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Abstract
Royal Bank of Scotland has admitted its new Mint credit card cannot be accepted by some retailers because certain machines fail to recognise its "cut-corner" shape. Mint claims this is because some retailers have not caught up with advances in card technology. The company says all of its application packs contain a letter alerting customers to the problem.
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Royal Bank of Scotland has admitted its new Mint credit card cannot be accepted by some retailers because certain machines fail to recognise its 'cut-corner' shape.
The card, launched this year in a major direct blitz, replaced RBS Advanta cards to provide cardholders with the best all-round value. However, due to Mint's curved corners, some ticket-vending machines - cited as being in cinemas, railway stations and carparks - cannot accept it.
Mint claims this is because some retailers have not caught up with advances in card technology. It is advising customers that vending machines, especially in venues such as cinemas, may not accept the card. The company says all of its application packs contain a letter alerting customers to the problem.
A spokeswoman says: "We are aware of this issue, but things are improving. Ticket machines are being updated and it won't be long before they all catch up with the advances in card technology."
Sean Larrangton-White, founder of financial services forum Tank, comments: "The testing clearly wasn't as rigorous as it should have been. It was probably only tested on bank machines."
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