Halifax Clarity card issues

[silver_age]

No problems here so far.

Had a mix of swiping, chip and pin and contactless. Some of the chip and pin ask you to sign the screen rather than putting the pin in, others don’t ask for anything and the sale just goes through a few seconds after putting the card in the machine.

[catalunya]

I know this thread is a few weeks old now, but I wanted to comment on it with my experiences over the last week.

Prior to going away on 6th Sept I had never had an issue with my Clarity card in all the trips I have taken abroad in the US and in the world and I almost commented on this thread to say as much as I read it before we left.

I have just got back from Boston with my main method of payment being the Clarity. All was going well until about day 3 when my card was declined for two separate transactions. Luckily I had a Caxton FX card so used this for these.

I rang Halifax asking whether it had been blocked. They said no and that the reason it was being declined was, as told the OP and others above, that the clarity MUST be used via chip n pin. However, interestingly, we had already used it for numerous signed transactions prior to the declined ones.

I asked her how she expected me to pay for any kind of food or drink in America when it is pretty much always signed for so you can add a tip. She just insisted it had to be chip n pin - no leeway or other explanations.

I also said to her that for one of the transactions, I had put my card into a chip and pin machine but it was declined. She said that it was because they were going to make me sign for it - but how am I meant to know that!? Ask them every time!? Ridiculous.

Hilariously after this phone call though, we had zero problems using it for signed transactions. We must have done 10-15 of them after.

This is the one time I have felt unsure of using the Clarity and will now always ensure my Caxton is suitably prepared for any declines.

I will be speaking to my Relationship Manager at Halifax in due course to feed this back.

Apologies this turned into a minor vent!

[ChrisS]

Cataluya, thank you for the update. Whilst we only use chip and pin the info is very helpful as we're away for months and I don't want both cards blocked. We intend to take the Virgin fee free cc's as back up this year too.

[catalunya]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Cataluya, thank you for the update. Whilst we only use chip and pin the info is very helpful as we're away for months and I don't want both cards blocked. We intend to take the Virgin fee free cc's as back up this year too.

See more...

No problem Chris.

As a secondary update, I spoke with our Relationship Manager who kindly spoke to the Credit Card Team on my behalf. She told me that it WAS actually a block on my card by them, not necessarily because I had been swiping and that I was free to do swiping transactions in the future - she was very apologetic too.

I think Halifax need to have a word with themselves on how they communicate!

[metalguru]

Used my Clarity card the last 2 weeks in Orlando and Miami for swiping, chip and pin and contactless no probs.

[meboo]

Just had a similar issue for the first time in a decade. I was on a cruise and the company have been unable to process my card

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by catalunya

No problem Chris.

As a secondary update, I spoke with our Relationship Manager who kindly spoke to the Credit Card Team on my behalf. She told me that it WAS actually a block on my card by them, not necessarily because I had been swiping and that I was free to do swiping transactions in the future - she was very apologetic too.

I think Halifax need to have a word with themselves on how they communicate!

See more...

Thanks again catalunya, I'm going to ring Halifax as Clarity is our choice of cc due to it being fee free on purchases and withdrawals. We've never had a problem with either card and tend to favour one more than the other, 'just in case' the main card is blocked, but, to date, all has been good.

I also said we'd take our fee free VA cards, but I don't know why I thought they were, they charge a non-sterling transaction and whilst 2.99% may not seem much it can be when spread over 179 days.

[disneypars]

I've been using my clarity for Lyft etc for the past 10 days and not experienced any problems.

[leckytech]

Here now, absolute nightmare of a card. I have been declined multiple times, only worked in chilis and tk maxx. Take it from me I have travelled the world for 30 years this card is bollo**s. Make sure if you have this card you take alternative backups.

[scooby99]

Originally Posted by leckytech

Here now, absolute nightmare of a card. I have been declined multiple times, only worked in chilis and tk maxx. Take it from me I have travelled the world for 30 years this card is bollo**s. Make sure if you have this card you take alternative backups.

See more...

Another view: we are also in Florida now using the card multiple times every day (10+ purchases a day, everything from 2 coffees to gas & shopping etc).
No issues at all using it nor previous trips either.