Switch Debit Cards

Whats all this about Personal Numbers what about issue numbers?

[davemarks]

One of my clients, who has a custom built shop and secure payment server has just emailed me to say that one of their customers couldn't pay with their Switch card....because:

Apparently she doesn't have an issue number, she now has this new thing called a personal number.

Well bearing in mind the clientel it wouldn't surprise me if this is some old dear who's not really sure what she's doing.

That said, I have just spoken with a colleague who has a switch card, he informs me that this new personal number is more like a pin number that you use when buying stuff over the counter instead of signing for it (Like in france then)

I've had a hunt round HSBC for some info but to no avail. Hopefully my client will contact their bank to check, but in the mean time can anybody throw some light on this?

Thanks

[tigger]

is it not the 3 digit number on the back of the card

[aspdaddy]

I heard that PIN numbers were being introduced in the UK, on a recent tv program about CC fraud.

Im suprised its taken so long, the australian EFTPOS system has had this for years.

[NFFC]

There are a lot of switch cards without issue numbers, mainly from Scottish banks in my experience. On a card not present transaction the cards will prompt for a valid from date as opposed to an issue number.

The pin number thing is a seperate issue and not to be confused with the card security code.

[gsx]

Switch and Solo cards are changing. They are all changing to a 16 digit number with no issue number.

This is for security: previously they worked like this:
* First four digits indicate Switch and the bank issuer. First digit was always a 6.
* Next six digits are your bank sort code
* Next eight are your account number
* Last is the cheque digit which can be calculated.

This meant that someone with a bit of knowledge could work out your switch card number from a cheque, for example. All they now need to work out is the issue number and expiry date.

All of that is changing: the numbers now do not bear any relevance to your sort code and account number and are used like credit cards.

The customer should leave the issue number box blank to make a payment. It will go through and succeed.

[davemarks]

Ah, thats where my problem is then.

I ask for both Start Date and Issue Number as compulsory fields for switch/solo.

I guess I need to make it either or then... Yup?

Thanks

[NFFC]

>I guess I need to make it either or then... Yup?

We don't "require" those fields, they are "if applicable". The thinking is that as long as we have the contact details we can get the correct details, we don't want to put any barriers in the way of a purchase.

[davemarks]

Surely though prompting them to enter the correct details both reduces your time and effort and also makes for a quicker dispatch...

Sorry, but to me not doing this seems silly to me...

[NFFC]

>one of their customers couldn't pay with their Switch card....because:

And that seems silly to me :)

[davemarks]

Only because I had it set up wrong. ;)

And even so, they simply phoned and payed over the phone anyways