EC card not readable

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EC cards have been making purchases at home and abroad easier for many years. The magnetic stripe is a weak point. Therefore it sometimes happens that an EC card is illegible. The magnetic stripe is not only a target for data thieves, it also requires a certain amount of attention from the cardholder.

The reader must recognize the EC card.
The reader must recognize the EC card.

You're at the checkout in the supermarket and suddenly yours fails EC card their usual service and you don't have any cash (not even 10 euros) with you. Then things get embarrassing when there is a line of impatient customers behind you. Well, it's not that bad.

EC card not readable - these could be reasons

  • In the supermarket it can hardly be due to the cash register system. You are not the only one who pays for purchases with a bank card. If that were the case, the staff would have brought it to your attention.
  • The EC card can stop working if you have not provided the necessary financial cushion. Most of the time it fails because something is wrong with the magnetic stripe.
  • It is best to go to a branch of your bank and try to use the statement printer. If this is not possible, you will be informed that the card is defective. At ATMs it can also happen that your debit card is withdrawn.
  • In addition to the general wear and tear on the magnetic stripe when using the debit cards, many customers have reported another problem.
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  • This problem always arose when customers had a wallet with a magnetic lock, stored certain cell phones next to the debit card or stored too many cards on top of each other.
  • A magnetic stripe can quickly wear out and give up the ghost when you shop in stores where the readers are dirty. Your pocket is not an ideal place for a debit card with a magnetic strip.
  • If you place the card where magnetic materials are involved, the data on the magnetic stripe dissolves into nothing, so to speak.
  • As a customer, it is not always your fault. Sometimes you get cold if your bank has blocked your EC card for withdrawals outside of Europe or if your credit limit has been reduced.

Debit card suddenly illegible - usually only replacement helps

  1. Check the functionality of your EC card at one of your bank's ATMs.
  2. Ask the sales representative to try the reading several times.
  3. Don't have any money on that account, make sure you have a credit.
  4. It is best to hand in a defective card at a bank branch. From there, the card will be sent directly to the head office for you to check, free of charge. You will then receive both a new card and a PIN within two.
  5. Before you travel outside of Europe, take a look at the availability limit and any restrictions on use.

New debit cards are being used by some Banks meanwhile issued without magnetic strips and only with a chip. In America or Asia you definitely need an alternative second card with a magnetic strip.

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