caramel Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Has anyone experienced problems paying for goods using a Debit Card from their English Bank Account?Both my husband & I experienced this problem in a branch of Le Clerc in the Gers a few days ago, when our cards were rejected, so had to use a credit card to pay for 60 euros of goods. I had a similar experience, again only at a branch of Le Clerc in Touques (Normandy) last October, when I was asked for my passport as identification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnorton Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I'm always asked for my passport when using my debit card in Leclerc at Carentan but they rarely ask for it in the branch in Coutances. I've never had the card rejected though. Champion never ask for my passport so I tend to shop there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.foreman Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 we have had this problem with our cards and speaking to them the answer is to tell them every time we go to FranceThey will tell you it is done to safe guard your interests and if you let them know you are away then you will be ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.foreman Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 also you will find the card as not been rejected its because they have been asked to ring through to confirm the transaction the same that can happen in Uk but over there they sometimes just say no to you because they will not ring through and so just reject your card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC<P><IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Paul, Debbie and Josh, <BR>London & Dept 24<BR><a target=_blank href="http:www.les-brandes.net" target=_blank>http:www.les-brandes.net<A><BR><P> Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 We have never had a problem in shops in France until the weekend before last.Trying to buy a Bed and went to pay with an Egg Card and it bounced, no explanation just "Non" Used the normal debit card and this was OK (other than it killing my UK current account), the best part was when we got home to the UK, there was an automated message on the answer phone saying the card had been rejected and to call if you wanted it to be cleared.. I think the system works on a Profile basis, if you don't normally shop in France it could cause an alarm, also if you shop in London and then 10 mins later in Paris the bells go off and the locks go on.I'm sure I had a conversation with the bank when I used to travel for work about allowing the debit card to be used in non UK places, where as I have not had that chat with Egg.It's got to be worth a call - as long as you can work out who to call !! ?? Card Security Services ?? I think is the mob for Barclays UK ?!PaulDept 24 - London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I think it's something to do with Switch/Maestro cards rather than Leclerc or the French systems. I have had these cards rejected in England, both at shops (where I'm sure the shop assistants had made errors, if they can't operate the payment system what chances do their French equivalent have?) and on line (Brittany Ferries, who insisted the cards were not valid, while the bank is equally insistent that they are. As debit cards are the only way of paying without incurring a surcharge this matter is currently under dispute, with no satisfactory explanation yet from BF).A great pity - the penguin TV ads for Maestro cards are brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Expat Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 We had no problems with a Maestro card last September in 85 & 17 at Leclerc and a few restaurants. Just hope that thing s haven't changed when we move permanently to 24 in a few weeks time! Bob & Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 So, Will, you reckon Visa are OK? We've never had a problem at Leclerc, at least since they stopped asking for passports which we had always left in the car or at home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Ah, Dick, we always tend to use French cards in places like Leclerc, though plenty of people we know with British Visa and Mastercards seem to have no problem with them at all in the local supermarkets, and are seldom if ever asked for ID. I generally pay with Visa at places like Conforama and that always works OK. In theory Maestro works in Europe, and I think in practice it's fine as long as there's not too much finger trouble on the part of the shop assistants. I don't know why debit cards should be more awkward than credit cards, but they do seem to be.French card machines are amazingly touchy. We tried paying by card a couple of days ago for lunch in Caen and the machine wouldn't read the puces in cards for either of our French accounts so we ended up using an English Visa, it swiped the magnetic strip quite OK. I understand that some shops have a policy of wanting ID and I don't really blame them for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esperaza Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I have found that by obtaining and presenting a Leclerc or Champion card at the checkout no problems are encountered.I used to have my French cheques declined before as they were "out of region" but now they don't even ask for ID after presenting their loyalty cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.foreman Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 French cheques declined as they were "out of region" As a newcomer to France this is one I did not know could happenCan any one enlighten me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I am also always asked for identification if I go to Leclerc in Carentan and use my UK debit card - I do have a 'loyalty card', but that doesn't seem to make any difference. I have never been asked for ID in Leclerc in either St Lo or Coutances, even tho' I have bought high value goods such as TV's etc.I tried to withdraw some money from a cashpoint using a Lloyds TSB card in France for the first time yesterday, but it wouldn't let me. I then tried to pay for a new front door at Gavrimat in Perier this morning - no joy! When I phoned TSB, they said it was because it was 'unusual activity' - but I could now go back out and buy the door, if I wanted!! So the guy agreed to put a note on my account saying that transactions in France are most likely OK, and should be allowed. It could be worth seeing whether other banks will do this, too.RegardsChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Lloyds TSB are strong on this - we actually got the equivalent of a telegram asking us to phone our local branch (fat chance, go through the call centre!) because we had spent a grand on patio flagstones or something we 'don't do often' - well, you don't, do you? Nice to know that they are looking after me...We sometimes use English cards to save transferring money into the French bank account, so I hope awkwardness isn't becoming general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 ..................I agree, it's nice to think we are being looked after, but if they had looked a bit closer, they would have seen that I transfered the money for the door from my savings account to the current account about 3/4 hour before I tried to buy the wretched thing - you would have thought that would have given them a clue, wouldn't you??!I, too, frequently use a UK card to purchase stuff that I don't buy on a day-to-day basis - after all, you don't always know when you are going to see that bargain, and I don't always have enough in my French account to cover things like that!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I was being ironic - they didn't notice when someone took £900 out of our account with a stolen cheque book! That led to the occasion when I went into the local branch and asked if I could speak to a grown-up. Nasty, but it gets some action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 The drawback with using your UK debit or credit card abroad is that most issuers charge a fee, up to 2.75% per transaction. Nationwide Visa card is one of the few that don't. There's some info about it herehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/2020594.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Wright Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 We've been using our Visia debit cards for the past three years or so in LeClerc's all over the Sarthe (72) without problem untill two weeks ago when it was not accepted in either our local supermarket or the petrol station. I was,however,able to withdraw cash from the nearby Credit Agricole ATM. I assummed that my card was damaged in some way so I have now applied for (and received) a new card. In view of the correspondance on this subject maybe there was nothing wrong with my original card! .......We have rarely been asked for ID and in doing up and furnishing our property we have certainly givien the cards a hammering in various shops and garden centres over the last couple of years ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Are we getting mixed up with credit and debit cards here? Never had any problem with a visa or mastercard CREDIT card, but have never been able to use a Switch card anywhere apart from at ATMs as it is not a Carte Bancaire. Isn't it only now that Switch is Maestro and are now chip and pin that these are being accepted in French stores away from Franglais? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 The other problem is that in the UK they cannot tell the difference either, my Visa debit card, is treat as a credit card, which to say gets up my nose is an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennisbum Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 Don't know if an American perspective will be helpful, but...We have a maison secondaire in France and have never been able to use our debit card in French shops (no problem getting cash from ATMs, however, and this is the cheapest way for us to infuse our French bank account).Since we don't keep a lot of cash in our French account (it's basically to cover the prelevements), we use our credit cards (the ones with the best exchange rates) whenever possible. Only once have we had a problem, and that was when a charge for a rental car in France (from Avis, I think) had cleared through Virginia; we called the company to ask what was up and cleared up the confusion. However, now before we leave the US, I notify the credit card companies, and we never have any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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