Comments on: Banks list

By: Martin Weaver

Martin Weaver — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:48:31 +0000

FYI, Abbey (Santander) no longer issue Visa Electron cards. If anyone can add to the list – which is already too short – of banks/companies that issue Electron it would be very much appreciated.

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:02:12 +0000

Just to let you know some hopefully useful info.

There is another Electron card issuer in the UK you’ve not mentioned: Airdrie Savings Bank. See http://www.airdriesavingsbank.net/ca-electron-account

Also, the link from the Bank of Baroda Page that mentions Electron cards is actually a link to their India website. The correct link that mentions Electron cards in the UK is http://www.bankofbarodauk.com/retail-banking/credit-debit-cards/

Abbey (Now Santander UK) will cease to issue Electron cards this year. They have merged their Electron and ‘full’ VISA debit cards and will now only be issuing VISA ‘Online’ debit cards. It has no embossing, no cheque guarantee facility and the words ‘ELECTRONIC USE ONLY’ like Electron, but has the full VISA logo and is accepted everywhere VISA is taken including online. The only place it can’t be used is at a merchant with no electronic terminal that uses an old ‘zip-zap’ imprinter. The VISA ‘Online’ debit card is also issued by ICICI Bank UK, see http://www.icicibank.co.uk/current_account.html and may well become the de facto replacement for both Electron and embossed VISA debit cards in the UK in the future.

Hope this helps

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:00:42 +0000

Hi Ken, thanks for your comment. I’ve opened this website mainly to let people know what airlines don’t charge Visa Electron fees and what banks issue it. But your point is very valid, sometimes merchants don’t accept it. Thanks again!

By: Ken Elms

Ken Elms — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:48:29 +0000

The drawback with Electon Cards is that Supermarkets will not accept them online. My payment was declined with Tesco , (online orders could included Alcohol)and as Electron cards can be issued to Minors they would not accept the payment. I had to then pay using a ‘proper’ Debit Card, which at the time was a pain. So just be aware that if you try to pay for some items online with some Stores using Electron you may get the payment declined.

By: Ricardo Verdi

Ricardo Verdi — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:35:51 +0000

eileen corkery, did you ever try to open a Visa Electron with http://www.entropay.com ? I live in Ireland and it was no problem. It took about 10 minutes to set up. They issued me with a “virtual” credit card, just for use on-line, not an actual plastic card. I use it for Aer Lingus (& Ryanair until last December), but I haven’t yet tried it with flybe. Mind you, they charge 5% when you load funds onto the account. You can choose to have it in euro or sterling, or even have an account in each (in which case you would need a different username).

By: eileen corkery

eileen corkery — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:03:45 +0000

flybe do not recognize visa electron prepaid cards say those bought in post office or those got in thomas cook or travelex. Their cards have to be attached to a bank account say part of an account that is set up.

Their systems do not accept entropay either. So an irish person is rightly stuck and has to pay credit card fees because all their options are gone as we are not allowed open a foreign bank ac. We could get an uk citizen to pay for us with their card but that is ackward and not convenient.

So flybe mislead the people by limiting the availability of visa electron.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:17:23 +0000

Yes they do, just not under the Consumer Credit Act. You are still protected in the sense that you can request a chargeback under the Visa membership rules. Basically, for any purchase in a Cardholder Not Present environment you can always charge the transaction back unless you have sent in a signed form for the card, or the merchant has a signature where you state that you received the goods

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:46:35 +0000

Thank you Bruno,

Thank you for the information. Could you let us know where did you get that information from?

Cheers!

By: Bruno

Bruno — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:22:38 +0000

No, and nor do any debit cards. Only credit cards offer protection under UK consumer credit legislation.

By: Dinis Quelhas

Dinis Quelhas — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:42:58 +0000

Hi Bonnie,

Thanks for the tip! Has anyone else tried these cards?

Cheers!