WHERE in the world can laser cards be used??

Agger

I have a laser card with AIB..I am heading to Bermuda soon.
Can I use the laser card over there? Thanks all...

MunsterCycling

You could ask your bank? www.aib.ie

Agger

I did check with the bank..they could not give me def answer & told me to log onto maestro online but it's not 100% there either.

Just thought somebody may have been there before and used their laser card.

thanks tho!!:)

aidan_walsh

If your card is also branded as a Maestro card it should work whereever you see that symbol.

Del2005

aidan_walsh wrote: »

If your card is also branded as a Maestro card it should work whereever you see that symbol.

I have an AIB Laser with Maestro on it and couldn't us it in a shop up North.

jor el

aidan_walsh wrote: »

If your card is also branded as a Maestro card it should work whereever you see that symbol.

Should, yes, but I know from buying online that shops that accept Maestro debit cards don't always accept Laser. Sometimes it works, others it doesn't. There doesn't seem to be any way to know for sure before trying it.

MunsterCycling

That's because the UK Maestro system isn't a real Maestro system, same nonsense happened to me in London two weeks ago, luckily I had some of their play money on me.

MC

jor el

That could be it. The site (can't remember what it was now) said I could only charge Euro to my card, which isn't true, as I'd previously charged US$ to it.

Red Alert

Although Laser cards have the Maestro logo they're not fully compatible with the Maestro system as used elsewhere in the world. The biggest problem is that the Laser's Maestro application cannot be used online. As far as I'm concerned the Irish Banks are guilty of false advertising - they are selling a Maestro card and it is not fully able to function as one.

calex71

if u have a visa or mastercard op you could do what i did last time i was away and put some cash on it. Many Atm's abroad will let you withdraw cash with a creditcard. You do get charged a small fee but not the 20 odd %

nmesisca

Red Alert wrote: »

Although Laser cards have the Maestro logo they're not fully compatible with the Maestro system as used elsewhere in the world. The biggest problem is that the Laser's Maestro application cannot be used online. As far as I'm concerned the Irish Banks are guilty of false advertising - they are selling a Maestro card and it is not fully able to function as one.

my AIB laser card works a treat in Italy, USA (FL at least) and I am quite sure I used it in the airport in London as well..

kittenkiller

Del2005 wrote: »

I have an AIB Laser with Maestro on it and couldn't us it in a shop up North.

How very odd, i have the same type card and could use it in Belfast.

Mine can also be used in England, Wales and Holland.
I have no 1st hand experience with anywhere else unfortunately.

Welease

It also depends on what you mean by use.. I have been able to withdraw money from cashpoints all over the world using my Laser card, but I havent been able to use it in a shop anywhere but the ROI.

TeaServer

Welease wrote: »

It also depends on what you mean by use..

I have to agree here.

Usually you can use your Laser/ATM card anywhere in the world at an ATM to withdraw cash. My AIB card has Maestro/Link on it and I've used it in loads of countries to take out cash no problems. You won't be able to use it at a POS machine as a debit card though.

The other thing to note from a post above, if you decide to lodge cash on your credit card - It won't be covered if your card is stolen and used fraudulently. Something to bear in mind. I find the cheapest and easiest is to just have some cash on you when you arrive and withdraw locally as you need cash.

/T

strongbluebell

I've used my AIB/Maestro card in many shops in the North also in London. Used it to withdraw cash in the U.S. but didn't try buying anything with it there.

caff

In the case of the UK it is their problem maestro cards don't work not the IRish banks, when they switched over to Maestro from their previous system they didn't port over all their old equipment fully, instead they just rebranded a portion of it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch_(debit_card)

100gSoma

get yourself a VISA DEBIT card with Halifax. 7% interest on current accounts too. And the card is usable EVERYWHERE including online EXCEPT Lidl!? Boo Lidl.
a great card though. Have used all over the world.

Corruptedmorals

I used mine in shops in Vienna, and a ticket machine in a train station there. Used it in shops in London, but wouldn't work in a tube station ticket machine there, annoying.

The Visa halifax debit card isn't compatible with cashback in some shops (Dunnes is one), minor drawback.

dudara

Moved to Banking & Insurance & Pensions

dudara

Toots

There's a sticky about this at the top of the forum here, which might be of some help.

How long before you head to Bermuda? It might be worth your while applying for a credit card, mastercard and visa are accepted pretty much everywhere, whereas not all places will take maestro.

Tom Dunne

Red Alert wrote: »

Although Laser cards have the Maestro logo they're not fully compatible with the Maestro system as used elsewhere in the world. The biggest problem is that the Laser's Maestro application cannot be used online. As far as I'm concerned the Irish Banks are guilty of false advertising - they are selling a Maestro card and it is not fully able to function as one.

I'm not so sure about that, because I've used mine all over Europe (though, not the UK, as far as I recall). I found it especially handy in non-Eurozone countries where you can pay for items without the hassle of having to get out local currency.

I just entered the PIN as I would here.

RossFixxxed

I've used my Maestro card in Nepal!

GerardKeating

kittenkiller wrote: »

How very odd, i have the same type card and could use it in Belfast.

Mine can also be used in England, Wales and Holland.
I have no 1st hand experience with anywhere else unfortunately.

Depends on the UK Bank the merchants used for card processings, if they also do processing for an irish subsiduary then they would be able to take laser, if they don't acquier transactions in RoI, then they might not bother with International Maestro.