Frequently Asked Questions

1.1 What does Sharia compliant mean?
Sharia compliant means that all Cordoba Gold activities comply with the requirements of Sharia law; which means we treat our customers like partners. We must be open and equitable to all our customers and not be driven by profit but a social conscience. This is what we mean by ethical.

1.2 What relevance does Sharia have to our finances?
Ethical codes of conduct drive Cordoba’s mission statement. The way we invest our money, manage our finances, personal and that of others, impacts on the society we live in. In short our approach to money affects the world that we are building for our future generations.

1.3 Do you give or receive interest?
No. Cordoba Gold does not and will not charge or receive interest as this is in direct conflict with Sharia Law.

1.4 What do you mean by transparency of charges?
At Cordoba Gold we want people to have all the information regarding the use of the card including the charges explained to them so that the customer can make an informed decision.

1.5 Do you donate to charities?
Cordoba Gold donates a percentage of its profits to registered charities both in the UK and abroad, returning its profits into the community.

2.1 What makes the Cordoba Gold prepaid MasterCard^® different from a Credit Card?
When you apply for a Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® your credit rating is NOT taken into consideration because the Cordoba Gold card is not a Credit or Debit card. Even if you have a poor rating you will still be able to get a card.
Unlike a credit card where you buy now and pay later, Cordoba Gold is a prepaid MasterCard^® card, which means that similar to a Pay-As-You-Go phone you can only spend the money that you top-up on to the account. So, with Cordoba Gold you can only spend what you can afford.

2.2 Where can I use my Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard?
One of the advantages of the Cordoba Gold prepaid Card is that it is a MasterCard prepaid card, which means that you can use your card wherever you see the world renowned MasterCard^® acceptance mark. Currently MasterCard^® is accepted by 29 million retailers worldwide and in excess of 1.5 million ATM machines.

2.3 I have county court judgements, can I still get a Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®?
The answer is Yes – because your credit file is NOT taken into consideration, your county court judgements do not reduce your chances of receiving a Cordoba Gold prepaid MasterCard^®. As long as you are resident in the UK and you are aged 18 years or older, you can have a Cordoba Gold card.

2.4 How much does a Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® cost?
There is an initial cost of £9.95 for the Card. There are other Usage Fees that apply and these can be found on our fees summary section.

2.5 How secure is my money?
To ensure that your money is kept safe and secure, Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® uses the latest Chip and PIN technology. You will get instructions on how to get your PIN when you receive your card. Once you have your PIN, you will be able to use your card wherever you see the MasterCard^® acceptance mark.
In the unfortunate event that your card might be lost or stolen, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions it will be replaced along with a new PIN.

3.1 How do I put money on to my Card?
There are a few ways that you can put money on to your account. These are the following:

• Standing order – once you have provided sufficient identification, you can set up a standing order to have money topped up from you bank account to your account at regular intervals. Cordoba Gold will not charge for this service. (FREE)
• Wages – once you have provided sufficient identification, you can have your employer pay your wages directly onto your account. This service is free of cost. (FREE)
• Post office – simply go into any UK Post Office and put up to a maximum of £500 per load onto your account for free. (FREE)
• way2pay – once you have provided sufficient identification, you can top-up up to £5000 for free at an approved cashplus retail outlet. You can find a list of these retailers in the Top-up section of Cordoba Gold website. (FREE)
• Epay – you can top up between £10 and £150 in multiples of £10 at Epay retailers. There is a charge of £2 per transaction. (EPAY CHARGE)

3.2 I’m receiving text updates every time I top-up my account at the Post Office. Is there any way I can stop the updates?
All you have to do to stop your text updates is call our Customer Service team, give us your mobile number and your Cordoba Gold card number, and we will make sure that the updates stop.

3.3 Can I withdraw cash from ATM machines?
You need to be a fully identified and verified cardholder to withdraw cash from ATMs. If the ATM machine bears the MasterCard^® acceptance mark then you will be able to withdraw cash from that ATM. You can withdraw up to the amount that is on your card, or a total of £500 per day (whichever is less). The fee for withdrawing cash from a UK ATM is 99p per transaction (some selected ATM owners may charge additional fees). See below for more information on withdrawal limits.

3.4 Can I get cash from a bank using my Cordoba Gold cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®?
If you have provided sufficient identification and have enough funds in your Cordoba Gold account, then you can. Just go into the bank and request a withdrawal from your card and the bank can give you your money over the counter. There is a fee of £3 for this service. The majority of high street banks can do this service. A £500 daily withdrawal limit still applies.

3.5 What is the cash limit I can withdraw per day using my card?
The total amount that you can withdraw per day in cash is £500 from ATM machines and at bank counters combined. This limit also includes travellers cheques and foreign currency purchases and other items of this type. You will still be able to use your card to purchase goods at retail shops provided the funds are available.

3.6 What is the maximum I can top-up per day?
The total amount that you can top up is £5000 per day, provided that your card limit of £5000 is not exceeded. If you have not yet provided sufficient identification to upgrade your Cordoba Gold account, other usage limits will apply. Please see clause 3.2 of the Terms and Conditions, available upon application, or in the Members’ Area.

3.7 Can I use my card for general purchases?
Yes. You can use your Cordoba Gold Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® as you would any credit or debit card. MasterCard^® is accepted at 29 million outlets worldwide. So, you can use your card at any retailer, from a newspaper stand to a major supermarket or an online shop, as long as they have the MasterCard^® acceptance mark and you have adequate funds available on your account.

3.8 What about online shopping? Can I use my Cordoba Card for that?
You can use your Cordoba card for online shopping, provided the website accepts MasterCard^®.

3.9 Are there any MasterCard^® retailers where my Cordoba Gold card won't work?
You may not be able to use your Cordoba Gold card if a retail outlet is unable obtain authorisation for the purchase you wish to make. Cordoba Gold cards may also not be accepted for the hire of a car. This may be due to the extended time period that can occur when a transaction is authorised and when funds are deducted from your account, or because of the difference that can occur between the amount authorised and the amount subsequently claimed.

3.10 If I order goods online or via mail order/ phone what address do I give?
You will need to give the registered address of the primary cardholder. This also applies to any additional cardholders. If you wanted to change your registered address then simply login into the Members’ Areas to make amendments.

3.11 Does my Cordoba Gold Card work abroad?
You can use your Cordoba Gold card wherever you see the MasterCard^® acceptance mark, which is 29 million retailers worldwide. If you have provided sufficient identification you will also be able to use any cash machine that bears the MasterCard^® acceptance mark. There is a fee of £3 per transaction on international ATM withdrawals, and some selected ATM owners may have additional fees.

4.1 What do I do if I lose my Cordoba Gold Card, or if it is stolen?
Firstly do not worry or panic. Call our dedicated Customer Services team without delay on 0871 277 5599. Calls will be charged at 10p per minute from BT landlines. Calls from other networks or from outside the UK may cost more.
If you are not in the UK then there is another number you will need to call – +44 207 153 8940 (calls are charged at the international rate set by that country). By following the simple procedures outlined in the terms and conditions you will be protected and any unauthorised transactions will be refunded onto your card when you receive your new card.
You might be requested to help us, our agents or the police with any investigation regarding your lost/stolen card or if we believe the card is being misused.

4.2 How do I change my PIN?
You will be sent instructions for how to get your PIN when you have received your Cordoba Gold card. You will able to change that PIN at a number of ATMs that have the MasterCard^® acceptance mark.

4.3 What If I don’t remember my password or PIN?
Our Customer Services team will help you to reset your password so that you can gain access to your account. If you have forgotten your PIN then you can get a reminder at any time on the Customer Services number.

4.4 What do I do if there is a transaction on my account that isn’t mine?
There are a few simple steps that you need to take if a purchase appears on your account that you think is not yours.

1.Please check with any additional cardholders on your account in case they have bought something that you hadn’t known about.
2.Check through your receipts as a shop’s name may be slightly different than the name they print on receipt, which is the name that will appear in your transaction history in the Members’ Area.
3.Speak with the store, or place where the transaction was made, before asking us to look into it as it’s usually the faster way to sort it out.
4. If none of those things work out, then see the Transaction Dispute on the Member’s Area for instructions on how to proceed with your dispute and to print a Dispute form.  Please ensure we receive your completed Dispute form within 30 days of the purchase being made.

We may send you a ‘dispute declaration form’ which you’ll need to complete and return to us. If it turns out you, or your additional cardholder, did use your card to buy something you then dispute we may have to charge you £20.00 to cover our costs.

4.5 Can I block my card before I report it lost or stolen?
Yes, you can do so by visiting the Members' Area and selecting "block a card" – this will ‘suspend’ your card but does not order a replacement card. To do that you need to speak to Customer Services.

4.6 If I dispute a transaction on my account, when will I receive my money?
We will review the transaction within 10 days, after which we will either make the refund or advise you why we need additional investigation.

5.1 How can I check my balance and transaction history?
In the Members’ Area you can see your account balance, print and review your statements, activate your card, add additional cards and change you personal details.
By calling the Customer Services number on 0871 277 5599^# you can use the automated service to:

• Report your card as Lost or Stolen
• Activate your card
• Check your account balance
• Check your last transactions and payment information
• Check when a payment has been made into your account
• Get information about our services, including:
  • Receiving and using your card
  • Topping up and different pricing plans
  • How to use your card for sharing money with your friends and family
• Change your pricing plan

• Get further help with specific account queries by speaking to one of the Cordoba Customer Services team.

^#You can call us Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm. Calls will be charged at 10p per minute from BT landlines and may be recoreded. Calls from other networks or from outside the UK may cost more. Lost and Stolen calls will be taken 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

5.2 Can I manage my account by text?
Why not try our text service? By using our text service you can receive all the latest information regarding your card account. Text the following requests:
BALANCE - to receive you latest balance on your account
LASTTRANS - to receive your last 5 transactions
STATUS - to check the status of your application
There is a charge of your usual network tariff plus 25p, which will be charged to your mobile phone.
Please note that if you have more than one card account with the same mobile phone number, you will have to contact the Customer Services team.

5.3 Is it possible to get my wages paid directly onto my Cordoba Gold Card account?
Once you have provided sufficient identification to be upgraded to a full Cordoba Gold account, you can get your employer to pay your wages directly onto your card by simply completing a form and giving it to your employer to process. Please read all instructions carefully before filling out the form. This service is free of charge.

5.4 How does a transaction get authorised?
Your prepaid card is like a debit or credit cards when it comes to purchasing goods and services. When you want to buy something, we are asked if you have enough funds in your account to cover the value of the purchase price of what you want to buy.

This means when your card is put in the Chip and PIN machine, it will connect to us online. We will then say that you have enough money in your account to pay for what you want to buy and hold the funds until the purchase is fully processed. Nobody will be able to see your account balance.

5.5 Do I need a minimum balance to use my card?
There are times when you may need a minimum balance on your account to use your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®. For example if you go to a petrol station and use the pay-at-pump facility then you will need a balance of £100 on your account for it to work. If you go to the till inside the petrol station there is no need to have a minimum balance only to have the sufficient funds for the fuel you have bought.

5.6 Can a transaction get declined?
On very rare occasions, if a retailer cannot go online to authorise a transaction then your purchase may be declined. It will also be declined if you do not have sufficient funds in your account.

5.7 What is a pending transaction?
Similar to credit and debit cards, transactions are held as pending when a retailer requires verification that you have the funds available on your account. If we have confirmed that the funds are available and we are holding them for the retailer to process, the transaction will be shown as pending on your statement, or if you have requested a text statement it will be shown as ‘p’. We will hold the funds for 15 days, after which the funds will be released back on to your account.
If you would like to cancel a transaction then it is advisable for you to contact the merchant directly as they are the only ones that can cancel the transaction.

5.8 How do I apply for additional cards for my account?
To get an additional card* on your account for your friends or family, all you will need to do is log in to the Members’ Area and apply online or call our Customer Services number and request your additional card over the phone. Please note that additional card holders need to be aged 13 years or above. Your first additional card is FREE, but after that additional cards are charged at £4.95.

5.9 What happens when my Cordoba Gold card expires?
If your account is active and well maintained, you will be sent a new card 1 month before your current card expires. If you have not received your new card in the post then please contact our Customer Services team and request a new Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® to be sent to you. If you have funds on your account they will be safe even if you have not received your replacement card.

5.10 What do I do if I want to close my account?
The easiest way to close your account is to use the funds that are on your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® until the amount reaches zero. Once you have done that, write to our Customer Services team and inform them that you would like to close your account.

5.11 What are Activeplus and Flexiplus?
These are the two different price plans available for your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®.
Activeplus is a price plan designed for people who expect to use their card regularly for general everyday transactions. You pay a monthly subscription fee of £4.95 and all your UK purchase transactions are Free of charge.
Flexiplus is designed for people who expect a low usage, and only plan to use the card for emergencies, or maybe even once or twice a month. This service has no monthly subscription but you will be charged £0.99 for every purchase transaction.

5.12 How do I change from Activeplus and Flexiplus?
Just call our Customer Services team and ask to change. Please note, Creditbuilder™ is only available on the Activeplus pricing plan.

5.13 What information will Customers Services ask for when I call?
You will be asked to provide your Card number and other details to help our staff verify they are talking to the correct person. You may also be required to help us, our agents or the police if your Card is lost or stolen or we suspect your Card is being misused.

6.1 How long does it take for the Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® to arrive after I have applied online?
The normal time for delivery is about 7-10 days after you have paid for your card. For security reasons your PIN will be made available after you receive your card.
If you chose not to pay for your card via debit card online, you will be sent a letter which contains a barcode. Simply take this letter to any UK Post Office branch and you can pay there with cash.

6.2 How do I get an update on my application?
You can check the current status of your application by clicking here and typing in the reference number you received in the confirmation email that was sent to you. Then just follow the simple on screen instructions.

6.3 What is a barcode letter?
After completing your application and choosing the “pay later” option, you will be sent a bar code letter with a distinctive barcode. This is the barcode we use to identify your application when you go to the Post Office and pay for your card. Once we have received this payment we will send you your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®.

6.4 What do I do with the barcode letter?
Once you receive your barcode letter in the post, you simply take the letter to any UK Post Office branch where you can pay for your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® by cash.

6.5 If I have lost my barcode letter, what do I need to do to get another one?
If you misplace your barcode letter simple click here and type in the reference number for you application that you received in the confirmation email and following the on screen instructions. If you can not find the reference number for your application then just write your full name, address with postcode and we’ll send out a new barcode letter to you in the post.

6.6 When I receive my Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® can I use it straight away?
Before you can use your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® you will need to activate it first. (See below for instructions on how to activate your card). Once you have fully activated and topped up your account with some money you can start using your card.

6.7 What do I do to activate my Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^®?
You will need to go online and log into the Members’ Area and activate your card. Otherwise you will need to call the Customer Services number and follow the simple instructions.

6.8 What do I do to upgrade to a Total Access Cordoba Gold^® Account?
We will require proof of your identity and address. We will seek to obtain these either electronically or by you providing us with at least two satisfactory forms of documentation. Please see our website or contact us for more details. To find out exactly what you need to send (whether we require both proof of identification and proof of address or just one) please click here to register to the Members' Area and select the button 'Upgrade Card'. Please see all the accepted forms of documentation below.

Proof of identification: Send just ONE of the following:

• Certified copy of passport
• Certified copy of Full or Provisional UK Drivers Licence (both Card and Paper parts)
• Certified copy of EU Drivers License
• Certified copy of EEA Member State ID Card
• Benefits Agency correspondence (i.e. pension book, disability benefit, income support, tax credits, job seekers allowance)
• Inland Revenue correspondence (i.e. confirmation of tax code, NI number).

Please note, both Benefits Agency and Inland Revenue correspondence must show your name and address and must be an original document not photocopied.
Proof of address: And/or send ONE of the following:

• Utility bill or statement (i.e. gas, electricity, water or phone - we do no accept mobile phone bills.)
• Council Rent Card or Mortgage statement
• Tenancy Agreement from Council or Housing Association
• Home Insurance Certificate
• Bank or building society statement or letter
• Credit Card/Store Card statement
• Council Tax Bill

(We require an ORIGINAL document, not photocopied)
Simply send your documents to FREEPOST CASHPLUS – you don’t need any further address details, and you don’t need a stamp
Please note all bills and statements must have been sent to you in the post and must show your name, address and, if applicable account number. We cannot accept print-outs from the internet.

6.9 What is a certified copy?
This is a photocopy of your document with the words 'confirmed a true copy of the original' added, which has then been signed, stamped and addressed, with a contact telephone number of a qualified person. A Post Office, Bank or Building Society, a Teacher, a Police Officer, an Accountant or a Solicitor are all qualified to certify your document. Please note we cannot guarantee that all of the above will certify your document, so we recommend that you contact the relevant branch/person you wish to use prior to going there to avoid disappointment.

6.10 Would you like to use your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® to hire a car?
If you need to hire a car in the UK or abroad, you will need to have this service switched on. Simply call our Customer Services team and we will complete a car hire account review for you.

7.1 How do I know my payment’s set up?
We’ll confirm any payment you set up using your preferred way – either by email, a message in the Members’ Area or by text message.

7.2 How much does each payment cost?
The first three payments cost 99p. You can make a further 17 payments a month for FREE.

7.3 How long before a payment is due is the money taken from my account?
The money is taken from your account three business days before the payment due date.

7.4 Can I review my previous payments and transfers?
We’ve made it easy to keep track of your payments and transfers – just login to the payments section of the Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® Members’ Area and take a look at the ‘Payment summary section’.

7.5 Can I change a standing order?
Yes, of course, but you should change or cancel the standing order no later than the business day before the money is due to leave your account.

7.6 Can I stop a payment?
You can cancel payments but you need to cancel no later than the business day before the money is due to leave your account. After this time the payment’s taken and we can’t stop or reclaim the payment for you.

7.7 Have any questions?
Contact Customer Services and we’ll answer any questions about your Cordoba Gold^® Cashplus prepaid MasterCard^® account that you may have.
Now that you’ve read what you need to know about electronic payments, sign up now and add this feature in the Members’ Area. If you’re not already a customer, apply now and then register in the Members’ Area once you receive your card.