Damaged credit card and Laser card

D

DoctorEvil

Registered User
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Both my credit card and my laser card have cracked along the point at the top of the chip.
Has this happened to anyone else or is it a problem with my wallet?

Having problems using them in the chip readers now so am going to look for replacement cards from my bank.
Does anyone know if there is a charge for replacing damaged cards?
 
would say it'd be free - they'll want you to keep on spending!

(have had a new credit card issued free when going abroad for a year as would have expired when away)
 
The terms & conditions of the cards and/or the relevant tariff of charges booklets may explain what happens in the case of having to replace a damaged card. You should not have to pay card stamp duty on the double anyway.
 
I got a free replacement Visa Card within days from AIB last year when my old one developed a crack.
 
Cheers all, have ordered both cards now.

Still wondering if the chip is an inherent weak spot in the cards though with both cards breaking the same way.
 
Do you tend to stick the wallet in your back pocket and maybe sit on it from time to time? I do and am always breaking my cards. Maybe I need a man bag?
 
DoctorEvil said:
Cheers all, have ordered both cards now.

Still wondering if the chip is an inherent weak spot in the cards though with both cards breaking the same way.
Click to expand...

Simple answer is no
The card is the same, the chip is applied to the surface of the card, it is not inherently embedded in it. Probably the issue is more how you store the cards
 
From what I remember of my engineering classes, it would be the more likely place for a crack to be an issue as the card is slightly thinner at the point where the chip is located and you have an edge (you will notice that the chip is recessed rather then being applied to the surface). Any change of surface can provide a focal point for a crack to form, however on all of these cards, wherever possible the "edges" are rounded which removes that problem. For an idea of how important rounded edges are have a read up on the problems surrounding the Liberty Ships which were originally designed to have rivetted plates but were welded instead; square plates, long lines of welds and plenty of stress concentrators (corners) allowed cracks, initiated because of embrittled steel, to rapidly propogate and several ships were sunk as a result.

Having said all that - the stress is probably because you stick your wallet in your pocket and sit on your cards :) - have mercy on the poor plastic!!
 
ClubMan said:
Do you tend to stick the wallet in your back pocket and maybe sit on it from time to time? I do and am always breaking my cards. Maybe I need a man bag?
Click to expand...

No always keep it in my front pocket but the top of the card would be showing. It must be when I am taking the card out of the wallet that it gets broken.

Man bag - no thanks!
 
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