ANZ card refused due to lack of 'embossed numbers'? (Europcar)

[CPMaverick]

This is a strange one.

At Darwin airport today, renting with Europcar, I was told my ANZ Travel Adventures card could not be accepted because the numbers were not 'embossed'. I was a little shocked honestly. embossed numbers are obsolete in my opinion and I've had 'flat' cards in my wallet for at least 8 years now, and this has never come up.

The only other card I had was a US card, and also not embossed.

I pushed back quite a bit and finally the agent called her manager and got the infamous 'one-time approval' to accept the card but she said the manager made it clear that I should understand this is against policy and in the future I will have the same problem. To which i replied that I have a solution, just never book with Europcar ever again! I've booked with Hertz on this card at least 50 times and Thrifty as well without a problem. I've never booked with Europcar in Australia before.

A quick Google search shows sporadic enforcement of this issue by Europcar, but the latest example I found was from 2012. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Revolutionary String]

That's really unusual! It's not like they were using a credit card imprinter (and even then, you'd be able to write in the relevant card numbers).

 

[CPMaverick]

Yeah I tried to be polite but the situation seemed ridiculous. If it was a foreign card and Australia didn't use this type of card, I could maybe understand, but it's issued by an Australian bank. If the chip works and the name matches my ID, security is not an issue.

I looked through my rental contract and there is nothing about this listed.

 

[Revolutionary String]

Hell, you would've ran into the same problem with a few other cards (i.e., Amex Platinum, some of the Citibank cards). How very bizarre!

 

[Robert K]

Darwin
Did they need to put it through the imprinter?

 

[CPMaverick]

Darwin
Did they need to put it through the imprinter?
View attachment 172430

I actually looked behind the desk for one when she told me the policy!

Not sure this is just about Darwin, it appears this at least used to be a Europcar policy... If it still is the policy, they've lost a customer until it has changed that's for sure.

 

[drron]

My new DC has no numbers on the front embossed or otherwise.So no Europcar for me.

 

[CPMaverick]

I like how this thread is full of targeted Europcar ads now

 

[theblank]

Easy fixed, dont give her the card, tap it, or insert it yourself. If they try to take it off you to do it, politely decline stating its to protect your cards security.

 

[oz_mark]

In a few years time they will be out of business if they keep enforcing that rule

 

[waltervp]

ANZ Travel Adventures card could not be accepted because the numbers were not 'embossed'....

I must say I was most surprised in Tasmania when I bought a $45 book at a market they put my card into a manual swipe machine!!! In that case I can imagine the non embossed cards bring refused . Reason for manual card machine was the was very sketchy internet available....

 

[mrsterryn]

My son's barber still uses a swipe machine

 

[drron]

My new DC has no numbers on the front embossed or otherwise.So no Europcar for me.

And today work have arranged a car from Europcar for me.Tempted to show my DC.Rental is paid by work but they always want to look at a CC.

 

[buzz1961au]

Report this to your card issuer as it's almost certainly against their merchant terms and conditions and make sure you express how upset that their card was refused. After all, what card issuer wants their card refused!

 

[buzz1961au]

I have a Halo Ring issued by Bankwest, no numbers embossed at all, it's hard enough just to find the MasterCard logo. I would how they'd deal with that, or if using Google Pay on your phone? Given current technology a very strange stance from Europcar.

 

[pblackie]

Looking at the T&C's it doesn't mention anything about the numbers having to be raised.

 

[a*0]

I had this once at Europcar at Christchurch airport a few years ago. Even more ridiculous was I was able to pay the rental charges with the flat card but needed to give them a card with raised numbers for the guarantee...

When returning the car at a different location, i asked for a final receipt so I could settle any charges immediately rather than on the guarantee card since I didn’t want to use that card in the first place. The guy’s response on them not taking the flat card was ‘Jesus there’s some stubborn s**ts around’ and said it’s not a problem to use a card without raised numbers

Guessing it might be buried in some europcar procedures manual somewhere and some locations are taking it a little too literally...

 

[DC3]

These merchants are being totally unrealistic. Why can’t they make a phone call to get manual authorisation instead of blaming the cardholder?

 

[esther_a]

So how on earth would they cope if you wanted to pay with a card via Apple Wallet?!
How absurd.

 

[bussyboy]

What does ANZ say about this?