Visa Electron??

[davido140]

Whats Visa Electron then? I'd never heard of it before, I'm assuming its a slightly different version of Visa Debit?

Can it be used to buy stuff over the phone and online like a "normal" debit card or is it more restrictive somehow?

Cheers

ETA the moment I clicked submit I just had the question answered by a mate, essentially electron checks funds are there, debit doesnt. simple as that!

Edited by davido140 on Sunday 3rd August 13:30

[SS HSV]

Yes, yes and yes. After having credit cards for years and constantly applying for different rates form different lenders, I now only use a Visa Electron. If I need credit I get it from my overdraft facmility but I don't use credit cards anymore.

Only found one place that wouldn't take it so I went elsewhere.. can't remember where that is. I bought a car for £10k on it with no problem.

Shop tellers at you when you pull it out. That's the only problem if you are worried about the posing factor.

[jamoor]

SS HSV said:

Yes, yes and yes. After having credit cards for years and constantly applying for different rates form different lenders, I now only use a Visa Electron. If I need credit I get it from my overdraft facmility but I don't use credit cards anymore.

Only found one place that wouldn't take it so I went elsewhere.. can't remember where that is. I bought a car for £10k on it with no problem.

Shop tellers at you when you pull it out. That's the only problem if you are worried about the posing factor.

Do they?

I never noticed it when using an electron card.

[SS HSV]

jamoor said:

SS HSV said:

Yes, yes and yes. After having credit cards for years and constantly applying for different rates form different lenders, I now only use a Visa Electron. If I need credit I get it from my overdraft facmility but I don't use credit cards anymore.

Only found one place that wouldn't take it so I went elsewhere.. can't remember where that is. I bought a car for £10k on it with no problem.

Shop tellers at you when you pull it out. That's the only problem if you are worried about the posing factor.

Do they?

I never noticed it when using an electron card.

It was tongue in cheek

[davido140]

SS HSV said:

Yes, yes and yes. After having credit cards for years and constantly applying for different rates form different lenders, I now only use a Visa Electron. If I need credit I get it from my overdraft facmility but I don't use credit cards anymore.

Only found one place that wouldn't take it so I went elsewhere.. can't remember where that is. I bought a car for £10k on it with no problem.

Shop tellers at you when you pull it out. That's the only problem if you are worried about the posing factor.

cheers, precisely why I now have one, dont have a single credit card to my name cant be arsed any more. I told the bank I wanted an account with no overdraft, just a debit card and this is whats just turned up.

Allegedly an electron cant be used in America and Canada though.

Edited by davido140 on Sunday 3rd August 13:38

[escargot]

I was under the impression that visa electron had to be presented in person, therefore you couldn't use to make purchases online etc? My lass had a nightmare with hers.

[ypauly]

escargot said:

I was under the impression that visa electron had to be presented in person, therefore you couldn't use to make purchases online etc? My lass had a nightmare with hers.

not true it can be used almost anywhere my wife used hers to buy me a pistonheads trackday top

[escargot]

Ah cool, so how does it differ from a switch/maestro/visa debit then?

[jamoor]

I am pretty sure you can use it abroad, it should go through in places you can see the visa logo.

[KingRichard]

davido140 said:

Whats Visa Electron then? I'd never heard of it before, I'm assuming its a slightly different version of Visa Debit?

Can it be used to buy stuff over the phone and online like a "normal" debit card or is it more restrictive somehow?

Cheers

ETA the moment I clicked submit I just had the question answered by a mate, essentially electron checks funds are there, debit doesnt. simple as that!

Edited by davido140 on Sunday 3rd August 13:30

Ring me up and I'll test it to see if it works. You won't even have to get in a cab if you don't want to. Just give me the numbers

Seriously, loads of places take it, it's just a standard debit card really

[SS HSV]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

And that is precisely the reason I ditch my credit cards.. mind you I doubt if it will be long before debit cards start to attract charges

Nearly everything you buy attracts some kind of parasitic charge. This was a breath of fresh air by comparison.

[nightfever]

Are these just as easy to 'clone' as credit cards? And if you do get stung do the banks take the hit like with credit cards?

[rumpelstiltskin]

I use my Visa Electron for most of my online purchases,Ebay,online shopping etc.Used to have problems with certain places not accepting Electron but this steadily seems to be improving.

[Alfa_75_Steve]

I thought Electron was the Visa Delta they gave to people who couldn't be trusted with money? - that's certainly my experience of cards from the retailer's perspective, anyway.

[KingRichard]

Alfa_75_Steve said:

I thought Electron was the Visa Delta they gave to people who couldn't be trusted with money? - that's certainly my experience of cards from the retailer's perspective, anyway.

Not true at all.

I've got a massive credit line for the business, and shedloads of loans, hp etc all in my name with a great credit profile... but I won't touch credit cards. I've seen too many people get tucked up with them, and why would you need a card when you have cheaper sources of finance?

I don't even have a credit card for the business. Just debit cards

[Alfa_75_Steve]

KingRichard said:

Alfa_75_Steve said:

I thought Electron was the Visa Delta (Debit) they gave to people who couldn't be trusted with money? - that's certainly my experience of cards from the retailer's perspective, anyway.

Not true at all.

I've got a massive credit line for the business, and shedloads of loans, hp etc all in my name with a great credit profile... but I won't touch credit cards. I've seen too many people get tucked up with them, and why would you need a card when you have cheaper sources of finance?

I don't even have a credit card for the business. Just debit cards

You're missing my point.

I'm not talking about credit vs debit, I'm talking about Visa Debit (formerly Delta) vs Visa Electron.

The 'standard' issue Visa on a current account is a normal Visa Debit card - Electron was initially handed out to under 18s and students - but then spread to 'sub prime' account holders, as it doesn't allow spending of money you don't have.

I can't see the advantage in having an Electron over Visa Debit, unless you are so bad at personal finance management that you can't trust yourself not to spend what you don't have - many places still don't like Electron, pay at pump filling stations being one of them.

[SS HSV]

Not true, it is the only card I use to buy my fuel on. Oh and I don't have any kind of credit problem.. other than being offered too much credit that is

[playerone]

Well you are going to have to change one day.

Visa are phasing it out and want banks to use the Visa Debit brand instead. I think they are keen for those with poor credit ratings to use prepaid debit cards rather than Electron.

[MonkeyHanger]

Visa Debit cards can dip into an overdraft facility. Electron cards can't. The reason why some places won't accept them is that they have no facility to check available funds on an Electron card

[miniman]

davido140 said:

ETA the moment I clicked submit I just had the question answered by a mate, essentially electron checks funds are there, debit doesnt. simple as that!

Not true at all, Visa Debit checks that funds are there in almost all cases. Occasionally you still get a retailler who has a floor limit set but since Chip & Pin virtually all check for funds for each transaction.