Bank issueing me with a Laser card I never requested

daheff

Hi All,

Just wondering if I'm the only person who was issued a lasercard by BOI without requesting one?

I got one in the post recently without requesting one..so I rang BOI to tell them that I did not want one and wanted to keep my ATM card (not wanting to pay extra gov and bank charges). Eventually after being passed through a number of people in both the 365 phone line and the branch somebody told me that the reason my card was being reissued was coz the Cirrus part was no longer being used from Feb next year! They also agreed to reissue a normal ATM card (After much pressing!)

euph

AIB were doing this when I used to have an account with them. In terms of the government charges, they said you'd only pay the extra if you used it as a laser card.

Mr. Incognito

AIB did this to me aswell. Didn't request one and got it anyway- was a bit peeved at the time but to be honest I find it much handier.

Sam Vimes

it's a fiver a year ffs. i don't understand why anyone would want an atm card over a laser card. i laugh at people standing in massive queues at atms while i go straight into a shop to buy something and get some cash back while i'm at it. i haven't stood in an atm queue in years

c - 13

Yeah i'd heard about this alright. I'm BOI as well. A load of bull if you ask me - charges per transaction on the laser card isnt there ? Thats why I never looked for one in the first place ...

abouttobebanned

Sam Vimes wrote: »

it's a fiver a year ffs. i don't understand why anyone would want an atm card over a laser card. i laugh at people standing in massive queues at atms while i go straight into a shop to buy something and get some cash back while i'm at it. i haven't stood in an atm queue in years

"hi...do you do cash back?"
"no..sorry"

*walks to atm*

wolfpawnat

AIB issued them to everyone that was over 18, as long as they did not have a child or teen account. They are handy when going out for meals and the like because I hate having large sums of money on me (I am convinced I'll lose it) and I never knw how much is enough!:)

Ste.phen

I wouldn't want a laser card either, doesn't have the same chargeback protection that a credit card does, doesn't come out of my account immediately like an ATM card would, they charge me more for it, and it's next to useless online.
Screw that, ATM card for my cash, and credit card for my frivolous spending.

Sam Vimes

abouttobebanned wrote: »

"hi...do you do cash back?"
"no..sorry"

*walks to atm*

what actually happens:

hi...do you do cash back?

no..sorry

"ok i'll pay with my laser card and get cash back at some other convenient time"



i get cash back whenever i don't have money in my wallet so i always have €50 or so for the very rare occasions that i go somewhere that doesn't take laser or credit cards

daheff

Sam Vimes wrote: »

it's a fiver a year ffs. i don't understand why anyone would want an atm card over a laser card. i laugh at people standing in massive queues at atms while i go straight into a shop to buy something and get some cash back while i'm at it. i haven't stood in an atm queue in years

Well Sam its my fiver...i shouldnt be forced into spending it because the bank decide to issue me with a laser card. Also there are transaction charges associated with the laser card that arent asociated with my ATM card.

Another point i should have made in my op is that they wouldnt have issued a credit card without my applying for one...so why a laser card??

Finally I have a credit card...so why would I need a laser card?

it just seems to me that BOI are chancing their arm trying to get more fees from customers

seamus

If I *really* need to buy something and I don't have cash on me, I use the credit card.

I've worked on a till that accepted laser cards. I made a mistake once when I was very sick and waiting to be relieved and gave a woman £75 instead of £15 cashback. A lot of other people made a lot more mistakes. At least if the ATM doesn't give me cash, it's easier to get it corrected.

I haven't heard anything about this "not accepting cirrus", and I don't understand the link - cirrus allows me to take out cash almost anywhere in the world. Laser allows me to use my ATM card like a credit card, in Ireland.

Sam Vimes

Ste.phen wrote: »

doesn't have the same chargeback protection that a credit card does

as opposed to cash which does? you're comparing laser to credit card when you should be comparing it to an atm card

Ste.phen wrote: »

, doesn't come out of my account immediately like an ATM card would,

i'll give you this one but hardly a big deal

Ste.phen wrote: »

they charge me more for it,

€5 per year. if that's a big deal for you you probably shouldn't have an atm card either

Ste.phen wrote: »

and it's next to useless online.

loads of irish sites take them and exactly zero sites take atm cards

Ste.phen wrote: »

Screw that, ATM card for my cash, and credit card for my frivolous spending.

i have both laser and credit card of course but the laser has the benefit of coming directly out of your account so you don't have to bother about paying it off. i use my laser everywhere i can for that reason

Sam Vimes

daheff wrote: »

Well Sam its my fiver...i shouldnt be forced into spending it because the bank decide to issue me with a laser card.

i can see your point but it's the best fiver you'll ever spend. post again in 6 months and see if you're still annoyed about it. i bet that just like Mr. Incognito and my girlfriend, you'll be annoyed for a few weeks til you find out how much better it is

daheff wrote: »

Also there are transaction charges associated with the laser card that arent asociated with my ATM card.

there are? i've never had any

daheff wrote: »

Another point i should have made in my op is that they wouldnt have issued a credit card without my applying for one...so why a laser card??

because a credit card is a CREDIT card, ie they're giving you a loan. a laser card just gives you easier access to your own cash

daheff wrote: »

Finally I have a credit card...so why would I need a laser card?

cash back would be one thing. and as i said i find it handier not to have to pay it off

daheff wrote: »

it just seems to me that BOI are chancing their arm trying to get more fees from customers

right, more fees that go directly to the government. those sneaky bastards

Sam Vimes

also, aldi and lidl only take laser and not credit cards

seamus

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i find it handier not to have to pay it off

Online banking FTW.
I've often paid off credit card purchases before they've even hit the card, there's no more than 30 seconds effort involved.

neacy69

daheff wrote: »

Well Sam its my fiver...i shouldnt be forced into spending it because the bank decide to issue me with a laser card. Also there are transaction charges associated with the laser card that arent asociated with my ATM card.

Another point i should have made in my op is that they wouldnt have issued a credit card without my applying for one...so why a laser card??

Finally I have a credit card...so why would I need a laser card?

it just seems to me that BOI are chancing their arm trying to get more fees from customers

There are no transaction charges for using a laser card

You only have to pay the €5 gov fee if you actually use the laser facility.....

Whats the problem?

dont use the laser facility and you wont get charged so in essence you only have an ATM card.

why do the tin foil hat brigade alway have to think that everything is a scam?

Sam Vimes

seamus wrote: »

Online banking FTW.
I've often paid off credit card purchases before they've even hit the card, there's no more than 30 seconds effort involved.

i have online banking too but 30 seconds effort is 30 seconds more effort than i have to do with the laser

and sometimes with the credit card i'll pay something off but the payment won't show up for ages and i'll forget about it. it'll come close to the due date so i'll end up paying it off a second time. don't have that problem with the laser

seamus

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i have online banking too but 30 seconds effort is 30 seconds more effort than i have to do with the laser

I can tell you for a fact that a laser would work out more effort for me in the long run because it would create odd amounts coming out of my personal account that I'll lose track of and will have to refactor into my budget later.

Sam Vimes

seamus wrote: »

I can tell you for a fact that a laser would work out more effort for me in the long run because it would create odd amounts coming out of my personal account that I'll lose track of and will have to refactor into my budget later.

but those odd amounts add up to exactly the same amount that you would have been transferring to your credit card......

Sam Vimes

another issue is that two months ago i just forgot to pay off my credit card on time. as it turns out i had a direct debit set up to a bank account i don't use anymore (that i didn't know about) so i ended up with an unpaid direct debit fee on the bank account that had no money in it and another fee on my credit card because it wasn't paid off on time. there's no such thing as forgetting to pay off a laser

Jip

I don't get this anti laser card brigade. Your laser card works just like an ATM card so if you don't want to use the laser facility, don't. Just continue on as before like it's solely an ATM card and cancel your original ATM card. And there's no charge per transaction.

But tut, the banks are cheeky backstards aren't they, trying to give us something that's much more convenient for us.

seamus

Sam Vimes wrote: »

but those odd amounts add up to exactly the same amount that you would have been transferring to your credit card......

Not usually, because I'll have paid cash. My bank account simply shows €50 coming out from the atm, it doesn't matter what I spent it on, but I have it tracked. With laser, I'll see €53.71 coming out, which screws up my budget
Yes, it's all the same money coming from the same place, but I find it easier to maintain this way.

In addition, if I see something for €10 that I'd like and I have €10 in my pocket, I'll buy it. If I don't have the cash, I probably won't buy it and I'll forget about it in 5 minutes. If I get used to laser, I might just buy it cos it's all the same cash right?

Sam Vimes

seamus wrote: »

Not usually, because I'll have paid cash. My bank account simply shows €50 coming out from the atm, it doesn't matter what I spent it on, but I have it tracked. With laser, I'll see €53.71 coming out, which screws up my budget

no what i mean is if you use laser for whatever you would have used your credit card for the amounts would add up to the same amount you'd be transferring to your cc. currently you still have all the exact same odd amounts, they just show up on your cc statement instead of your bank statement.

of course if you get used to paying by laser you have the added benefit of knowing where your money is going rather than just having a random €50 going out and having no idea where it went. and the statement can act as proof of purchase

seamus wrote: »

In addition, if I see something for €10 that I'd like and I have €10 in my pocket, I'll buy it. If I don't have the cash, I probably won't buy it and I'll forget about it in 5 minutes. If I get used to laser, I might just buy it cos it's all the same cash right?

what's to stop you doing exactly the same with a credit card :P

seamus

Sam Vimes wrote: »

what's to stop you doing exactly the same with a credit card :P

The fact that I know it's a credit card and it's not real money

I don't see the problem here? if you don't want a laser card, don't use it as a laser card, then you won't be charged for it, you will therefor just have an atm card with an extra little pink logo on it....


Anyway, why in gods name would anyone be with a bank who has transaction charges in this bloody day and age... move banks.

Sam Vimes

seamus wrote: »

The fact that I know it's a credit card and it's not real money

they're great aren't they? i go into a shop to buy something, i hand the guy a piece of plastic, he gives me the stuff.....and then gives me back the plastic:eek::eek::cool:

c - 13

Now that I think about this will the Laser card work the same as a cirrus in other countries as well ?

talkingclock

WTF is peoples problem with a Laser?? Is it evil? Are they being forced to use this card in a shop or online? Why do you have a bank account at all? Back to money in envelopes or exchanging shells and little stones for food?

TheDriver

I got the same from AIB and likewise, they said you had to take it but didn't have to use it. When asked about someone stealing it, could they use the laser part and i was told they would need the pin so very safe, Then I asked what if the person used it in a country that accepted it at POS which required signature to which there was a long uncomfortable silence and they said "shure that never would happen". I felt so secure with my money then...........

Its a choice matter, I want a visa card, NOT a laser card as to keep track of purchases and receipts, I want one account only to do it i.e. visa. They are forcing you to take a product you don't want. What if everyone got sent cheque books and 3 atm cards and ryanair sells you travel insurance automatically with tickets even though you don't want it, its all about consumer getting what they want and not anything about evil laser cards etc

daheff

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i can see your point but it's the best fiver you'll ever spend. post again in 6 months and see if you're still annoyed about it. i bet that just like Mr. Incognito and my girlfriend, you'll be annoyed for a few weeks til you find out how much better it is

had one previously...didnt find it anymore useful than an atm card..i prefer to have cold hard cash in my sweaty hands...only use the credit card for large purchases/online purchases

Sam Vimes wrote: »

there are? i've never had any

In the letter i got from the bank they said there were charges for it.

Sam Vimes wrote: »

because a credit card is a CREDIT card, ie they're giving you a loan. a laser card just gives you easier access to your own cash

I take your point...but shouldnt send new cards without requesting them.

Sam Vimes wrote: »

cash back would be one thing. and as i said i find it handier not to have to pay it off

Pay Credit card by direct debit...as long as i have cash in my account (like with laser) then payment is no problem

Sam Vimes wrote: »

right, more fees that go directly to the government. those sneaky bastards

Fees go to the bank...gov tax goes to the government...everybody wins except the consumer!:mad:

seamus

Sam Vimes wrote: »

they're great aren't they? i go into a shop to buy something, i hand the guy a piece of plastic, he gives me the stuff.....and then gives me back the plastic:eek::eek::cool:

Not really the point and you know it.

I like the idea of having a "buffer" in my credit card, where I choose when and how the money leaves my personal account.

With Laser, there's no buffer - if the till dude makes a mistake or I get charged twice, then I'm down real money until it gets sorted out. If a mistake is made on my credit card, it can sit there while it gets sorted out and I'm not short of any cash.

Maybe it's just me. I've never had need for a laser nor ever thought to myself, "If only I had a Laser card right now, this wouldn't be a problem".