Mysterious demand

felicityoxton

giffgaff sent me a message this morning, about my sister's giffgaff account which I hold for her:
"giffgaff <no_reply@giffgaff.com>
25/01/2020 10:26
1
If you can't see it in all its glory click here
giffgaff
Membername: felicityoxton

Card expiring soon
Main email image

Hi Timothy,
Just a quick heads up, the debit / credit card details you've stored on your giffgaff profile will expire very soon.
To make sure your goodybag purchase, auto top-up / top-up attempts are successful please update your card details via My giffgaff > My payment details.

Update my card details
Membername: felicityoxton
Your saved debit / credit card ending in: XXXX XXXX XXXX 5020 expires this month.
Until next time,
The giffgaff team"

I don't understand this. I last topped up for her on 09.11.19, so she should still be good till 08.02.20. Why then is giffgaff telling me I must top up during January?
I'd be grateful if someone could explain this.
Tim

wrecklessrush

felicityoxton it's a scam dont do anything giffgaff will never send you a message like that.

harrrrrry

felicityoxton

I don't think giffgaff is telling you that a payment is needed soon. It is just telling you that the next payment you want to make may not succeed if, by that date, you have not updated the details of your expiring payment card.

It doesn't affect any payments you have already made, nor does it say that you need to make a payment now.

harrrrrry

wrecklessrush it's a scam

It's unlikely to be a scam if it's saying

please update your card details via My giffgaff > My payment details.

unless there's a link in the email and it's pointing to somewhere other than a giffgaff web page.

@felicityoxton

Either way, if your payment card is expiring in the next month or so, it's sensible to go to your payment details page (via the giffgaff site, not by any link in the email unless you're completely sure where it is going) and update the details, ready for the next time she needs a payment.

wrecklessrush

harrrrrry but why would you have to update your details if there the same?

wedgington

wrecklessrush they won't be the same though because the expiry date will be different if indeed the current card is due to expire soon 👍

harrrrrry

wrecklessrush why would you have to update your details if there the same?

When a payment card expires, it is usually renewed with the same account number, but it gets a new expiry date and CVC. Those are the details that need to be updated before giffgaff can take another payment from it.

felicityoxton

Thanks to everyone. I had forgotten that my old credit card expires on 31.01.20, but I have been using the new one (expires 31.01.23 and has a new CVC) since before Xmas. Mea culpa, but the message from giffgaff confused me. Apologies for troubling you all.
Tim

harrrrrry

We're glad to have helped you understand it -- that's precisely what the forums are for 🙂