Visa electron credit card

sennenboy

I wish to have a Visa Electron credit card to be able to buy my holiday flights on BMI without having to bay the charge. Does anyone know any information about them and who I appy to? thanks

FBThree

Hm - is Electron a credit card? I thought it was a debit card?

smithja

A financial instituation can issue any kind of card debit, credit or charge as a Visa Electron card, it just here in the UK to my knowledge exclusively issued as a debit card. However, certainly in other parts of the world it is issued as a credit card, it makes sense for the bank as the customer cannot exceed their credit limit. I think Vanquis did at one point issue a Visa Electron credit card but not entirely certain.

But simply to get flights without paying the card handling charge an Electron debit card will do fine and they are issued by Abbey, Co-op and HBoS and with both the Co-op and HBoS you can have one with a basic bank account that is an account which is not given to people as long as they dont have a history of fraud, are currently bankrupt, and some banks dont like to much bad debts.

Hope this helps.

James

Zebedee69

Hello!

Visa Electron is not a credit card but a pre auth debit card for people with a poor history, the young or people who are br/ccj. The Electron is being fazed out though at the moment and replaced with an all Visa system with different card numbers depending on if you have a pre auth or a post auth card.

To get a Visa debit card just ask your bank and they will probably give you one unless you have a poor track record, bad credit, br or ccj........... I would ask if its a pre auth or post auth card while your getting it as some companies dont like people using pre auth cards in the same way some shops and services never took Electron.

Hope this helps!

G47

Why not a maestro card

smithja

Hello

Zebedee69 is wrong. Visa is a very big organisation that developed over many years. I would suggest you read some of the history of the organisation and how money is transfer using a plastic token from one place to the other over the network Visa has established.

Visa Electron was launched as I recall in the early to mid 1980's, before there was such a thing as a debit card in this country, as an electronic only payment system for Visa. It has nothing to do with the young specifically. It is not debit card, it tends to be only used on debit cards in this country. However, in many many other countries banks issue credit cards based on the Visa Electron system (mainly through Visa Asia and in the Middle East), as I said it lets the bank know the customer cannot exceed their credit limit (maybe it wont be long before we see them commonly in this country too).

Here is a link to a Visa Europe press release about a Visa Electron Credit Card issued by a bank in Belgium and an extract from it.

"
Visa and Cofidis launch a new credit card


Brussels, 23 May, 2003- Today Visa EU introduces a new Visa Electron Credit Card in Belgium in partnership with Cofidis. This card belongs to a new generation which combines the ease-of-use for daily purchases with enhanced security. Visa Electron is the first credit card in Belgium to be secured by chip technology. The card is distributed by Cofidis since this week.
Visa has developed the Electron card to meet the growing demand of customers to have an easy-to-use and safer credit card. Just as any traditional Visa card, it can be used at millions of merchants and ATMs worldwide, including shopping over the internet or purchases through the telephone.
An important benefit for the cardholder is the reinsurance that he will never go over the credit limit that he has fixed. The Visa Electron card will in fact help him to stay within the budget he has imposed to himself. The fact that the new Visa Electron is a low cost card for daily use, giving access to an important credit limit of up to 7.500 Euro, makes it unique in Belgium.
"Our research shows that for most people it is very important to keep control of their finances and expenses. These are clearly delivered by Visa Electron because the authorization process when a customer pays for the goods or services received takes place electronically or in real time. With Visa Electron the system tells you that there is always a limit to the amount you can spend," said Marc Temmerman, Executive Vice President Strategy of Visa EU
Visa Electron is the first credit card in Belgium using chip technology. The EMV* chip incorporated in the card makes it secure and allows for a variety of features and services to be added to the card providing tailored enhancements designed to meet customer needs. For example, this card could in the future include information about your car's insurance or incorporate a loyalty programme with your preferred airline. It is like a small computer in your pocket.
"We decided to introduce the Visa Electron card in Belgium because it provides clear additional benefits to our customers. Our customers can use it for every day purchases and are always able to control their personal expenditure. It is in a way an extension of our brand to the public," said M. Damien Pihen, Directeur International of Cofidis Belgique."

http://www.visaeurope.com/pressandmedia/newsreleases/press155_pressreleases.jsp

Again, I hope this helps.

James

Zebedee69

smithja wrote: »

Hello

Zebedee69 is wrong. Visa is a very big organisation that developed over many years. I would suggest you read some of the history of the organisation and how money is transfer using a plastic token from one place to the other over the network Visa has established.

Visa Electron was launched as I recall in the early to mid 1980's, before there was such a thing as a debit card in this country, as an electronic only payment system for Visa. It has nothing to do with the young specifically. It is not debit card, it tends to be only used on debit cards in this country. However, in many many other countries banks issue credit cards based on the Visa Electron system (mainly through Visa Asia and in the Middle East), as I said it lets the bank know the customer cannot exceed their credit limit (maybe it wont be long before we see them commonly in this country too).

Here is a link to a Visa Europe press release about a Visa Electron Credit Card issued by a bank in Belgium and an extract from it.

"
Visa and Cofidis launch a new credit card


Brussels, 23 May, 2003- Today Visa EU introduces a new Visa Electron Credit Card in Belgium in partnership with Cofidis. This card belongs to a new generation which combines the ease-of-use for daily purchases with enhanced security. Visa Electron is the first credit card in Belgium to be secured by chip technology. The card is distributed by Cofidis since this week.
Visa has developed the Electron card to meet the growing demand of customers to have an easy-to-use and safer credit card. Just as any traditional Visa card, it can be used at millions of merchants and ATMs worldwide, including shopping over the internet or purchases through the telephone.
An important benefit for the cardholder is the reinsurance that he will never go over the credit limit that he has fixed. The Visa Electron card will in fact help him to stay within the budget he has imposed to himself. The fact that the new Visa Electron is a low cost card for daily use, giving access to an important credit limit of up to 7.500 Euro, makes it unique in Belgium.
"Our research shows that for most people it is very important to keep control of their finances and expenses. These are clearly delivered by Visa Electron because the authorization process when a customer pays for the goods or services received takes place electronically or in real time. With Visa Electron the system tells you that there is always a limit to the amount you can spend," said Marc Temmerman, Executive Vice President Strategy of Visa EU
Visa Electron is the first credit card in Belgium using chip technology. The EMV* chip incorporated in the card makes it secure and allows for a variety of features and services to be added to the card providing tailored enhancements designed to meet customer needs. For example, this card could in the future include information about your car's insurance or incorporate a loyalty programme with your preferred airline. It is like a small computer in your pocket.
"We decided to introduce the Visa Electron card in Belgium because it provides clear additional benefits to our customers. Our customers can use it for every day purchases and are always able to control their personal expenditure. It is in a way an extension of our brand to the public," said M. Damien Pihen, Directeur International of Cofidis Belgique."

http://www.visaeurope.com/pressandmedia/newsreleases/press155_pressreleases.jsp

Again, I hope this helps.

James

This is in Belgium?.................... How does it relate to the UK market ha ha;) I still stand by my post:D

Zebedee69

smithja wrote: »

Zebedee69 is wrong

Maybe in other countries but we dont live in Brussels or Asia where the credit card system is still a fairly new thing!

Il say it again:

Maestro - Pre Auth Debit Card
Visa Electron - Pre Auth Debit Card (On its way out)
Visa Debit - Pre Auth Card
Visa Debit - Post Auth Debit Card
Visa Credit - Post Auth Credit Card
Mastercard - Post Auth Credit Card
Amex - Post Auth Credit Card/Charge Card

There, its simple realy......... If possible get a Visa Debit, Post Auth...

smithja

Sorry Zebedee69, you got me there I was totally worry. You are right Visa Electron is a pre (not post) Auth Debit Card and is as you say is "on its way out". I think Visa are discontinuing all of their unembossed cards and Mastercard unembossed "electronic use only" is on its way out too, just look at what Virgin Money are doing with it.

Again, I apologies for my ignorance and if I have caused any offence.

James

Zebedee69

Its okay smithja il fogive ya;)

Its a bad time to have a poor rating as all these unembossed cards were a god send to people who couldnt get anything more..................... Talk about making the gap between the haves and have nots even larger:rolleyes:

fiveyearplan

Zebedee69 wrote: »

Maestro - Pre Auth Debit Card
Visa Electron - Pre Auth Debit Card (On its way out)
Visa Debit - Pre Auth Card
Visa Debit - Post Auth Debit Card
Visa Credit - Post Auth Credit Card
Mastercard - Post Auth Credit Card
Amex - Post Auth Credit Card/Charge Card

There, its simple realy......... If possible get a Visa Debit, Post Auth...

What does 'pre auth' and 'post auth' mean? Please forgive my ignorance. Also if electron cards are being phased out what are they being replaced with? I haven't heard any of this.