Money Grouse: Card 'useless' in US machine

HOLIDAYMAKERS relying on a single credit card for cash while on holiday could be disappointed.

Rosemary Unsworth, a journalist with the Independent's business section, went on holiday in February to Florida. She took her Robert Fleming Visa card, issued by Save & Prosper.

When she tried to withdraw dollars 200 from a machine in Vero Beach, it refused to give her cash and told her to see her financial adviser.

Fortunately, she was able to take out money from the same machine using another credit card. This was not the first time that Miss Unsworth had had trouble taking out cash on her Robert Fleming card while in the US.

She said: 'I could have been completely stuck if I had not been carrying two other cards that worked. I needed that amount to pay the hotel bill in cash. The credit card in this case was completely useless.'

Save & Prosper checked the failed transaction with Visa and found that the problem had been caused by a computer error that meant that the code numbers of one hundred banks, including Robert Fleming, had been missed out when the system was programmed.

Ian Lindsey, executive director banking at S&P, said: 'The card was not recognised as being a valid number.' He said the problem was being rectified, and affected about 300 cash dispensers in the US.

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