Credit card versus debit card ,a bit of advice

amandathepanda

I recently bought a Blanco sink from an internet retailer for over £800, they kept fobbing me off with a delivery date, until about a month later I got an e-mail to say that the company had gone in to liquidation. Luckily I had paid with my credit card which has an extra clause covered under the consumer credit act, which meant that I got a full refund. Had I used my debit card I would have lost the lot. I think most credit cards are covered by this.
I nearly paid with my debit card:eek: so I just wanted to pass on this useful piece of advice, hope it helps someone.

skyrider007

Good advice! I always pay for high-value items with a credit card as they offer better protection and offers zero-liability if things go wrong.

newfoundglory

Actually, the Visa debit scheme has similar cover for non-delivery of goods.

Its only if you have a Maestro debit card you need to be careful.

brookerbabyisababy

is MASTERCARD better or VISA?

skyrider007

brookerbabyisababy wrote: »

is MASTERCARD better or VISA?

They're pretty much the same IMO.

ShelfStacker_3

skyrider007 wrote: »

They're pretty much the same IMO.

On credit cards, they both have different accidental damage covers if you rent a car IIRC. Besides that and other, more technical differences, the two networks are roughly equivalent.

Megalomaniac

Which one has the increased accidental damage cover out of interest?

Biggles

ShelfStacker wrote: »

On credit cards, they both have different accidental damage covers if you rent a car IIRC.

That's only US credit cards, surely?

moonrakerz

I would say always use your credit card if you can.

If you use a credit card you are fully covered by the Consumer Credit Act if your purchase goes pear shaped.
Perhaps, most importantly, in this day and age, if your card is cloned or the number is misused any monies "misused" are NOT yours. If you find that someone in South America has bought a PC on your credit card - no problem. Just tell the card issuer and don't pay the amount in question; it is their problem not yours.
If this happens on your debit card, it is now your money that someone has used. In theory you should get it back - eventually ! In the mean time your are short of £XXXXX.

The only places I use my debit card are ATMs, Supermarkets (usually for cash back) and Government websites that don't accept credit cards. Abroad I only ever use it in ATMs.

ShelfStacker_3

Biggles wrote: »

That's only US credit cards, surely?

Nope.

For the list of who does what: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damage_waiver#Credit_Card_Coverage_of_Damage_Waiver

taless

ShelfStacker wrote: »

On credit cards, they both have different accidental damage covers if you rent a car IIRC. Besides that and other, more technical differences, the two networks are roughly equivalent.

Hi ShelfStacker, am I right that only certain credit cards offer the insurance - not all? I had a look at your Wikipedia link and it looks really good, but wonder if they offer that on my NatWest Student credit card and LTSB's Airmiles Duo?