Cash Passport – Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Thomas Cook Cash Passport work?

Thomas Cook Cash Passport is a PIN protected Visa Electron card that can be used to withdraw local currency from over 1 million Visa ATMs or to spend directly from the card at Visa Electron retailers anywhere in the world. Because it's a prepaid card, your spending is limited to the amount of money available on your card.

Which currency card should I take?

We advise you to take the Euro card to European countries, the US Dollar card to the US and click here for more details of where it’s best to take the Sterling card.

Where can I use the Thomas Cook Cash Passport?

You can use your card at any Visa ATM in the world. There are over 1 million Visa ATMs worldwide that you can withdraw local currency from. To check on their location visit Visa ATM locator. Alternatively, you can use the card to pay directly for goods or services at any of the 18 million plus retailers that accept Visa Electron.

No matter which currency you purchase the card can still be used worldwide. For example if you purchased a Euro Thomas Cook Cash Passport you can still use it at Visa ATMs in America, but the balance in Euros will attract a currency conversion from Euros to US Dollars.

What if my card does not work at the ATM?

Firstly check the ATM accepts Visa cards (it will have the Visa logo on it). If it does and the card does not seem to be working at other Visa ATMs, call the Global Emergency Assistance numbers.

What if the ATM demands a six digit PIN?

In some locations in Europe ATMs may require a 6 digit PIN. If this is the case simply add two zeros to the end of your PIN. Please note if you make 3 invalid PIN attempts your card will be blocked. It will be automatically unblocked within 24 hours. Alternatively you can call the Global Emergency Assistance numbers.

How do I activate my card?

Your Thomas Cook Cash Passport is activated immediately at the point of purchase.

How do I register my card online?

Go to My Account and click on ‘Sign up’ and then enter the ‘primary card number’ (to tell which card is the ‘primary card’ remove the last digit and which ever is the lower number is the primary card). You can then view your transaction history, change your PIN and manage your account.

How can I check my balance, view my transaction history or change my PIN?

You can manage these everyday aspect of your account online as soon as you’ve registered online at My Account, or you can call one of the Card Services numbers (they’re on the back of your card). Please note that you cannot change your PIN at an ATM.

How secure is Thomas Cook Cash Passport?

Thomas Cook Cash Passport is PIN and signature protected, so no one can access your funds without your PIN. Because Thomas Cook Cash Passport does not feature personal identification information or bank account information on the card you are also more protected from identity fraud. For more product information please click here.

What if my Thomas Cook Cash Passport is lost or stolen?

Please follow our Global Emergency Assistance instructions are available here.

How does Thomas Cook Cash Passport compare to travelers’ cheques or credit and debit cards?

Please click here for full details of Thomas Cook Cash Passport features.

How do I reload my Thomas Cook Cash Passport?

Simply take your card to a Thomas Cook or Going Places store. Click here for a full list of stores.

Why is Thomas Cook Cash Passport not Chip & PIN enabled?

Thomas Cook Cash Passport is designed to be used abroad where most countries do not widely use Chip & PIN. The PIN and signature protection, however, tightly protects access to your card’s balance.

Can I use my Thomas Cook Cash Passport to purchase online?

As long as the online retailer accepts Visa Electron then you can shop to your heart’s content. You may be asked to provide the security code that’s printed on the signature strip on the back of the card and a delivery address that matches your card details.

What if my card hasn’t got all the money I need to buy something?

Sometimes you might see something that’s a little bit more than you’ve got available on your card. That’s ok, you can pay the difference. Just make sure you tell the cashier before paying and confirm the amount you want deducted from your card. The cashier should process your Thomas Cook Cash Passport payment first, then accept the remainder of the balance in whichever way you want to pay.

What if my card is declined?

Normally this will happen if you don’t have enough funds on your card to cover the cost of the purchase. You can use the balance, however, for part payment and complete with another payment method. Inform the retailer of the balance available and process your Thomas Cook Cash Passport transaction first, using another form of payment to pay the difference, subject to the policy of the retailer.

Please be aware that some retailers such as restaurants and mail order companies may require the card to have an available balance greater than the purchase amount before they will authorise the payment.

ATMs in some countries may have their own limits regarding the amount of money you can withdraw per day or per week. These limits may be lower than the limit on your card and may stop you accessing your funds. If you think this is the case, please call Card Services.

What is pre-authorisation?

We don’t recommend using your Thomas Cook Cash Passport as a guarantee of payment (usually for things like hotels, car hire and petrol pumps) that is also known as pre-authorisation. These companies often estimate the bill then ‘hold’ the amount for up to seven days, often leaving you without sufficient funds. You can, however, use your Thomas Cook Cash Passport to settle your final bill.

What do I do if I find an incorrect transaction on my card?

Please click here for full details of how to deal with supicious transactions you don’t recognise.

How can I contact Card Services?

Full details of how to contact Card Services are available here.

What are the fees and limits of Thomas Cook Cash Passport?

Please click here for full details of the fees and limits.

Can I get cashback with my Thomas Cook Cash Passport?

No, cashback is not available on Thomas Cook Cash Passport.

When my card expires after three years, what do I do?

You can either transfer your account and any funds to a new card, minimum load limits do apply, or cashout the balance and close your account.

How do I close my account?

If you prefer not to keep your card for another trip, you can withdraw your remaining balance from a Visa ATM. Alternatively, you can cashout the balance to your bank account. An administration fee applies.