So I recently found myself having issues with the bank card that I regularly use whereby I find that particular cash machines keep refusing my card whilst over the counter payments continue without issue and of course because the issue is dual natured I put of doing anything about it-yes I have complained to the machine owners (usually shops) and they in turn say that the machines are not theirs as such and merely on the premises-so what is the biggie?  Well you want cash and many a shop with a machine refuses to give you cash back in order to encourage usage of the machine.

So machine refuses card and shop refuses cash back despite over counter payments being accepted.

So I decide “TIME FOR A NEW CARD” once upon a time getting a new card was actually once again quite an issue-whereby a machine could swallow your card or it became damaged and you could have to go without money unless you made that extra curricular trip to the bank-so I have an online bank account service that I rarely use and decided to take the opportunity to use the service which I do after all pay to have.  Further to that the new card request was processed immediately and a new card arrived within 2 days-so I was quite AWED by the modern level of service-they obviously need people with cards to keep on spending-however my only complaint I think is that the NEW CARD had a NEW set of DETAILS and whilst my old card was still active as soon as I used the new card all prior transactions on the OLD CARD were DECLINED by my bank.

So how does that work?

Well for instance I ordered some goods from Amazon that was still associated with my OLD CARD and I receive the usual feedback confirmation of order and despatch/delivery.

Mean while my NEW CARD ARRIVES and not wanting any hassle I update several account payments associated with my old card.

However I had thought or was led to believe by Amazon mail that the order was accepted paid for at the time of ordering and a look at my bank confirmed that because they automatically reserve funds for cash card payments.

So a couple of days goes by and I start getting emails from Amazon saying payment has been declined on the ordered items (DESPITE THE MONEY HAVE BEEN RESERVED BY THE BANK FOR THAT ORDER).

So effectively I have then had to contact Amazon to rearrange a payment plan that to my knowledge had already “gone through” how can my bank reserve funds and then decline?

So you might say well that is good because if your have your card stolen (for instance) then it shows that any damage created by villain is limited-however despite my receiving complaint EMAIL from Amazon goods still arrived as though paid for?  GRRRR

So have I paid or have I not paid THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Yes a system set up with the best of intention for victims of crime can also adversely effect folks who simply want a replacement card-even when the old card is still valid- I guess this is another EXAMPLE of ONE SIZE FITS ALL STRATEGY whereby in order to reduce the process to actual result NEW CARD the reason behind any such requests has been ejected from the process as not being of any importance.

So the process worked yet has still had a detrimental knock-on effect whereby I do not know at present what monies I do or do not have available to myself because of this reserving of funds-again a sensible option on the part of the bank yet if the payment was declined then the reserve monies went back into the general money population and I may have spent more than intended through thinking that I had myself miscalculated funds and had more than previously thought.

Yes confusion has never been so much fun although if I start getting any letters from the bank relating to unauthorised overdrafts and payments I may well march down there and give them the good news that my own bill is larger than any they can supply me with.

This is actually a good tactic to use with financial services type harassment firms also-whereby you ask them up front they’re address and tell them up front that they can expect a bill from you for £XXX for the time that they are communicating with you.

Well the New Card works and the next series of tests will of course be to see if it works where the predecessor failed in these shop machines.

Thank you for reading, God Bless and be Well 🙂