result

The cash machine you tested it in earlier might've used the magnetic strip as a fallback.

born_again

Compound_2 said:

I haven't tried yet as it's a new card and I have a cashback credit card for purchases. I suppose a next step could be to try a small debit card transaction next time in a store.

Does the card need activating 1st if it's a new card?

Bridlington1

born_again said:

Compound_2 said:

I haven't tried yet as it's a new card and I have a cashback credit card for purchases. I suppose a next step could be to try a small debit card transaction next time in a store.

Does the card need activating 1st if it's a new card?

Bank of Scotland debit cards don't need activating.