Grrrrr.. the embarassment of having your card refused in a shop because its defective. And this isn't the first UBS Maestro card that's been defective, the one before wouldn't read in the machines so they ordered me a replacement which has now also gone bad.

The lady at UBS helpfully suggested that the magnets in my mobile phone might be corrupting the card... strange that none of my other cards have been affected

Feel better now

Once my card (not UBS) would not work in the spar i was so embarrassed there i was waiting for it to say paid with a long queue behind me only to be told i had no money in my account. I then went to the cash machine and it let me draw money out. So i know what you mean you just want the floor to open up, and swallow you.

My purse was recently stolen, and it took UBS five attempts to issue me with a Maestro card with the correct spelling of my name, and they then deducted CHF120 from my account to pay for their error!

Honestly, we all know that UBS have bigger issues to deal with at the moment, but they would be dreaming if they thought they could rely on their retail banking arm to save themselves!

I don't think you are alone. I had problems with my UBS Maestro card several years ago.

The CASH side of it wasn't reliable enough to pay for my lunch in a canteen, therefore defeating the purpose of paying quickly. Fortunately it worked 100% for parking machines.

When paying hotel bills I more than once ended up using my credit card or paying cash when it didn't work. Here again, it worked 100% of the time for shops.

It seems to be common with UBS cards. I always just keep my cards in my back pocket and my US bank card is fine for years, my UBS card however, deactivates after about two weeks.

The lady at UBS helpfully suggested that the magnets in my mobile phone might be corrupting the card... strange that none of my other cards have been affected [/quote]

Had the same thing with Dresdner Bank in Germany. Went through around 4 cards in a year. Never carried them with my phone or in a bag with a magnet... Every time I got a new one they tried to charge me 8 euro for the privilege.

I came to the conclusion it only happened after I shopped in a certain store. Even though I always handed it over and never placed it on the counter to pay, I saw the assistant put it down near several gadgets they have (magnet to remove clothing tags and machine to deactivate the little barcode tags on electrical goods) and lo and behold... it never worked again

Not very technical but on the very rare occasion my card has played up at the cash desk, rubbing it briskly on my jeans seems to do the trick.

I can lend you my jeans if you like...

You mean every time UBS replaces a wonky card they'd issued me, they'd charge me for the replacement?

It's too painful to think about.

The Maestro card is indeed not at all durable.

Consider not keeping it next to your work badge and also away from the phone. I went through about 5 in a year and UBS started to charge me. I now keep it safe and sound and the phone well away and I have had a year out of this one.

They are acknowledged as being crud. The credit cards do seem to be better - but I think all cards with the corporate design are average - so with the sections on the card like this:

A quick question, I loaded about 50CHF onto the cash chip on my card. Will I lose that money when I get my new card or is it transferred automatically? Cheers

when you hand it in at the branch, they can credit it back to your account

Guess I've been lucky with my 1st UBS maestro.

I blagged 2.5 years out of it, even with a split along the mag strip after sitting on it in my first few months. The odd cash point couldn't read it, but otherwise it led a charmed life.

No doubt my current one has just gone tits up while I type...

I had a similar problem with the old fashioned magnetic stripe cards I had when in the UK. It was a real pain as the only time I could get to a bank during opening hours was on a Friday afternoon.

It finally dawned on me that the cards were going belly up every time I went onto the factory floor, where there was a lot of heavy machinery. Locking my card in my desk drawer on future visits solved the problem.

I'm on my 3rd Maestro card in a year they are well and truly crap! It was highly irritating last December when I had to go to the airport just to make an over the counter cash withdrawal whilst I waited for my replacement card which took over 2 weeks to arrive!!

Never had a problem with any of my UBS credit cards though or any of my UK cards.

I've only had one problem with the Maestro card, when a UBS cash machine ate it for no reason. I phoned UBS to order the new card, and the lady kindly informed me there would be no charge, too bloody right.

I asked why the machine had swallowed it, as I've had my bank account plundered by cloners before, and thought the same might have happened. Matter of fact answer was "Uhmmm, probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time...."

I'm glad I'm not alone here. I've got 3 UK debit cards and have never had any problems with them. And yet in the last 30 days I've had two UBS cards that have failed on me. I don't know why the ATMs don't have dual magnetic/chip readers so if one is corrupted the other can take over.

Strangely, I work with a 5 Tesla magnet most days of the week and sometimes pass the 8 Tesla magnets downstairs and I've not had my card die on me yet...

Several cards per year? I'm lucky that chip readers are that common for the Postcard...

Yeah, me too, which is why I'm so impressed with my US bank card and so unimpressed with my UBS card. I always have my cards in my back pocket near the NMR and only the UBS has ever demagnetized.

I had the same problem with my Credit Suisse Maestro card. Looks like the magnetic band is very sensitive and can get scratched easily, making the card unreadable.