# Maestro Card - Issue Number



## Crunchie

I’ve was trying to use my Maestro Card to pay a bill on a UK site. As well as the card number and expiry date it also asks for “Issue No (Maestro and Solo)”. I can’t find this number on my card and my branch hadn’t a clue what I was talking about.

Has anyone else come across this problem? The site rejects the payment without the Issue No.


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## rkeane

There isnt one for it.  I added my laser/maestro card to my paddy power account and it asks for one but you can still complete without it.  I guess the uk site doesnt accept Maestro.  I think banks know what a ccv number is.


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## Crunchie

rkeane said:
			
		

> I think banks know what a ccv number is.



Thanks rkeane but just to clarify things. The site definitely accepts Maestro - there's a drop down menu that includes it on the site. 

I (and my bank) do know what a ccv number is. This site however has fields for both

"Issue No. (Maestro and Solo)"
and 
"Security Code (CV2) - (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)"

On trying to pay with Maestro it generates an error message "Required field not complete: Issue No. (Maestro and Solo)"

I emailed them and their first response was to be adamant that they needed it, however I've since phoned them and they've said they'll check it out and come back to me. On the basis of what rkeane says and my bank not knowing what an issue number is I'm inclined to think it's an error with the site itself.


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## HelloJed

It's definitely a UK thing - when I lived in England many moons ago, I had a spate of cards, each one had the issue number of "1" alongside the expiry date.  

(Did you try 1 by the way?


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## Crunchie

y_reilly said:
			
		

> (Did you try 1 by the way?



Spot on y_reilly. They rang me back, I suggested I try 1 and it worked perfectly. They've confirmed my bank has authorised the payment.

As you say it looks like it's a UK thing because the woman I spoke to told me that there was an Issue Number on her Maestro card.


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## eye

hi help me i,ve a maestro card but no issue number i put in 1. 0. 01.
noting works can you help


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## bond-007

Irish Maestro cards won't work for "customer not present" transactions ie Internet or phone use. They do work in physical shops abroad.


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## eye

cheers pal


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## aishling

If you want to use a debit card for internet transactions, the new Halifax current a/c use a Visa debit card that have a security code so you can use them anywhere in the world, might be something to be considered if you buy over the web


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## solair

The problem is that in the UK, while the cards are now branded as Maestro, they're still processed via the old style national debit card system which used to be known as Switch when they're used for UK transactions.

So, basically, they're not really accepting international maestro cards at all.

When a UK Maestro card is used outside the uk, they're normal maestro.

So, if you try to use an Irish, or any other non-UK Maestro card on a UK site, it will decline the transaction.

As yet, Maestro isn't really standardised internationally, other than for 'card holder present' i.e. in a shop, over the counter transactions.

Visa Debit is your only option for international debit acceptance, and that's only available from Halifax in Ireland at the moment.


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