Report: Halifax Clarity in SEA

[lifemagic]

Hi,

I posted ages ago to say I was waiting to receive my UK credit card (clarity) which will have practically no fees for me. Just to report my findings...

Over the counter advances (from bank of ayutthya) were free both ends. I paid off straight away and paid about six english pennies in interest.

BUT then I moved to Cambodia and it's useless. It doesn't work at all in the free Canadia atms and no one will do a cash advance. Apart from weekly shopping it's useless. I phoned them and they said the atms here use 'chip and signature' but the card is chip and pin (ridiculous). Anyway, I googled it and there are no end of complaints about it, i.e. the card is hit or miss atm-wise.

[sustento]

It works in Thailand but not in Cambodia. Possibly it's the fault of the archaic Cambodian ATMs rather than the card?

[lifemagic]

Maybe, but all my other cards are working OK. It's just this one.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Maybe, but all my other cards are working OK. It's just this one.

Did you actually test the Clarity in any ATM before going to Cambodia? Which cards are working in the Cambodian ATMs? VISA debit cards? Other credit cards?

[lifemagic]

I've never used the Clarity in an ATM successfully, and have only tried to do so in Cambodia. I've successfully used it for an over the counter withdrawel in Thailand. I've also used it in Cambodian supermarkets requiring the PIN.

In the atm the Clarity didn't work in (Canadia in Cambodia) I then successfully used both a Caxton FX and a Metrobank debit (mastercard).

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I've never used the Clarity in an ATM successfully, and have only tried to do so in Cambodia. I've successfully used it for an over the counter withdrawel in Thailand. I've also used it in Cambodian supermarkets requiring the PIN.

In the atm the Clarity didn't work in (Canadia in Cambodia) I then successfully used both a Caxton FX and a Metrobank debit (mastercard).

So it appears to be a problem of having never being used in an ATM. Since you have used both a VISA and Mastercard in the ATM, it's not a Mastercard problem. You've also used it over the counter and in the Supermarket. Have you tried it in any of the other ATMs? Since it's probably only US$2 per ATM withdrawal, I think that it's worth the checking.

[sustento]

I've used the Clarity successfully in ATMs in the UK, in Dubai and in Thailand too. I've also used it over the counter (in a chip and pin terminal) in Thailand.

Edited September 12, 2014 by sustento