In the past two months I’ve had three different KNET cards fail on me because the security chip on them stopped working. The first time it happened I didn’t think much of it, I just went to NBK and got a new ATM card made. But, a few days after getting my new card it stopped working again with the exact same chip error. I was kinda embarrassed to go back to the same branch cuz I thought maybe I had done something wrong but I couldn’t think of any change I did in the way I was handling my ATM cards. Still, I went back to a different NBK branch and had them print another card for me. Everything was fine until last week my card stopped working again with the same chip error as before. So I went back to NBK and this time the employee at the front desk asked me if I had used my card at a gas station? She proceeded to tell me that they’ve been having a lot of chip failures because the gas station card machines were ruining the chips. She wasn’t talking about the KNET machines which you use to pay at gas stations, but the second machine they slip your card into after you’re done paying. Thats when it hit me, every time my card failed I had used it to fill up gas at the Alfa gas station on the Gulf Road (Shaab).
I’m not sure if this applies to all gas stations or just the Alfa ones, but in my case my chip cards were getting ruined because of that one Alfa gas station on my way home. As you can imagine its extremely annoying to have your ATM card just stop working but this is exactly why I have two bank accounts with two different banks, it’s for unfortunate situations like this. And even though NBK can print a new card for me while I wait, I still have to keep creating a new account for my online banking every time I get a new card and I am so over filling in answers to different security questions.
So if you’ve had ATM card failures recently now you know why. I’m going to be paying only cash at the gas stations until this issue gets sorted out.
17 replies on “Did Your ATM Card Stop Working Recently?”
That sucks. Speaking of petrol stations, the attender at one of the petrol stations in Ahmadi refused to accept K-Net telling us that the machine is not working even though another attender used it for a customer in front of us. He then started raising his voice telling us that it really isn’t then got frustrated that we weren’t going to be paying by cash and got the machine. I guess he probably wanted a tip which I ALWAYS give when I pay by K-Net but I didn’t give him. Not related to the post at all, just wanted to share an experience.
I’ve had the same EXACT problem, my card stopped working twice after using it at the Shaab gas station on the Gulf road
I paid with my credit card a few times, never had a problem.
Funny you posted this- I’m with the NBK and for both the mobile app and online it said I had entered the wrong pin and I had to call them to unblock the account… I had only entered it once and I did not get it wrong! I asked them WHY they blocked my account, but they could not (would not,) tell me. Something shady is going on….
This happens always with me in CBK mobile app
“She wasn’t talking about the KNET machines”, what machine was she referring to?
I usually fill up at KNPC gas stations, and I only see KNET machines there.
after your knet transaction gets approved they take your card and insert it into another machine, its usually located between the pumps, a small tower. i think thats how they connect your payment to that pump.
I think those machines are only with Alfa Stations. They never use any other machines apart from Knet at Oula.
Now it make sense. Same issue with my Gulf bank card. same petrol station.
I still didnt change my card yet.
Yup I’ve experienced that at Oula stations (usually where I fill gas) and thereafter my NBK ATM card refusing to work at the supermarket or any random establishment. Thank God for the credit card and of course cash! As before I would revert to paying cash only to them.
You can get a new card while you wait? They ALWAYS make me wait 3 days to come pick it back up – super inconvenient. And you also said you could get this done at different branches? I am always sent to the same branch.
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I think its new cuz i found out about it 2 months ago when i went to get my card replaced. I’ve gotten 3 cards in the past two months from 3 different NBK branches around my office. So I got a card from NBK Arraya, a card from the NBK branch across from Arraya and a card from the branch in Hamra Tower. It takes around 5-10 minutes.
did you end up paying anything for replacement card?
nope
Thats wierd I always pay using my nbk credit card @ gas staions
never had that issue
Maybe it’s only with the debit cards ?
That’s scary…this literally just happened to me over the weekend, my card keeps coming up with “chip read error” whenever I try to use it, and it wasn’t long after using it at Shaab Fueling Station.
Problem is, it’s a UK card, so, yer, not exactly convenient to get it changed.
My Kfh card gets blocked due to security control every time i do 2 or more online transaction . it unlocks only when i change my pin . i am troubled by this way any other way to avoid these control and do my wish transactions