VISA Electron Rip Off

smithja

Hi maltesedog

I am afraid the address matching service might not work with cards from Malta.

I do know it does work with cards issued in the USA as they have been using it longer than we have and it goes through what is called the VISAnet (and it's a global service) but it wont work if your bank in Malta does not support it too. I am not 100% certain but I dont think you would get past that part of the authorisation even if your card had a CVV2 number. It is all to do with money laundering rules and now travel restrictions imposed following terrorist attacks. Both Ryanair and Easyjet would more than happily sell you a ticket if they could it is not in their interests to be turning away business.

Also as Rog2 has pointed out Ryanair specifically state Visa "Debit" Electron now and this is because Electron can be placed on any type of card, debit, credit and prepaid (it was actually the very first type of debit card ever to be issued in this country before Switch and Connect it came with a picture of the Visa dove on it rather than the hologram and looked like it was homemade) so you need to make sure to that any card you have is a debit card, it is all to do with the numbering system and the first 6 digits identify which type of card it is.

I think the only way around it now would be to open a UK basic bank account, the easiest one to get is the Halifax / Bank of Scotland Easycash Account that comes with an Electron Card. A photocopy of your passport is all you will need to open one.

James

maltesedog

The bank said its their policy not to provide CVV No.. its crazy.

maltesedog

The bank said its their policy not to provide CVV No.. its crazy.

It is also stange that the CVV box disappears in the case when you do review/change booking in ryanair (i.e. change of flights) but does not disappear when you do the actual booking.

STRANGE!!

JoseChungsDoomsday

I've saved a small fortune with my electron card. Long may it reign :money: