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

[Icy]

I've used my ANZ Travel Adventure card a number of times recently at Europecar without issue. Admittedly it has been at regional airport locations which I visit regularly and where the desk agents recognise me. I might query this next time if I remember. It would be interesting to get their take. I find that sometimes these over zealous enforcement of corporate rules can just be a different interpretation by certain employees (or they're having a bad day).

 

[woodyren]

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.

With the ring just tell them that they need to toss it into a very hot fire and the number runes will be visable. They may need to translate them from Elfish though.

 

[Renato1]

Pretty amazing.

The ANZ Travel Adventures card isn't a widely held card. But as this issue hasn't come up here before, it suggests to me that hardly anybody is using their free Qantas Cash Debit Mastercard or Virgin Velocity Debit Visa card, neither of which are embossed, while probably being the most widely held cards in Australia.
Regards,
Renato

 

[p--and--t]

Wonder what they would do with the very latest Diners Card I received last month with "nothing" on the front of the card - no embossing, no card number, no cardholder name - just the Diners & QF logo. The card number is imprinted in small print on the back near the signature panel.

 

[drron]

Well Europcar was obviously warned of my dodgy DC non embossed card.They didn't even take a quarantee by CC.First time ever I've not had to provide CC when picking up a rental at a place and company I've not used before.I did have my DC in my hot little hand -non embossed and no number side facing the agent.

 

[Revolutionary String]

Pretty amazing.

The ANZ Travel Adventures card isn't a widely held card. But as this issue hasn't come up here before, it suggests to me that hardly anybody is using their free Qantas Cash Debit Mastercard or Virgin Velocity Debit Visa card, neither of which are embossed, while probably being the most widely held cards in Australia.
Regards,
Renato

Slightly off-topic, but likely because they don't offer good reward rates

I didn't have any issues at all when using the QF card overseas a few years back.

 

[Renato1]

Slightly off-topic, but likely because they don't offer good reward rates

I didn't have any issues at all when using the QF card overseas a few years back.

Perhaps - but pretty much nearly all people I know don't understand reward points, and even if they do, they don't bother with them because the reward card comes with a significant annual fee.

I was like that myself once. The Qantas and Virgin cards are the lowest cost cards (zero cost) to earn points with apart from the Amex one whih isn't accepted everywhere.
Regards,
Renato

 

[coolstepslg]

ive read some lcc in europe also refuse to accept non embossed cards like visa electron cards they require proper credit cards to place a bond hold like hotels in UK. with visa electron cards and visa debit they may not have funds in the savings account. ie airasia refuse to accept debit cards while terminal is offline in the air to buy snacks and drinks there is no way to tell if customer has sufficent funds so may be declined its their policy as well as many only airlines only accept credit cards that are embossed and want to see it when checking in like thai air asked me once to prevent fraud.

 

[Ausbt]

I can’t recall the precise detail but I definitely had my ANZ card rejected too, in either the UK or Ireland. Bit hazy, I just moved on quickly at the time to a debit card and didn’t think much about it. But probably related.

 

[CPMaverick]

ive read some lcc in europe also refuse to accept non embossed cards like visa electron cards they require proper credit cards to place a bond hold like hotels in UK. with visa electron cards and visa debit they may not have funds in the savings account. ie airasia refuse to accept debit cards while terminal is offline in the air to buy snacks and drinks there is no way to tell if customer has sufficent funds so may be declined its their policy as well as many only airlines only accept credit cards that are embossed and want to see it when checking in like thai air asked me once to prevent fraud.

Embossed numbers have NOTHING to do with being a 'proper credit card' or not. I have three cards without embossed numbers, they are all credit cards. Not debit cards, savings card, or whatever an electron card is. They are full, normal, credit cards.

Yes some airlines ask to see credit cards, I can find no examples of them requiring embossed numbers when checking these. My American Airlines Citi card doesn't even have embossed numbers.

 

[farstar]

Even Amex Platinum and Black cards dont have numbers embossed, OK they are not credit cards technically but if they cant use Europe car Europe card should give up and shut down. To be honest with my dealings with Europe car I would use Avis or Hertz.

 

[davidj]

Has anyone else experienced this?

Typical computer says no policy

 

[farstar]

To be honest I would say cancel my booking and walk next door to Avis.

 

[Deskorpio]

I had the same experience with Europcar at Cape Town airport a few years ago. I emailed and even phoned ANZ to give feedback on this on at least 2 separate ocassions. All i got back was a generic response that they will consider my feedback for the future. Doesnt look like they got enough complaints/feedback about this to make them do sth about it I then applied for MasterCard plat Zero from BankWest (no annual or international fees but no reward points either) as an alternative for when this is happening again.