Comments on: Co-operative bank

By: Adam Jarvis

Adam Jarvis — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:56:13 +0000

There’s a formal complaint going to the Financial Ombudsman regarding this matter ‘Cooperative Smile Visa Electron cards reclassified Visa Debit. Moneysavingexpert.com has some good info containing the formal complaint sent to Cooperative, and what has caused the problem; the card’s bin type – first 4 digits being reclassifed Visa Debit. The card also has an AID-internal identifier in the chip which checks the card type for offline transactions. The problem is offline the card can be classed Visa Electron, online – Visa Debit or if the Card Processing bin tables Info isn’t upto date – Visa Electron, and combinations of this. A real mess. Real problem is genuine Visa Electron Card Holders are being charged fees relating to Visa Debit, which can be £18 for 2 flights on flybe.com
Also see zdnet.co.uk, ‘Visa Electron Cards are now ‘reclassified’ as Visa Debit to force charges’
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/apples-are-not-the-only-fruit-windows-are-for-gazing-out-of-not-at-10014376/visa-electron-cards-are-now-reclassified-as-visa-debit-to-force-charges-10020712/

By: Michael V

Michael V — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:05:56 +0000

Hi George, it seems you have the opposite problem as I do (maybe we could swap cards ). I’ll try using my Co-op “Electron” card as a debit card and see what happens…

@Dinis: When I contacted Flybe, they mentioned “I am sorry to advise you but some banks have confirmed that Visa are no longer issuing Electron cards.” So if that’s true (maybe he just means “…to *them*”), that would mean that the Electron card is coming to an end. Can I ask which bank you’re using for your Electron card? I might switch to them.

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:39:51 +0000

Hi George, unfortunately I can’t help you as I don’t hold an account with them. Perhaps someone visiting this website can help. I need to transform this into a forum…

By: George

George — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:42:55 +0000

I wonder if you could shed any light on the Co-operative Bank’s card. I have a cashminder account and have always had an electron card. When Co-op sent me out a new card, it said Visa Debit. I phoned and they told me they were no longer issuing electron cards, yet I have the same card number.

But, here’s the catch, whenever I try to use it online, it rejects and companies tell me it’s still classed as an electron card, also I cannot use it on trains or even at train stations, if it’s an electron card, how come they can call it a visa debit card?

I’m very confused!

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:18:22 +0000

Hi Michael, thank you for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, it seems this has happened to other people as well. I hope they solve that soon. If you find out something more, please keep us posted. Cheers!

By: Michael V

Michael V — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 14:47:17 +0000

I’ve had a Visa Electron card with Co-op since September 2008, to avoid Flybe’s card charges. I’ve used it dozens of times and the card is still valid for another year, but when I booked a flight with Flybe two weeks ago, I had to pay the debit card charge because my card wasn’t recognised as an Electron card. I asked Flybe and they told me that the card has been “reclassified”.

So apparently Co-op are now changing the status of people’s Electron cards without telling them! I find this is bit strange, they could’ve told me it wasn’t an Electron card anymore, or just send me another card (one that doesn’t say “Visa Electron”!), or just wait until the expiry date…

By: Lane DeNicola

Lane DeNicola — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:12:55 +0000

My experience seems to corroborate Patrick C’s comments. Having never heard of a “Visa Electron” card previously, I opened a new account with Co-Op in early September 2009 and received a debit card from them with a visa logo on it, but it was only the blue “VISA” with the “yellow fleck,” no word “electron” printed anywhere.

However, multiple attempts (in mid-November 2009) to use it to purchase an Air Canada flight to the US (from within the UK) failed with an “insufficient funds in account” message (patently erroneous), and I was finally told by one of the card reps that this was likely because it was a “Visa Electron” card, which I then had to go and look up. So it may not have the word “electron” printed on it, but it clearly has some of the constraints alluded to here.

By: martin

martin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:41:20 +0000

I have just closed my smile account as they no longer issue electron cards. The card saved me a small fotune in air fair charges

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:49:40 +0000

Same here i had a new one come through a about a week ago electron sign has gone and they confirm over the phone that its been removed. they changed the processing to get around the ryan air non-charges. so people will have to go elsewhere, i know halifax does have one.

the raised number i dont beleive is to to do with electron just the old manual payment in store option as its on my NatWest solo i have had the account for 10 years so its always been raised.

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:18:06 +0000

Hi Roger,

thanks for dropping us a line. You just confirmed what Patrick was saying before. I will remove Co-op from the Visa Electron issuing banks.

Thanks