Why does LL not accept bank debit cards as a payment method?

[Jennifer Boyle]

This was prompted by an answer to another question regarding payments.  An answer quoted the knowledge base:  

"A common cause of payment method failure is the use of unsupported card types. At this time, the majority of prepaid cards are not compatible with our system, even if they bear the VISA/AMEX/Mastercard logo. This includes cards purchased at retail stores, rechargeable credit cards, and bank-issued check cards."

It doesn't make sense to me that they don't accept bank debit cards.  I understand about prepaid debit cards that con be bought for cash; there's nothing that could identify the user, but bank cards are tied to bank accounts with known accountholders.  Also, generally one is wise to make it as easy as possible for people to give one money, restricting choice of methods as little as possible.

So why is this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KarenMichelle Lane]

LL Does accept some "Bank Debit Cards. Which seems to be more or less hit and miss. Mostly miss. The whys are out there along with the answers to questions like:

1) who really killed President Kennedy & James Hoffa?

2) why are UFO's so damn hard to photograph?

3) why did the Apocalypse fail to happen in Dec 21st?

[Peggy Paperdoll]

Linden Lab does accept bank issued debit cards.  A debit card is different than a pre-paid card.  I use (and have been using) my Visa debit card for payment of my premium account for over 2 years now (probably close to 3 years).  It has never failed.  It works just like my credit card used to work before I closed that CC account (2, going on 3 years ago).  My CC was MasterCharge but my debit card is Visa.

There's a world of difference between a pre-paid card and a debit card (and, of course, a credit card).

[Innula Zenovka]

I think the problem is probably that some types of debit card guarantee payment to the merchant (LL in this case) up to a certain amount, whether or not the card holder actually has the funds available,  while others require that the funds actually be available in the card-holder's account.  

Since LL presumably can't check, in many cases, whether the bank will honour the transaction, they've probably taken the commercial decision not to risk accepting cards that don't guarantee them payment.

The Visa Electron card (widely used outside the USA, Canada, Australia and Ireland) is an example of a debit card that's not universally acceptable, particularly for online purchases, for this very reason.

 

[Rolig Loon]

As is always the case with company policy questions, the real answer is "Because they say so."  There are practical reasons too, though.  When you list a credit card with LL as a payment method, they want some assurance that they will always be able to draw against it.  If your card is a credit card, then its balance is always backed up by your bank account.  If it's a debit card, however, LL can't be sure that it will always have money in it.  Unfortunately, LL's accounting system isn't fast, like an ATM, so it can't double check in real time to find out either.  Being conservative, LL decides not to trust debit cards on principle.  (It doesn't help, either, that many prepaid cards are untraceable.  Gift cards that you can buy at the local supermarket are very handy, but they are also favorites of people who are trying to leave no paper trail.  If you run up a balance with LL and your gift card can't cover it, LL has no way to go after you for it. PIOF is only as good if it is verifiable.)

[Baloo Uriza]

They take my Bank of the West debit card. But it has the Mastercard logo on it. You posted why your debit card is failing if it isn't any of the kind Linden Research accepts.