Barclays Bank - Photo on Bank Card... eventually

[BlueAstra]

I noticed the other day that Barclays offered a new service where they would print your own photo on your debit card. Great, I thought, an opportunity to put one of my images on my card. I went through the Barclays website, submitted the image (M42), edited it to fit the card and waited. Email back, image rejected, no reason given. I checked the T&Cs and could find nothing wrong, so I phoned the help line. After 40min and three people no one could give me a reason. I tried again, and again it was rejected. This time I sent an email to customer services, and the email response was that the image must have been downloaded from a copyrighted site and was therefore ineligible. I explained I was an amateur astronomer who took many images, and offered evidence to back this up. They accepted this and told me to re-apply. I did and it was rejected again. I rang customer service and spoke to the person who emailed me and explained everything again. This time she said to submit on a certain day and she would ensure the image was accepted. This I did and finally the card arrived a few days later. So if your're going to try this service be prepared for a cliff to climb!

Original Image:

Edited Card Image:

[Tinker1947]

Well done for perseverance ,and a nice image as well....

[JamesF]

Odd how the banks seem to believe everyone must be a criminal. Someone should tell them it's not necessarily like that outside the bank.

(Yes, I know copyright infringement isn't strictly a criminal offence

James

[VigdisVZ]

Great idea. I wish my bank account was as infinite as the cosmos.

[Stevp]

Unfortunately that pretty much sums up a lot of peoples life experiences, assumed guilty until you plead your innocence. That is an excellent picture by the way!

[Naemeth]

The wait was certainly unfortunate, but a brilliant result. We should all get personalised cards with our own images, certainly makes it easier to security check:

Barclays Q) What is this a picture of?

Non-Astronomer A) Some colours and stars?

Barclays - Wrong answer.

[Keiran]

Love the idea, but i dont know if i would have had your patience. Definatly a worthy candidate for your card

[Astro Imp]

Well done both for the picture and your persistence. I'm pretty sure I'd have given up but you now have a unique card.

[lukebl]

Well done.

You must feel well flattered that your image was considered so good that they thought it must be 'nicked' from somewhere!

[m.tweedy]

Are we going to have a card picture of the week then.

[JamesM]

This might sound a bit obvious but why don't they print an image of the card owner's face on the card - better than a signature

Great image by the way!

James

[dtr42]

This might sound a bit obvious but why don't they print an image of the card owner's face on the card - better than a signature

Great image by the way!

James

because my evil twin brother could steal my card and all my money and very nice card indeed

[Mav359]

because my evil twin brother could steal my card and all my money and very nice card indeed

Nah still be fine, he has to have a tash being the evil twin, dead give away

[dtr42]

Nah still be fine, he has to have a tash being the evil twin, dead give away

i have a tash does that mean i'm actually the evil twin

[BlueAstra]

Thanks for the comments chaps! It was an uphill climb, but after the initial rebuff it became a challenge I couldn't resist. BTW, here's the original post from 2011:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/126777-m42-reprocessed/

[jonathan]

I wonder how many amateur photographs get rejected then, not just of stars but of objects, places, or people. Just because it's a nice photo not taken with a silly little point and shoot digital camera it must be stolen stock from the internet - what a joke.

If I was feeling devilish I'd send them Malevich's White on White and see if anyone noticed.

He was an early twentieth century Suprematist painter, quite famous in the art and design world but perhaps not the banking world.

[bottletopburly]

quality

[4lefts]

amazing. i'm the sort of contrary so and so who close his account over an accusation like that. i got called a liar by a saturday girl in HMV 7 years ago and haven't bought anything from there since.

amazing m42 btw - love the work that's gone into not blowing out the trapezium.

[The Sailor]

Well done on that, myself I would have to put SHMBO's photo on mine, she uses it more than me .

Jim

[paul schofield]

Great idea well done, glad you got there in the end. I would of given up after the second contact.

[sologuitarist61]

Looks good, though you could have left the bank detail on it - I have seen this lovely Takahash TOA 150 .....

Yes I have done the same but have my dogs on mine as per my avatar.