New Bank Cards

[Royal]

My wife and I have a joint account with Hellenic which we opened when we arrived here 3 years ago. Our bank cards are due to expire at the end of this month and no replacements have been received yet.

I called into Hellenic today, and they told me that new cards have been sent (although they couldn’t give me a date on which they were actually dispatched). I was told that if they don’t arrive by 21st, I should tell them and they would send new ones out - but there would be a charge. I asked why in this scenario I should pay for new cards and was told that it’s not their fault that I haven’t received them - they have by ‘done their duty’ by sending them.

My next call was to Polis Post Office and the Manageress there told me that this happens all the time and it’s certainly not just us - there are many people who don’t receive bank cards and the Post Office gets the blame. I know that Hudswell had exactly the same problem during the Summer - not once, but twice - and that was a different bank.

Has anyone else out there had this happen to them? It seems to me that bank cards which are undelivered (for whatever reason) would be returned to the issuer which should then allow replacements to be sent without charge. If non-receipt is as prevalent as the Postmistress asserts it is, then maybe there is a card ‘issuer’ for all banks which is getting ‘double bubble’ for not initially doing what they are meant to do.

I’d be interested to hear if this has happened to any other Forum readers...

[trevnhil]

I think that our new Bank cards issued by the BOC went missing a lot of years ago.. I rebelled against the charge and I think it was dropped.
However I do know that at that time I requested the cards go to the Bank for collection. And that is what has happened ever since..

[ApusApus]

Not had a problem with our BoC cards & post but as trevnhil says just request collection of cards from your bank instead & problem solved!


Shane

[exodus]

Not had a problem with our BoC cards & post but as trevnhil says just request collection of cards from your bank instead & problem solved!


Shane

We are also with Hellenic and have our account marked "all correspondence to be collected by A/C holder, and notified by email".
letters and new cards, whatever. Although recently opened our Bank Card was soon ready and it all worked fine.
Amos

[J B]

Our BoC cards expired at the end of June this year.
Mrs B's was posted to our UK home in May
As we were travelling to Tala at the beginning of June, I just assumed that my card would arrive when we were away.
It didn't, But of course we forgot till our next visit in September.
I went on BoC website and explained the situation and asked if I could collect a replacement from our Branch in Coral Bay.
We duly visited the branch and collected the replacement card (no charge) and were told that the original was also there!!

Why they sent one to the UK and one to the branch????

Where's that Cypriot Shrug emoji!

[Kili01]

I have had my Alpha Bank card replaced without trouble last month. They always send it to my PO Box where I collect it. Touch wood have no trouble with Alpha over the last 17 years.
The only annoyence being that several times they transferred my accounts to a different branch! To suit themselves. The most recent time being when they closed the Kissonerga Branch. In fact they wanted to transfer all accounts there en bloc to the main branch on Agios Pavlos, without asking! I complained bitterly and they allowed me to transfer to the Ellados Rd branch which is more convenient...

Dee

[oylero]

I was at Alpha Bank Polis branch today, trying to collect my bank card which I normally ask to be sent to the Branch. Was informed today that in future the Bank will not be allowing customers to collect from the branch and that all bank cards and pins must be sent to a postal address that is registered with the bank. Another retrograde step IMHO
OylerO

[trevnhil]

It seems a retrograde step to me also. IF it does get to the house flat or apartment it is a box outside, presumably with the banks name on the envelope..

[Royal]

I asked for any future cards to be delivered to my Hellenic bank and they said it couldn’t be done. However, as my new cards were never delivered to our PO Box and I refused to pay for replacements, the manager agreed to have them delivered to the bank as a ‘one off’ and to reimburse the cost of replacement cards.

I thought that the Hellenic method of sending PINS to our mobile phone was a great innovation.

[Royal]

Alpha don't post them - you go in and collect them which in my opinion is far better!!

Flossie,

See the post above from oylero. It seems that Alpha’s policy is changing.

[galexinda]

My Alpha Bank cards have been sent to my PO Box ever since I opened the account just over 10 years ago. I had to go into the bank to get the PIN Code notification and sign for it. Since earlier this year Alpha Bank notifies me whenever my Credit or Debit Card is used I am even happier.

[galexinda]

IF it does get to the house flat or apartment it is a box outside, presumably with the banks name on the envelope..

Absolutely Trev. The giveaway is not that the bank's name is necessarily on the envelope, though a return address is a clue, but it's easy to see (or feel) what is inside! Many residents have their post delivered to our complex and all the mail is put in one unlocked box which is accessible to anyone, but they don't seem to be concerned, even though once I caught two women going through all the letter boxes. Just use my letter box for brochures.

[galexinda]

I thought that the Hellenic method of sending PINS to our mobile phone was a great innovation.

Agree, it's absolutely brilliant. With every online transaction using my Hellenic cards I have to enter a pin which arrives on my mobile within a second or two of entering the card number. Then the transaction goes through. Effortless and secure.

I get that when using my BOC card

All my accounts have a two step verification method as standard + I use a secure system before undertaking any financial transactions on-line.