Debit cards

My bank (Nat West) has just introduced a system that requires us to tell them when we want to use our Debit Cards outside of UK. We are intending to go to Europe for 6 weeks shortly, so I atempted to advise them of this.

It don't work like that.

I have to tell them exactly what dates I am going to be in each individual country. I can't say I am going to Europe to tour around for a while, I have to be precise.

Of course it has been pointed out to me that this is for my benefit. (I thought that the bank was responsible for card fraud?) When I spoke to them they could only advise me to make an expensive phone call back to UK and wait in a queueing system in order to tell them that I had decided to move on.

I expected to find an option saying European Union in thier system but no it's individual countries.

This is going to be at the very least a nuisance and at worst, leave members stranded with no access to thier own money.

Fortunately, for myself, I have other options, but I suspect that many people are going to be caught out by this. Perhaps it is something that the Club would consider taking up and pointing out to the banks that one of the joy's of our members lifestyle is that they can please themselves where and when they wander.