Monzo Plus: Holographic Card discussion

Mine has done that just by being in my wallet…

My Natwest has done similar after 3-4 months, but cruciually I can still read the card number (which is flat and printed, not raised).

Let’s hope the Monzo one lasts

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So disappointed. My card isn’t holographic at all, it just sits there, all flat and boring, I thought it would at least project the card number into mid-air or something… I mean it’s 2020!

Maybe the metal one will. :roll_eyes:

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As soon as mine was swiped through the till for a pay point deposit there was a line of scratches along the length of the card. Day 1.

Just checked mine and it is 7/23. Wonder why some have a longer expiry

I’d guess at a production run is the only difference. They’ve got coral cards sitting around to be sent out. I.e. they’ll get produced in batch, not on demand?

My holographic card only has three years 07/23

I was looking at a Reddit thread earlier about the card - and there’s a small comment thread complaining that they’ve moved away from Embossed.

A few choice issues, paraphrased:

  • It’s less secure as the CVV is in the same place
  • Airlines and other ‘not up to date’ places won’t be able to use the swipy swipy machine if the chip and pin fails.
  • There’s no place for signature.

Just wondered what do people here think? I think for the most part the theme is positive that it’s moved the details to the back - either way not seen these points discussed here as reason for concern.

Does anyone find the CVV number in the same place as the card number a problem?

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There’s absolutely no need for a Monzo card to be signed - Monzo don’t hold a copy of your signature anywhere so it serves no purpose.

The ‘swipy swipy’ machine is really just an efficient way to record the card numbers - you’d just have to enter them manually.

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Yea, definitely some interesting points, however this is what I think:

American Express has done this for a long time and I haven’t seen an issue with my own Amex card or anyone I know (heck the only credit card security issue I’ve had was with a Lloyds one).
Also, if someone has your card long enough to read the digits, they probably would be able to get your cvc anyway.

If they say they accept MasterCard, then they’d have to take it. Even when they’re doing manual transactions, they’d can write it down manually instead of doing swipy swipe.

MasterCard, Visa (and Amex I think) have moved away from the need of a signature for authenticating their cards. So no merchant should need you to sign (unless it’s for another reason that’s not part of the payment).
Meaning that if someone asks you to sign, you can say MasterCard don’t require it anymore so they don’t need it.

Edit: found the link to the MasterCard newsroom announcement around the new requirements.

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Increasingly this is just how it is… Card payments are moving (have moved?) from a ‘nice to have’ status to ‘mission critical.’

You’re right, they might struggle to process payments if their electronic systems, but they won’t be able to have customers in their shop if the power fails and the lights go off, they won’t be able to trade if their building is on fire, etc. Card payments have simply become another essential service.

You could say the loss of the swipy swipy machine is a step backwards, but instead I think it just reflects the progress that’s been made with systems reliability.

(It’s not like cash is the answer to everything either - shops regularly used to run out of change.)

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Wouldn’t this leave them more exposed to a chargeback?

As far as I’m aware. No.

The signature does nothing (from previous experience) apart from the sake of seeing if it’s the same person (but people can forge signatures anyway).

Chip and pin is more secure compared to swipe and sign.

What’s even better is mobile payments, which is the most secure.

No point for a signature transaction anymore :man_shrugging:t2:

I believe both would involve the merchant taking on the risk. I’m not even sure what merchant processors would accept slips from a ZipZap machine these days.

Taking down the details and processing it as a manual payment by keying it in or using an e-terminal is probably the best option in an ‘emergency’, if you trust the person.

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POS terminals can process offline Chip+pin payments whilst on battery power.

So even when the hotel is on fire, they can still take authenticated payment.

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No need for the Sweepy Swipy machine. A number of times over the years when on Holiday the holiday REP has just written all the card details on the payment slip no embossed card needed then phoned for a manual authorisation code

When Visa’s payment system failed across Europe in 2018, many places (like Morrisons below) dusted off those machines to process transactions. Many places do keep them as an emergency backup.

I personally prefer embossed so hope my Plus card doesn’t become illegible in the future like my very old Halifax printed card often did.

Packaged by hand surprised me

Why does Monzo Plus not have someone with bell, announcing you’re an investor? Like a town crier. I like the idea of flashing beacons. Or a bit coral red diamond like in The Sims.

I’ll admit — how cards look are something that doesn’t bother me. As long as they work.

Never understand the little details that bother people.

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They can still take it in downtime, requires writing down the details manually instead of swiping (in reality, loads of those swipe machines don’t work as well anymore anyway and don’t show the card numbers as well.)

I believe our contract gives us a certain monetary amount, across a specified number of “offline” transactions, that we’re covered for. I recall it being pretty low!

I do always enjoy watching people battle with the machine, to take a pretty poor impression, and then have to admit defeat and write the digits manually instead.

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