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laser cards in nothern ireland - do they work?

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  • 12-04-2007 7:52pm
    #1
    tabatha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭


    i was in belfast the other day and tried to use my laser card. it went as far as letting me put my pin number in but was then declined. this happened in a number of stores. i was able to go outside and withdraw money from the atm no problem. i had money in the account so that was not a problem. just wondering if anyone had the same problem before?
    by the way, it was not a visa card, its a normal laser/debit card and it has the link/maestro sign on it.


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    #2
    ScouseMouse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,070 ✭✭✭ScouseMouse


    My AIB lazer card doesnt work in the uk or NI but does in Poland. Its a joke....


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    #3
    Basq
    Registered Users Posts: 43,884 ✭✭✭✭Basq


    superscouse wrote:
    My AIB lazer card doesnt work in the uk or NI but does in Poland. Its a joke....
    Sure that's not the Maestro functionality of it that works?


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    #4
    tabatha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭tabatha


    was told by the bank that it is something to do with the uk being behind in the laser/maestro section. they arent as uptodate as to rest of europe apparently! so the guy in aib says. to be honest, he didnt seem so sure why it wouldnt work. has anyone being able to use there maestro/laser for non cash withdrawels in the uk or northern ireland?


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    #5
    Branoic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭Branoic


    You're not able to use it for purchases in the UK / NI, but you are for ATM withdrawls. The card is an ATM card combined with a Debit card. When you use it in an ATM its acting as a regular ATM card and will work fine. When you try to make purchases in stores with it, its a debit card, and it won't work in the North. Likewise, the UK's debit cards Switch / Solo won't work for purchases in Ireland.


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    #6
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    The UK are miles ahead, it's just a compatibility thing.


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    #7
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    Branoic wrote:
    Likewise, the UK's debit cards Switch / Solo won't work for purchases in Ireland.

    Ah. Wrong. Well partly. I had some trouble using my UK Solo card in Ireland, some places took it and some didn't.

    As for switch, I have never had a problem in Ireland, mine's is a maestro. Some of the Irish banks just seem to use Lazer, which seems to be some kind of propritory Ireland only debit system. In the UK they use Delta or Maestro which, I understand, are cleared by Visa & Mastercard and will therefore work pretty much anywhere that takes Visa or Mastercard.

    I have used my UK Maestro card all over Europe for withdrawing cash and as a debit card and it works fine

    MrP


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    #8
    mcaul
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,493 ✭✭✭mcaul


    AIB have two types of laser cards -

    Basic - Laser & ATM

    Multi Card - Laser, Maestro & ATM.


    Difference is the multi card has maestro capability. If it doesn't have the maestro sign on it then it cannot be used in stores outside Republic.

    Similar with UK switch & solo cards, if they don't have Visa or Maestro signs on them they cannot be used outside UK.


    Nothing to do with compatability, just different cards for different types of accounts.


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    #9
    tabatha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭tabatha


    well mine has a maestro/laser sign and still didnt work. i tried it in asda for instance. that shop toke visa, mastercard, maestro etc. it didnt work there. went as far as asking me if i wanted cash back and then when she entered no to that it came back delcined. i went outside the store and withdrew no problem. the guy in the bank said the uk werent uptodate with there maestro cards. they havent updated there systems in over 2 years and ireland have. dont know if this is true as he seemed to be a bit doubtful.


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    #10
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    tabatha wrote:
    well mine has a maestro/laser sign and still didnt work. i tried it in asda for instance. that shop toke visa, mastercard, maestro etc. it didnt work there. went as far as asking me if i wanted cash back and then when she entered no to that it came back delcined. i went outside the store and withdrew no problem. the guy in the bank said the uk werent uptodate with there maestro cards. they havent updated there systems in over 2 years and ireland have. dont know if this is true as he seemed to be a bit doubtful.
    I used my NIB laser card (which has maestro) in the North but it was a bit hit or miss to be honest.

    Possibly a factor of who the retailer uses for clearing?

    MrP


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