VISA electron card

[Carol Anne]

My teenage son went through the process of booking tickets on the Virgin rail website only to be informed at the end that they did not accept his type of debit card. Visa electron. Had to use mine instead. He says this is a common thing, that even though shops etc display the Visa logo they don't always take the electron card,and it can be quite frustrating and embarrasing when they refuse it. The Visa system is globally massive, so why is this card only accepted by some and not others including big outfits like virgin. It's not his age because I know adults who have this card also.

[CheekyChops]

Its because Visa Electron has to be authorised immediately, at point of sale. Other Visa cards are usually accepted without authorisation provided they are within the shops 'floor limit'.

If the retailer doesn't have the facilities for immediate authorisation, they won't accept the card.

They are usually issed to people who are under 18 or who don't qualify for a 'regular' Visa debit card.

[Carol Anne]

Oh right.. I would have thought that all these card swipe machines were capable of 'phoning home' whenever they needed to. We had to wait 'til my card was authorised before the tickets were confirmed

[auzzie]

Just a little foot note. If you order on line and it's too late for delivery, your son will need to take YOUR card to collect them himself!! I fell into this trap with my son. I could not take him to the train station so he had my card with him for a few days. I texted him every day to make sure he still had it!!

[Carol Anne]

The joys of parenthood!