Halifax has issued a clarification about an important rule when it comes to online purchases.
A customer with a Clarity credit card got in touch over X with a question as they were travelling abroad.
They asked: “If the worst was to happen and my card was stolen, would Google Pay linked to that same card still work or would it be disabled once the card is reported as stolen?”
Halifax said in reply that lost and stolen cards are blocked “at once”, and that replacement cards would be updated in their Google Wallet app “when they’re produced”.
Responding to further questions from the customer, the bank said the replacement card would be updated in their wallet automatically the next day and that a physical card would be sent to their home address.
But then the customer hit a snag, saying: “I’ve tried setting up Google Pay but it’s saying I need to speak to someone and the department is closed. Is this the normal process?”
Halifax then issued this warning in reply: “Yes there are occasions when you need to contact your bank to complete the verification.
“If you use the mobile banking app you can use the ‘message us’ option and my colleague can look to assist.”
The bank also sent the customer a link to an advice page about using your bank card outside of the UK.
If you have a Clarity card, there are no fees to pay on foreign currency transactions or for withdrawing cash while abroad.
For other Halifax credit cards, there is a 2.95 percent charge on foreign currency transactions and a 5 percent charge when withdrawing cash.
Before travelling abroad, customers are advised to check for any overseas fees that will apply to them and to make sure their credit card is activated.
It’s also worth checking if your card is due to expire while you are away and to make sure you do not have Abroad Freeze activated on the card you will be using on your trip.
Other good practice is to take another form of payment with you in case of an emergency and to set up a direct debit to cover any payments while you are away.
Another tip is to make sure your contact details are correct so Halifax can contact you if there is any suspicious activity on your account.
