Ulster Bank Visa Debit Card - using it abroad

delos

My son went into the Ulster Bank to let them know that he was going to be abroad for a few months and was checking that his Visa Debit card would be useable. He was told that there was no process for notifying them about the pending usage abroad and that his card would most likley be blocked when he tried to use it and he would have to contact them to get it unblocked.

Am I missing something, is this just "Bureaucracy Gone Mad....." or is he getting bad advice? Seems crazy to me

finnteme

delos wrote: »

My son went into the Ulster Bank to let them know that he was going to be abroad for a few months and was checking that his Visa Debit card would be useable. He was told that there was no process for notifying them about the pending usage abroad and that his card would most likley be blocked when he tried to use it and he would have to contact them to get it unblocked.

Am I missing something, is this just "Bureaucracy Gone Mad....." or is he getting bad advice? Seems crazy to me

I have used my Ulster Visa Debit in Finland, Sweden, Egypt, Denmark without notifying the bank, and it hasnt been blocked.

Its good idea to check that when paying abroad, that the merchant has chip&pin device, those transactions are more secure and will go through without any hassle in Ulsterbank side aswell.

srsly78

Some card providers will lock the card out if it's used for ONLINE purchases from a foreign country. This is the case with my uk debit card when I use it in Ireland for internet purchases, have to constantly ring them up and tell them to unblock. Security procedures for offline might be different.

Be careful with foreign exchange when using card abroad, even tho the debit card may seem fee-free the exchange rate from the bank will be punitive - luckily you don't have to worry about this if you stay in the eurozone.

BuffyBot

I think *may* rather than *would*. I've used by Visa Debit (by UB) and other issuers all over the place and never encountered an issue.

There is always a risk that something you pay for with/pattern of withdrawals from your credit/debit card will alert the card company as suspicious will lead to an additional security check (via them calling you, or you having to call their helpline) and potentially putting a temporary block on your card.

It's a pain when it happens, obviously, but it's a lot more painful than your son ending up with no cash because his card has been stolen/cloned/ripped off and no one notices until it's too late. Then people come are start complaining on boards.ie because the bank *didn't* do something to stop it. Hard for them to win, really.

delos

Thanks for the insights , it’s much appreciated.

I guess that they were only giving him the worst case scenario which is understandable as you are better off being aware that it might happen. I'll warn him about the online purchasing abroad as I suspect that he will do that a couple of times.

srsly78

Just make sure he has a cheap way to make international telephone calls, then can get it unblocked easily.

Random

or if hes in a shop that wants the sale theyll prob let him use the phone

unclebill98

He should have been given this.

http://www.ulsterbank.ie/documents/ROI/Managing_your_money_abroad_ROI.pdf

Main reason for card stops is multiple low value ATM withdrawals.

Fr Tod Umptious

I have a UB Visa Debit card and have had no problem using it in the EU and the USA for purchases via chip and pin and ATM withdrawals

However it only worked for ATM withdrawals in Peru, I will be going to Chile soon and will call UB before I go to see if I can use it there for purchases.

srsly78

Try using the card online, to make a mobile topup for example while abroad. I bet it gets blocked straight away then.

galwayjohn89

srsly78 wrote: »

Try using the card online, to make a mobile topup for example while abroad. I bet it gets blocked straight away then.

I've done that before no issues at all. I've never had my Visa debit card blocked, got the Visa credit card blocked once but was expecting it to be blocked due to unusual activity.

srsly78

And as I said above, my uk visa debit is blocked by default for all online usage in non-uk countries. To use it in Ireland I have to ring them up every few weeks to get it allowed.

Maybe it depends on the bank that issued the card, not whether it's visa/mastercard?