Halifax moving from Mastercard to Visa

pseudodox

I got that email today.  First I have heard of this change, but as there are other communications from HBOS that don't seem to be reaching me I am not surprised. Hopefully the promised text when the new card is on it's way WILL arrive. Fortunately I monitor all my banking activity online and add all dates of account renewals, interest payment dates,  DD payments due etc in my diary.  There is nothing in my inbox about the card change but really don't care if card is MC or Visa, as long as it works.  

Shylock_249

Notice the wording:  "We're starting an exciting new credit card partnership with Visa"

I wonder how many card holders find that their excitement reaches fever pitch when they learn about such a partnership?

Does anyone know of any other MasterCard providers offering the same provisions as the Halifax Clarity Card?

I know I'd like to have at least one of my CCs with MasterCard.  I don't know if it was a coincidence but a couple of weeks ago I attempted to pay a parking charge (£1.oo) with both of my Visa Cards which were rejected and I didn't have a pound coin on me.  When I went to pay for goods in two different outlets both cards were rejected until I entered my PIN, something I wasn't able to do at the parking machine.  If my MC Clarity Card was also Visa that one might have been rejected too.

Maegi

pseudodox said:

I got that email today.  First I have heard of this change, but as there are other communications from HBOS that don't seem to be reaching me I am not surprised. Hopefully the promised text when the new card is on it's way WILL arrive. Fortunately I monitor all my banking activity online and add all dates of account renewals, interest payment dates,  DD payments due etc in my diary.  There is nothing in my inbox about the card change but really don't care if card is MC or Visa, as long as it works.  

What communications are you expecting from HBOS?

pseudodox

I was due an annual summary statement, a notification of options regarding a maturing savings account & whatever else they still insist on sending on paper by pigeon post, despite being signed up to paper free.  Explanation when queried "must have gone astray in the post".  On the other hand I have spent 21 years trying to get them to stop sending correspondence for the previous occupier of my house {& who died 10 years ago).  They cannot stop this until she informs them of her change of address!

lon_don

Shylock_249 said:

Does anyone know of any other MasterCard providers offering the same provisions as the Halifax Clarity Card?

Virgin Money Everyday Cashback is MC, fx fee-free, and offers 0.25% cashback (capped at £15/mth)

abstractpoet

Can I just clarify does this mean when it changes the 'new' credit card will be exactly the same as the old clarity card as I too got it for use abroad? Thanks

Nebulous2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81861404#Comment_81861404

The email doesn't mention the travel benefits, but it does state:-

"Your card’s features are staying the same,

 including your credit limit and payment date"

Given foreign usage has always been the selling point for the Clarity card they would be silly to change it.

Strange timing, but they gave me a limit increase about three weeks ago.

philstephen

My concern is I've 20 or so hotels reserved mainly for one night stays over the course of this year. Most are held against my Halifax Clarity MasterCard. In many cases, the hotel pre-authorise the room charge 24-48 hours ahead. Not all hotel chains or booking sites offer an online option to change payment details online, so am expecting to make phone calls too. Cancelling and rebooking not always a good option as prices may have gone up.

I spoke to Halifax. They say there will be a 60 day overlap between sending the new Visa card out and the old MasterCard stops working.

Lorian

Taken me 20 years to remember the MasterCard details.

pochisoldi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81845238#Comment_81845238

The answer to the failure to stop "sending other people's info to me" is to quietly forget that the person is dead, and make a data protection complaint to the HBOS data protection officer (DPO), complaining that they are sending you somebody else's personal information, and that nobody's fixing the issue. If they reject the complaint/fail to act then it's off to the Information Commissioner's office (or whatever its called these days).

In my experience issues with "personal data" which are escalated via a DPO tend to get fixed quickly, for example when I was sent around in circles by one financial institution who refused to act unless I sent personal information that wasn't actually needed by "normal" email - inherently insecure. A complaint to their DPO had an apology and probably a rap on the knuckles for the clueless eegit involved.