"B Vaughan" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 May 2004 16:00:21 +0200, Alfred Molon
wrote:

S Viemeister wrote:

My bank automatically 'upgraded' me to a debit card. I insisted on having
it changed back to a 'plain vanilla' ATM card, even though the first few
people I spoke to, insisted it was impossible and claimed that 'all our
cards are debit cards now'.

Is there a difference between a debit card and an ATM card ? Credit
cards give you a credit and you can pay back in rates, but debit cards
deduct the amount instantly or within a few days from your account.

Debit cards can be used to make purchases, as if they were a credit
card, without entering a PIN. ATM cards are normally used to withdraw
cash from an ATM, although they may also be used to make purchases in
shops that have a machine that swipes the card and allows the
entering of a PIN.

-----------
Barbara Vaughan


I have two UK Debit Cards. The first, issued by Cahoot, is a Visa Debit Card and
it also has Link and Delta logos. I have used this extensively to pay for goods
and hotel accommodation throughout Europe and the USA. The second card is a
NatWest Servicecard 250 which has Switch, Maestro and Cirrus logos. I haven't
used this for goods and services outside the UK but have no reason to think it
wouldn't be accepted. And with both cards I can, of course, get cash from any
ATM.

JohnT