Frequently asked questions

Also known as Mastercard SecureCode or Verified by VISA, 3D Secure is a free and automatic online security service that has been created to give you an extra level of security and help guard your credit card against unauthorised use online.
When you make a purchase in a shop using your credit card, you're asked to enter a PIN number to validate the transaction.  3D Secure allows you to validate transactions you make over the internet in a similar way. 

Depending on the nature of the transaction, you may occasionally receive a text message to your mobile phone with a one-time passcode. You will have to enter that one-time passcode when completing your payment online .

A mobile phone is required to receive a text message with your one-time passcode. You can check your account has the right mobile number in the Settings menu of your online account or by calling our Customer Service Team.

We have introduced a new secure verification system where you will no longer be required to register your credit card or create and remember a password when you shop online.

3D Secure is an additional security measure so not all websites will use it.  However your transactions are always protected against fraudulent use through the Mastercard and Visa chargeback schemes.

You no longer need to register your card for 3D Secure.

At Avantcard, we provide both online and phone support allowing you to access your account information at any time.  
Credit card customers can access the following services online:

• Activate your new card

• Check your balance and transactions

• View and print up to 3 years of monthly statements

• Request a replacement card or a copy of your PIN

• Make debit card payments

• Add a travel notice to your account when you are going abroad

• Update personal information 

If you’d rather give us a call, you can use our 24/7 automated telephone banking service on 0818 409 511.
Alternatively, you can speak to a member of our team between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays, excluding Bank Holidays.

Once you’ve received your new Avantcard credit card, you need to activate it online. To do this, you will need your card or account number and credit limit details. 
Full information of how to activate your card can be found here.

You will need the following information to enrol online:

• Your credit card or account details

• The credit limit on your account  -  you'll find this on your card mailer or recent statement

You will also need to enter some important details about you and your card, and create a username and password. Once you start the enrolment process you will be prompted along the way with all of the information you need to access your account.         
If you've enrolled before with a different account you don't need to enrol again.  Just log into your online account and add your second account to the same online profile by either going to the account section in the online header or go to the settings menu.
To stay secure, please choose log in details which are easy to remember but difficult to guess and never to give them to anyone else.

If you've forgotten your log in details, it's easy to reset them if you click on the 'Forgotten your log in details' link on the log in page and follow the instructions.  You'll be asked to provide some information about you and your account,  choose a new password and then you will be able to access your account.

Only the main cardholder of the account will have access to account maintenance services. To manage the account online, please ask the main cardholder to enrol/login to Online Banking.

Yes, to access your online account and for best performance, you must have JavaScript switched on
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The first thing to do is understand your financial situation by reviewing your financial circumstances, for example with the free budget planner located on the It’s Your Money website. Secondly, check if you have insurance (such as payment protection insurance) and, if you do, check your policy to see if you can make a claim. Thirdly, if you do have concerns, you can print, complete and return our Income and Expenditure to:
Po Box 25
Carrick on Shannon
Co. Leitrim

You can call us with the details of your incomings and outgoings on 0818 211 784 to discuss the options available to you or you can contact MABS for assistance
Money Advice and Budgeting Service
www.mabs.ie
Lo Call: 1890 283 438

If a transaction is showing on your statement that you believe is incorrect, please check if any additional cardholders on your account have carried out the transaction. You can also find out more details about the transaction online by selecting the + sign beside the transaction.  This will give you the date of the transaction, the card used and the merchant type.  
Some companies may charge under a different name (e.g. their parent company) so you could try searching the internet to identify a merchant and find their telephone number so you can contact them.
If you still do not recognise the transaction, please contact our Customer Service Team.  They are available on 0818 409 511 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday, excluding Bank Holidays. 
Please try to notify us within 30 days of the statement date so we can help you obtain a refund.

You should first contact the merchant and/or the company’s administrator, if possible by telephone, or visit their web site for up to date information.  If you are unable to resolve your query directly with them you can call our Customer Service team for additional assistance.  They are available on 0818 409 511 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday, excluding Bank Holidays.  

We cannot cancel a transaction after it has been made so you will need to contact the retailer directly to cancel the transaction or request a refund.  However, If you are unable to resolve your query directly with them you can call our Customer Service team for additional assistance.  They are available on 0818 409 511 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday, excluding Bank Holidays.  

If you’ve previously authorised a merchant to charge regular amounts to your account (e.g. annual subscriptions or insurances) but want to cancel future payments, you must notify the merchant directly.  If you are unable to resolve your query directly with them you can call our Customer Service team for additional assistance.  They are available on 0818 409 511 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday, excluding Bank Holidays. 

If your credit card is used without your knowledge or consent, or goes missing, please call our 24 hour Lost & Stolen Team on this freephone number 1800 286 262 or + 353 71 95 94040 from abroad.  They will block your card immediately, investigate any unrecognised transactions and assist you in obtaining a refund through the Mastercard or VISA chargeback process if possible.

You should first contact the merchant by email or telephone.   If you are unable to resolve your query directly with them you can call our Customer Service team for additional assistance on 0818 409 511, 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday, excluding Bank Holidays.  They will help you get a refund through the Mastercard or VISA chargeback process.

Retail interest is charged on all transactions, handling fees and default charges starting on the date that they are posted or applied to your account and ending on the date that you pay the total account balance in full. 
You will not be charged interest on the card purchases shown on your current statement, if you pay off the total account balance shown on that current statement by the payment due date shown on that statement, provided you have also paid off the total account balance shown on the previous month’s statement by the payment due date shown on that statement. 
We calculate retail interest each day so the earlier you make the payment, the less retail interest you will have to pay.
Other transactions such as cash withdrawals and gambling will accrue interest daily.
Interest will appear as a “finance charge” on your statement

Yes, fees and charges apply to Avantcard credit card customers under the following circumstances:

Late fee: There will be a fee of €15.24 each time your minimum payment has not reach your account in cleared funds by the date that payment is due.

Over limit fee: A fee of €12.70 will be charged and applied once on any monthly statement if, and when, you are over your credit limit at any time during that statement period.

Returned payment fee: A fee of €19.05 will be charged each time a direct debit or other item for payment into your account is unpaid.

Cash handling fee: A charge of 1.5% (minimum €2.50, no maximum) is applied to your account when you make cash transactions. A cash transaction is considered to be any transaction resulting in the provision of cash or a cash substitute from your account by using a card or card number issued under your account, including foreign currency, travellers’ cheques, postal orders, gambling transactions and any electronic transfers of cash which are not money transfers.

Foreign exchange commission: A fee of 2.65% of the value of each foreign exchange transaction may be charged if you make any transaction in a currency other than Euro.  

Government stamp duty: Each year the government charges a tax (stamp duty) on all cards issued by financial institutions. This charge is applicable to each unique card/account you have in your own name. This stamp duty may change on a yearly basis depending on the amount agreed by the government in the annual budget. 

Payments at the post office: If you have to make a payment over the counter at a post office a processing fee of €0.97 will apply.

Your statement will be posted to you once a month unless you have selected eStatements.  For these, we will send a notification via email on a monthly basis to let you know that your eStatement is ready to view online.  You can change your statement delivery method any time in the Setting menu of your online account.
Your statement will inform you of the minimum payment amount and the date it is due. In certain circumstances, we can amend the statement so your payment date falls at an alternative time of the month. If you would like to discuss your statement with us please call our team on 0818 409 511.  

You will see this message on the statement menu when a statement has yet to be generated for that month. This message can also appear if there was no balance on your account at that time.

The minimum payment is what you must pay by the due date shown on your statement each month.  This amount is calculated as follows:

• If your statement balance is €25 or less, it will be the total amount of the balance shown.

• If your statement balance is more than €25, your minimum payment will be the greater amount of either: €25 or 1% of your statement balance before any default charges, processing fees, foreign currency fees and interest (to which we'll then add an amount equal to the default charges, processing fees, foreign currency fees and interest). Your minimum payment will not exceed the balance shown on your statement.

If you are not receiving email notifications, we suggest you check that the email address we hold for you is correct. You can do this by logging into your online banking account in your Settings menu. 
Occasionally when you are using a business email account, the firewall may be blocking the email being delivered.  Check your 'junk/spam' inbox and if the email is located there then add the email to your safe list. 
If the problem persists, call our team on 0818 409 511 and we’ll help to sort this out for you.

Making payments on time is an important part of managing your credit card and shows you can manage your finances responsibly. You will find the minimum payment amount you need to pay and the date the payment is due either on your statement or online.
There are a number of ways you can make payments to your account:
Payments directly from your current account
To pay online, by telephone banking or standing order via your bank account provider you will need the details below

• Our BIC which is CITIIE2X 

• Our IBAN IE90CITI99005117683012

• Your 16 digit credit card account number which begins with 245.  This is different to your card number and must exclude any '000' if displayed at the start of the account number.  You will find this number on your statement.  Using any other information as a reference will result in your payment being returned.

You can make your monthly payment the easy way by setting up a direct debit on your credit card account. You can relax knowing that either your minimum payment or full balance will be paid without the hassle of making a manual payment. You can request a direct debit mandate online here.  
You should allow 5 business days for the payment to reach your account by your payment due date

Payments via the Post Office
You will need to bring your payment (cash or debit card) along with your giro slip (at the bottom of your statement) or credit card to the post office.  You should allow 3 business days for the payment to reach your account
There is a processing fee for all payments to your account made over the counter at the post office of €0.97.  No interest will be charged on this fee

Payments directly to us
You can make debit card payments any time on your online banking account.  Payments made before 4.00pm on business days will be credited to your credit card account the next business day. Payments made after 4.00pm or on weekends and Bank Holidays will be credited to your account in 2 business days. 
You can also pay with your VISA or Mastercard debit card over the phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling us on 0818 409 511 and selecting the “make a payment” option from the menu.
Business days exclude weekends and bank holidays

You can make payments online by debit card for any amount, at any time in the Payments menu.  Payments made before 4pm will be credited to your account within 1 business day, after 4pm it will take a further day - business days excludes weekends and bank holidays

How long do payments take to reach my account?
There are different timescales depending on what payment method you use. 

• Payments directly from your bank account via your bank's online banking, telephone banking or standing order will take 5 business days

• Payments via the Post Office take 3 business days

• Payments directly to us through your credit card online banking account or over the phone before 4pm on business days will be credited to your credit card account the next business day. Payments made after 4.00pm or on weekends and Bank Holidays will be credited to your account in 2 business days.

Your direct debit payment will be credited to your credit card account on your payment due date or if on a Sunday or Bank Holiday it will be credited the previous business day, and will be debited from your bank account on either the same or the next business day. 
To find out when your next payment will be debited from your bank, please refer to your latest credit card statement online. 
Direct debit payments will appear on your bank account statement with the name, ‘Avantcard’. 
Please note: : If you have any additional payments or credits posted on your account at the time we send the instruction to your bank (normally 7 working days in advance), we will reduce your Direct Debit amount to prevent the Direct Debit plus those credits from collecting more than the balance as shown on your latest statement.

A late payment fee will be charged to your account if at least the minimum payment shown on your statement has not been credited to your account by the payment due date shown on that statement.  You can check when your next payment is due online.  
When choosing a payment method, please ensure you know how long it takes for the payment to reach your account - if your payment due date is soon, you should select a quicker payment method.  If you forget to make a payment you should make one as soon as possible to bring your account up to date.

Yes, you can change your PIN to one that you will be able to recall easily without the need to store it anywhere.  You can go to the following ATMs in Ireland: Ulster Bank, AIB and Bank of Ireland.  It is best to avoid numbers that would be easy to guess such as your date of birth or a common sequence like 9999.

You can request a copy of your PIN online or by calling our Customer Service Team on 0818 409 511 between 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am and 2pm on Saturdays, excluding Bank Holidays.

If your card has been locked at point of sale you will need to contact our Customer Service Team to unlock it for you.  You can call them on 0818 409 511 between 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am and 2pm on Saturdays, excluding Bank Holidays.

You can order a replacement card online under your Services menu.  However, if your card has been lost or stolen or the name on the card has changed please call our Customer Service Team on 0818 409 511 as they will need to order a new card for you.

You can report a lost/stolen card 24/7 by calling on this freephone number 1800 286 262 or + 353 71 95 94040 if you are abroad. 

Once ordered, a replacement card will take 5-7 working days to arrive.

Before you travel:

• There’s no need to withdraw large amounts of euro or foreign currency when you can use your credit card in almost every country around the world for both shopping and withdrawing cash at local ATMs. 

• It is useful for us to know in advance that you are going to be abroad so we know to expect some international transactions and can minimise any inconvenience when using your card - let us know by adding a travel notice to your card online or calling us on 0818 409 511. 

• Ensure that you have our overseas number +353 71 9594040  written down and saved on your mobile phone - we’ll be here  24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you need our help in the event your card is lost or stolen, no matter where in the world you are. It is also useful to keep a copy of all your important phone numbers in your hotel room. 

While you’re away:

• Your PIN 

  • Be careful with your PIN, never give it to anyone for any reason

  • At an ATM, be aware of your surroundings and use an ATM that is in a busy location

  • Remember to always shield your PIN

  • Check the amount you are paying at the retailer’s terminal before entering your PIN 

• Your card

  • Keep your cards with you rather than packing them in your suitcase and don’t leave your card unattended either in your hotel room or when using it in shops or restaurants

  • Always ask for a receipt

  • Make sure that all of your valuables are concealed, especially in cars or on the beach 

• Our help if you need it

  • If your credit card is lost or stolen and you require a replacement card or emergency cash while you’re abroad we’re here to help.  We can send you a replacement card or cash to most countries throughout the world and often within 48 hours.

  • Mastercard and VISA have ATM locators on their website, so you will never be too far away from some extra cash

  • You have a travel assistance service provided by International SOS Assistance which provides you with a variety of special emergency services to assist you when travelling outside your country of residence, for trips lasting no longer than 90 days. Some of the services incur a charge, which you would be responsible for paying if you were to use those services. Please note this is not insurance and is not a substitute for travel insurance. Find out more here .

• You’re fraud protected

  • If your credit card is used without your knowledge or consent, please call us on freephone number 1800 286 262 or + 353 71 95 94040 from abroad and we will block your card and investigate any potential fraud transactions. It’s important you contact us immediately if you think your card has been lost or stolen or if you notice any unusual transactions on your account. We will be here to answer your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  • If anyone fraudulently spends on your credit card, or you didn’t receive the goods or services you paid for, we’ll help you get a refund under the Mastercard or VISA chargeback scheme.

• Outside the Eurozone, a cross-border handling fee of 2.65% applies on all transactions

• A cash handling fee of 1.5% (minimum €2.50, no maximum) is applied to your account when you make a cash transaction

Fraudsters engage in this activity where they attempt to impersonate your bank, credit card provider, utility company or other entity and ask you to respond by going to a dummy login page where you are requested to enter personal information which can then be used to make fraudulent transactions on your bank or credit card account.  The name given to this type of fraud is Phishing.
Phishing e-mails may pretend to come from government departments such as the Revenue Commissioner, as well as banks, credit card companies and online shops. 
They may sound convincing or contain realistic-looking logos and official-sounding text. They may even carry a warning about Phishing. 

Remember: We will never email and ask you to enter your credit card number, login details or any personal information. If you are in doubt, always delete emails of this nature.
By responding to such e-mails or going to the website address on the email and entering your information, you are giving the fraudsters all the information they need to use your credit card to make transactions which may then appear on your monthly statement.  Please bear in mind that we will always do everything in our power to help you if there are transactions on your account that are not yours.

Extra checks you can make are:

• The address used by a counterfeit site may be very similar to our genuine website addresses. Look closely for spelling differences or the use of symbols, e.g. www.avant-card.ie or www.aventcard.ie

• Hidden addresses - rest your cursor over a link in an email (but don't click on it) and a box will pop up showing you the link destination - do you recognise it as a legitimate address? If not it could suggest that the sender has something to hide.

Fraudsters don't only strike online. There has been an increase in hoax phone calls with callers claiming to be bank employees or from large technology companies asking for personal details.
If the caller claims to be one of our employees and you have reason to doubt their identity, hang up and, if possible, use a different phone and dial the telephone number at the back of your credit card to check if we have tried to call you.
Example:
A phone scam that is quite common today is where the caller will claim to be technical support staff from a computer software company.  They will usually tell you that they have noticed from their records that you need to have your computer urgently updated, along with a list of dangerous sounding outcomes if you do not – such as a new virus is likely to corrupt your device.
These calls can take 2 directions, both of which can lead to fraud on your account:

1. They may ask for remote access to your computer to install a virus which will allow then to obtain your personal details.

2. They may ask you for your credit card details for a payment to “fix” your computer.  This may also include a request to give them your card number, expiry, 3 digit CVC number from the back of your card and even your 3D Secure password – this could allow them to either take a payment directly from your card or use your details to order large cash payments via payment channels like the Western Union. 

Skimming is the theft of credit card information used in a legitimate transaction. The fraudster can use a small electronic device (skimmer) to swipe and store credit card numbers.  Instances of skimming have been reported where the fraudster has put a device or group of devices illicitly installed on an ATM.  More recently made ATMs now often run a picture of what the slot and keypad are supposed to look like as a background, so you can identify if there are any foreign devices attached.

If your credit card is used without your knowledge or consent, or goes missing, please call our 24 hour Lost & Stolen Team on this freephone number 1800 286 262 or + 353 71 95 94040 from abroad.  They will block your card immediately, investigate any unrecognised transactions and help you get a refund through the Mastercard or VISA chargeback process.