I read somewhere that it's because Visa Electron payments are pre-authorised - the money has to be available in the account, whereas you can go overdrawn with a Visa debit card.
If you have no overdraft facility on your account and a debit card, how can they authorise payment? If the money isn't there, they shouldn't pay it out.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
If you go into a supermarket and pay £5 on a Visa Debit, you can bet your life they are not actually authorising the transaction (as it is way below the "floor limit"). So in effect you could have a £0 balance with no overdraft and take yourself overdrawn + charges.
However as the system requires Electron/Solo to be authorised, it will seek this authorisation regardless of amount and floor limit.
James is right, it doesn't take any longer, as the connection is instant (unless they're using dial-up!)
Ridiculous - I thought the whole idea with a debit card was that if you had no money, it wouldn't pay out.
No wonder they wouldn't give me one!
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
If it is a Visa Debit, and the retail outlets 'floor level' is over the amount then yes.
Some places will do 100% online authorising so you would have £0.01 declined.
An example:
A petrol station I know does not accept Solo or Electron. So I used my pre-paid Mastercard. It accepts a £10 purchase.
When I checked my account 24hrs later, the available balance had NOT been reduced. The transaction then appeared another 24hrs later when it had been processed, so in theory I could have paid £50 in petrol and had nothing on the card.
Hmmmm, I've just had an email from M & S rejecting a payment I'd made on my Electron card. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or it's because it's an Electron but I can't see the full card details to check.
Don't even try this, if by some miracle it is accepted it is likely that it would be considered as an unauthorised overdraft and the banks will sting you with loads of charges for writing to you about it.
We're willing to wipe the slate clean, give you a fresh start. All that we're asking in return is your cooperation.
Skippy13 wrote:
Hmmmm, I've just had an email from M & S rejecting a payment I'd made on my Electron card. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or it's because it's an Electron but I can't see the full card details to check.
I've just had this problem trying to use my Halifax Electron, The order goes through fine, Then I got an email the next day saying my card had been declined by the bank, and that I should check my billing address and card details again. After checking that everything was fine I contacted M&S to be told that they don't actually take Electron on their website!
There is nothing that I can find on the site to say they do or don't take Electron :/
inaiva wrote:
Don't even try this, if by some miracle it is accepted it is likely that it would be considered as an unauthorised overdraft and the banks will sting you with loads of charges for writing to you about it.
Oh I quite agree..... I was just showing the difference between Visa Delta/Debit and Visa Electron and why some places will take it and others will not.
Electron cards can work fuss free in all merchants showing the 'visa' accept sign but only if the merchants decide also to accept it. There are countrywide regional differences. Electron cards were not designed as a subsitute to Visa Debit and cannot take preauthorisations -it debits. Its for electronic use ONLY. Get a prepaid card.
I don't want a prepaid card! I've cancelled my prepaid card as I no longer want to pay to spend my own money, especially as I have a debit card with both my Cashminder accounts.
Don't get me wrong, a prepaid card is great if you only have a cash card, but as I have debit cards I don't see the point.
I have a prepaid card - but only because I have no debit card. I will only use it for internet purchases. If I had a debit card, as Skippy has, I wouldn't use one.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
