Hotel payment, pay later option. UK cc and DC.

[ChaChaBoomBoom]

Yesterday Agoda was due to take payment for my hotel booking which I had made 3/4 months ago using the, book now, pay later option, with free cancellation.

I have been using this option since covid because you never know when the restrictions will be more strict, i.e lockdown, alcohol ban etc.

I was contacted because although at the time of booking they pre authorized my card, they couldn't take the payment which was due.

It appears that new cc/debit card rules have been introduced in the UK to prevent online scams/fraud.

As a result I was told by Nationwide that I would be required in future to use my card reader to verify it is me using my card and enter the code to continue with online payments.

I had to cancel my booking, the Agoda people in the Thai call centre were very helpful and said I wasn't the first to fall victim to the new rules. I also cancelled a similar, pay later booking due later in the year.

I have subsequently manage to rebook, both hotels.

I hope this is of help to others in a similar situation.

[Greg_B]

I'm anticipating this to be done elsewhere and haven't wrapped my head around it.

What type of card reader is required in the UK..?

[Gaztop08]

1 hour ago, Greg_B said:

I'm anticipating this to be done elsewhere and haven't wrapped my head around it.

What type of card reader is required in the UK..?

Looks like a small calculator.Called pin sentry

[ChaChaBoomBoom]

3 hours ago, Greg_B said:

I'm anticipating this to be done elsewhere and haven't wrapped my head around it.

What type of card reader is required in the UK..?

You can get them free of charge from your bank branch. Simple to use.

I got Nationwide to send me one here in Thailand a few years ago when I started using internet banking.

[bangna]

I was booking a flight using my Lloyds Bank issued Mastercard.

Text message "xxxxxx is the passcode to verify your purchase of £xxx to Austrian." I entered the passcode - DECLINED.

I then received a second text message "We notice Lloyds Credit Card ending xxxx was used on xx/xx/xxxx at Austrian Air for £xxx. This payment was declined. If this was you reply YES otherwise reply NO."

Replied YES.

New message "Thanks for confirming this was you. If you still need to make payment, please wait 10 minutes then try again."

Needless to say, the Austrian Air website timed out, I had to start from scratch but the seats I had originally selected were shown as occupied.

[Machinations]

My bank implemented the same measures. Seems like it only requires verification for larger transactions. I booked the same way with Agoda, will wait and see if it goes through without verification as it's only about 400 quid.

[regyai]

Ever more BS from banks who've forgotten the 'tail' and the 'dog' in the relationship

Inflicting more and more onerous nonsense on their customers in order to further protect themselves.

Recently opened a Wise card and xferd a small sum to it from my UK bank to later be regaled by belated 'ring the fraud team' sms and the concomitant hours of call on hold and the linguistically challenged Indian call centre folk. They do it seems have a hard time understanding that the Escobar's haven't coerced me into money layering this two hundred quid, or that Nigerian gangsters hadn't pressured me into releasing these funds to my frikkin self.

Edited March 22, 2022 by regyai

[Joeleg]

You do not need a card reader. You can ask for the code to be sent to your phone via SMS or via email for online purchases. The card reader is outdated approach that introduced yonks ago. OTP via sms and email is the way to go. 

[Gaztop08]

2 hours ago, Joeleg said:

You do not need a card reader. You can ask for the code to be sent to your phone via SMS or via email for online purchases. The card reader is outdated approach that introduced yonks ago. OTP via sms and email is the way to go. 

Yes thats a fair point and actually with the card reader we obviously have to carry something else with us on our holiday.But for myself i can’t always get a signal for my home sim I use in uk.So verify text can not always reach me.So card reader would be useful

[Joeleg]

59 minutes ago, Gaztop08 said:

Yes thats a fair point and actually with the card reader we obviously have to carry something else with us on our holiday.But for myself i can’t always get a signal for my home sim I use in uk.So verify text can not always reach me.So card reader would be useful

The UK banks now provide email OTP as well and they are quick as well. Make sense to hang on to the card reader just in case. Since Nationwide was mentioned I thought I will this post as an example. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Joeleg

[ChaChaBoomBoom]

17 hours ago, Machinations said:

My bank implemented the same measures. Seems like it only requires verification for larger transactions. I booked the same way with Agoda, will wait and see if it goes through without verification as it's only about 400 quid.

My transaction was for just less than 200 GBP and it was blocked.

I understand it's to stop the smaller amounts from being drip fed out of your card/account from what the Nationwide people told me because that's a tactic the scammers employ.

[ChaChaBoomBoom]

13 hours ago, Gaztop08 said:

Yes thats a fair point and actually with the card reader we obviously have to carry something else with us on our holiday.But for myself i can’t always get a signal for my home sim I use in uk.So verify text can not always reach me.So card reader would be useful

I live in Thailand so It's much more convenient for me to use a card reader, I understand if you are a tourist then perhaps not.