Can I use a Laser Card in Currys store in the UK?

ianblyth

I was wondering if anybody has used their laser card to make a purchase in Currys in the UK.. not online but physically in the store.. I know from before that it works in some places and not in others.. but never tried it there... will be in uk next week and thinking of picking up an android tablet over there..

thanks

Dum_Dum

ianblyth wrote: »

I was wondering if anybody has used their laser card to make a purchase in Currys in the UK.. not online but physically in the store.. I know from before that it works in some places and not in others.. but never tried it there... will be in uk next week and thinking of picking up an android tablet over there..

thanks

No. The card is deliberately crippled. In fact, the purchase value will be blocked off from your current account making those funds inaccessible for up to 10 days. Happened to me last year.

coylemj

Dum_Dum wrote: »

No. The card is deliberately crippled. In fact, the purchase value will be blocked off from your current account making those funds inaccessible for up to 10 days. Happened to me last year.

What do you mean by 'crippled' - and if he can't use it (if that's what you mean by 'crippled'), how come the funds will be locked out of his account? It either works or it doesn't.

OP, if there is a 'Maestro' logo on the back of the card it will be accepted in stores in the UK, the 'Cirrus' logo if it's there indicates that you'll be able to withdraw cash from most ATMs in the UK.

I have a BOI Laser card and I accidently handed it over in a store in the UK instead of my Mastercard, it was only when I got home and looked at my online current a/c and saw a Maestro transaction that I realized I had paid for the item from my current a/c so an Irish card is capable of being used in the UK.

Dum_Dum

coylemj wrote: »

What do you mean by 'crippled' - and if he can't use it (if that's what you mean by 'crippled'), how come the funds will be locked out of his account? It either works or it doesn't.

OP, if there is a 'Maestro' logo on the back of the card it will be accepted in stores in the UK, the 'Cirrus' logo if it's there indicates that you'll be able to withdraw cash from most ATMs in the UK.

I have a BOI Laser card and I accidently handed it over in a store in the UK instead of my Mastercard, it was only when I got home and looked at my online current a/c and saw a Maestro transaction that I realized I had paid for the item from my current a/c so an Irish card is capable of being used in the UK.

I can only state my experience. It didn't work. The bank gave some tosh about it being a Sterling transaction. Same card magically comes to life again in the Eurozone.

coylemj

Is there a Maestro logo on the back of the card that didn't work in the UK?

Dum_Dum

Yes

JFeathers

The vast majority of Laser Cards today are co-branded with Maestro.

The Laser facility is for use in the Republic of Ireland only whereas the Maestro facility is used both domestically and internationally.

To check if your card can be used in shops abroad just double check in advance with the bank that issued your card.

Johannson14

I've used my Lazer card lots of times in a range of different shops up North without any trouble.