Common questions

General questions

• Why is my card changing?
• Why have I received a credit card?
• Will my MasterCard credit card also be changing to Visa Debit?
• I don't want to change to Visa Debit. Can I keep my Maestro or Solo card?
• My Maestro or Solo card hasn't expired. Can I keep using it even though I've been sent a new Visa Debit card?
• My Maestro card was gold but my Visa Debit card is different. Have I been downgraded?
• I would like a Visa Debit card now. How do I apply?
• When I receive my new Visa Debit card will I be able to get an overdraft or go overdrawn accidentally?
• Will my Visa Debit card work exactly as my Maestro or Solo card did?
• I have a contactless card. Is this available on Visa Debit?
• When trying to pay for goods on-line the website has no Visa Debit option, how do I use my card?
• My card does not work in self-service petrol pumps, why is this?

Security

• What is 'Verified by Visa' and NatWest Secure and how will it help me?
• What other security protection can NatWest offer me?
• Why would I need to use Rapport and Verified by Visa?
• What increased purchase protection does Visa Debit offer me?
• I use my card for online banking. Will I need a new card reader?
• How do I keep my new Visa Debit card safe?
• How do I make sure my PIN doesn't fall into the wrong hands?

PIN and card numbers

• Will this mean I get a new 16 digit card number?
• Do I need to re-register for mobile phone banking or text alerts?
• Will I still be able to use the same PIN?
• How will the change of my card number affect online banking? Will it update automatically?

As part of our commitment to providing you with the best financial products and services we can, we have decided to change all of our customers' Maestro and Solo debit cards to Visa Debit. You can still use your new card to pay for goods and services on the high street, online or over the phone. In addition, your new card will also offer:

• Increased protection - when you use your Visa Debit card to purchase goods or services you will now receive a higher level of purchase protection
• Worldwide acceptance - you can use it at 29 million retailers around the world, wherever you see the Visa logo, that's three times more acceptance than your existing card.

Back to top

Your new card is not a credit card. It is a Visa Debit card and it works in exactly the same way as your existing Maestro or Solo card. If you are in doubt, on your debit card the Visa logo appears in the top left corner of the card with the word debit printed below.

Back to top

No. The changes we're making only affect Maestro and Solo debit cards. If you have a MasterCard credit card this won't be affected.

Back to top

No. When we make the changeover, we need to make it to all of our customers' cards. Remember, Visa Debit will work in exactly the same way as your existing card, and offers a number of additional benefits.

Back to top

When you receive your new Visa Debit card you should start using it immediately. You should destroy your existing card by cutting it through the magnetic strip and through the chip. Your existing card will be cancelled and will stop working before the expiry date stated on the card.

Back to top

No. The colour of the card has no connection with the type of account you have. You'll still enjoy the same debit card benefits, no matter the colour of your card.

Back to top

Pop into your local branch or contact telephone banking. Remember, a Visa Debit card will be sent to you automatically before the end of 2010 if you have a Maestro or Solo card at the moment.

Back to top

If you have an agreed overdraft facility, this will not be affected by your new card. If your current card doesn't let you go overdrawn, your new Visa Debit card will work in exactly the same way.

Back to top

Yes, your Visa Debit card works in exactly the same was as you Maestro card in that it allows you to undertake transactions as you did before. The way those transactions are processed by the governing schemes, MasterCard and Visa, are however different and have different costs associated. When you purchase currency from a travel agent or bureau de change it is treated, under the Visa Scheme, as a cash purchase. To process this transaction we pay a fee to the merchant (be that a travel agent or bureau de change), therefore we have made a decision to make a charge for this type of transaction. This charge was clarified in a Notice of Variation sent to all account holders during November 2009 and was effective from 20 February 2010. Similar purchases using Maestro, governed by the MasterCard scheme, are processed differently.

You can find details of all fees & charges associated with your Visa Debit card on our website.

Back to top

We plan to move all our contactless debit card customers to Visa Debit Contactless by the end of 2010. If you currently have a Maestro Contactless card, you can carry on using it until we change to Visa Debit Contactless. If your Maestro Contactless card needs replacing before the end of 2010, it will be replaced with another Maestro card. If you want to change to Visa Debit before the end of 2010 please let us know, but you should be aware that Visa Debit cards will not include contactless facilities until the end of 2010.

Back to top

We are aware that a number of retailers do not appear to have a drop-down option for Visa Debit, unfortunately we are not able to control what options retailers have on their websites. You should look out for a Visa Electron or Visa Delta option. If neither of these are available look for the Visa option; by doing this should allow your payment to be processed. If you do however experience difficulty please let us know.

Back to top

If your Visa Debit card replaces a Solo card (and begins with the numbers 4751 27 or 4751 28) this cannot be used in unattended Point of Sale terminals. This card type can only be used at a retailer or supplier of services where they can authorise the transaction with us at the time of the transaction being made and self-service terminals, such as those on trains or at petrol pumps, cannot perform such an authorisation.

Back to top

Security

NatWest Secure using 'Verified by Visa' protects your card against unauthorised use when you shop online at participating merchants. If you complete a transaction online and the merchant is part of 'Verified by Visa' it will ask for your card number and the three-digit security number as normal. You will then be asked to verify this transaction by keying in your NatWest Secure password.

Customers already enrolled for NatWest Secure can still use their existing password. If someone tries to use your card for a fraudulent on-line transaction, they won't be able to progress without your password. Therefore please ensure that your password remains confidential and is known only to you. The 'Verified by Visa' service is available wherever the 'Verified by Visa' logo is seen.

For existing customers enrolled for NatWest Secure, 'Verified by Visa' works in the exact same way for customers who use 'MasterCard SecureCode' with their Maestro or Solo card.

Back to top

NatWest has invested in extra security in the form of Rapport eCommerce software which is security software designed to give you additional protection from malicious software on your computer. It works by protecting personal information such as passwords and is used alongside other security software such as a firewall and virus checking. When you use your NatWest card to pay for goods online, Rapport recognises your card number and protects all of the personal information you type in to that website until your transaction is complete. We can only promise that Rapport will protect your NatWest cards and cannot guarantee that it will protect cards issued by other banks.

Rapport is available as a free download. Please go to www.natwest.com/rapport

Back to top

Verified by Visa validates that the right person is putting the details into a website. This is done by checking against the information we hold for each customer. This should prevent a fraudster from completing a transaction as the fraudster shouldn’t know your personal details.

Rapport software works differently as it protects the personal information such as password you type in to a website by encrypting it. This means a fraudster cannot see the information you use to complete a purchase, such as card number or expiry date.

Rapport and other security software can work independently of each other and can also work side by side to increase the security of your online shopping.

Back to top

If you pay for goods or services with your Visa Debit card and they fail to arrive or are damaged when you receive them, we could help recover your payment. This may include companies that have gone into administration before you have received the goods or services. To take advantage of this you must have contacted the retailer directly to try and resolve the issue and been unsuccessful. If this does happen to you please contact your branch or call 0845 366 0452 and our dedicated team will be able to help.

Back to top

No. You can carry on using your existing card reader with your new card. Your on-line banking service will automatically be updated with your new 16 digit card number.

Back to top

Criminals continually look for new ways to obtain your card or details relating to your card.

Remember - we may contact you to confirm that you have received your new Visa Debit card but we will never contact you and ask for sensitive information such as your PIN or the 3 digit number on the reverse of your card.

Safety tips

• Never disclose valuable card or bank account information to anyone you do not recognise
• Always keep your cards and card details in a safe place
• Carefully check your statements upon receipt and report any unusual or suspicious looking transactions
• Only shop at secure websites
• Obtain additional online protection by signing up for 'Verified by Visa'
• Always print out and keep your order

Back to top

Criminals are particularly keen on obtaining any PINs connected with your debit and credit cards. Whether banking online or entering your PIN details in a public place, you should always be vigilant.

Remember - we may contact you to confirm that you have received your new Visa Debit card but we will never ask for sensitive information such as your pin.

Chip and PIN tips

• Always keep your card out of sight and in a safe place, and never let anyone else use it
• Never tell anyone your PIN - not even your family, the bank or the police - and never write it down anywhere
• When you receive a new PIN, memorise it straightaway and immediately destroy the PIN advice slip
• Do not share your password details with any third parties. Passwords should be known only to you. It's also good practice to change your passwords regularly
• When considering a suitable password for an account or online application, avoid using family or pet names, birthdays or ages, which criminals could match from stolen data
• Never use the same password for different accounts

Back to top

PIN and card numbers

Yes. Please remember to advise any companies whom your card may be registered with of the change (i.e. recurring payments such as automatic renewal of car or home insurance or magazine subscriptions).

Back to top

No, your mobile phone banking and text alert service will be automatically updated to work with your new card.

Back to top

Yes, your PIN number will not be changed.

Back to top

Our online banking service uses account numbers and sort codes, so your new card won't affect the way you use this. If you store your card details on online shopping sites such as Amazon, you'll need to update your card information the next time you make a purchase from these sites.

Back to top