I currently do not think it’s worth me to change over fully to Monzo as I’ve discovered a number of outlets refuse you to use the Monzo debit card, more notably the Post Office, I can’t even buy stamps with the debit card… And a number of other outlets where I live (Shoreditch) have also started to refuse the use of the debit card…
Why is this? Is there any undisclosed fraud happing with Monzo cards, as this is the one of the only logical explanation I can think of, where business refuse you to use this card.
I’d paid for postage using my Monzo card, I just had a look and have at least four transactions. They don’t do cash back on it though, is that the issue?
You can let acceptance@monzo.com know about specific retailers and they can investigate. Monzo was shoreditch based so much have been used around there plenty (they’ve moved slightly now though) so I’m surprised you’re having issues.
I’m south London based and genuinely never had an issue with the card, sorry to hear you are!
I’ve used mine at the delivery office in Crewe to pay for customs charges a few times, and I’ve paid for postage at franchise locations (McColl’s and SPAR). However, I think some of those were using Apple Pay where you can’t tell what the card actually is unless they’re eyeing up your screen
It’s my local PO branch, and their reason was that the Monzo card is not trusted by them due to fraud, I also had the same with my Local COOP, but as they know me they allow me to use my card. So to me it seems around my area there are reasons for the card not being accepted at some establishments, as they must have had more than the normal amount of fraud complaints…
They see the card and refuse me to use it!.. So I’m not allowed to put it into the terminal at the PO… I’ve not used cash for years (only on very rear occasions) so if I don’t feel confidant the Monzo card will be accepted then I will not change over to them as my main bank account, I am an all investment round investor, so I believe what they are doing to disrupt and change the UK banking market. But for me I’m not convinced if I have my investor debit card refused!
If you are able to, I highly recommend using either Apple Pay or Google Pay at places that give you trouble for using Monzo. Their systems won’t tell them what card you used, and unless they’re looking right at your phone screen, they won’t know what card you’re using.
EDIT: However, you should speak to Monzo and get them to discuss with the companies about the refusal of Monzo cards.
Wait till the card reader is activated and touch away, see if it works. Don’t let them see the card first. Or as @theshillito suggests, try Apple Pay or Google Pay.
My local PO does not do contactless payments… But again I was advised by my local COOP that they have lot’s of issues with Monzo, such as payments eventually being reported as fraud! but as I said my local COOP knows me so they are OK with me using my card.
I said stamps but it’s all stationary items I normally buy from my local PO at the same time… last time it was just stationary at a cost of over £15, but as I have said they do not want to accept the Monzo card, as they believe it’s a card that is very fraudulent in this area of London!
I would fire off an email to acceptance@monzo.com with the particular branch details cos it’s unfair to block all Monzo cards because people can use them for fraud (or rather, used to be able to in prepay days, probably not able to now with the ID checks).
I think the post office gets paid fees by most banks for delivering cash services on an ad hoc basis like over the counter withdrawals etc, but they have no such agreement with Monzo so the hot coral physically doesn’t work for those cash services. A small minority of their cashiers are probably confused by that and think it just doesn’t work for anything at the post office.
I had an experience where I needed to withdraw a tenner and didn’t want to pay £2 to use the nearest ATM, so asked over the PO counter and the cashier said “no problem - just pop your card in and enter you pin”. I whipped out my Monzo card and he said “ohhh not that one, you can’t use that one to withdraw here”. I then got my nationwide card out and he said that one will work fine.
I’ve used the card to buy stuff there loads of times from the same guy, including paying for postage etc. It’s just cash services he said won’t physically work for Monzo cards at the PO.
I think the smartest thing you can do at these confused post offices when paying for stuff (not cash services) is to hide the card and slam it on the reader before they get a chance to think about whether it should be accepted or not
It’s probably worth checking the screen of the Card Reader before inserting your card. I’ve noticed that a few times a Post Office, especially when it’s within a shop, will do a LINK ATM Transaction instead of doing a Card Purchase (probably because they get a cut or something).
