Engage FAQ’s
IS ENGAGE THE SAME AS A DEBIT CARD OR CREDIT CARD?
• Engage is a Visa debit card and does not offer an overdraft facility; you can only spend what is loaded onto the account.
• There are no hidden charges and you can view the fees here.
• Please note that Engage Visa debit card is an electronic money product and although it is a product regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, it is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. We ensure that any funds received by you are held in a segregated account so that in the unlikely event that Contis Financial Services Ltd becomes insolvent; your funds will be protected against claims made by creditors.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR AN ENGAGE ACCOUNT?
You can apply for an Engage account at your local credit union. Applications are quick, easy and the staff will help you through the process. Use our Credit Union locator to find your nearest branch.
HOW DO I FIND MY LOCAL CREDIT UNION?
If you do not know where your nearest Credit Union is then you can use our locator service. Simply enter your postcode to discover how far you are from a Credit Union.
WHAT DO I NEED IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN ENGAGE ACCOUNT?
• You must be over 18 (excluding Smartcash which you must be over 12 years).
• You must be a member of a Credit Union.
• You will need to provide the following information to apply: Your address, mobile number, email address and date of birth. Adding your passport and/or driving license details can speed up your application.
DO I NEED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT?
No. By activating your card you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of the account which you will have received at your Credit Union. You can also view them via your online account.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY CARD?
Subject to payment being received (if applicable), your card will arrive by post to the address supplied on your application within 10 working days.
WHEN CAN I START USING MY CARD?
You can start using your card as soon as it has been activated and funds have been loaded into your account.
WHERE CAN I USE MY ENGAGE CARD?
You can use your Engage card wherever you see the Visa acceptance mark, including shops, restaurants, online, for telephone & TV shopping. You can withdraw cash at ATMs and request cashback at most supermarkets. Please see about page for more information.
HOW CAN I ORDER AN ADDITIONAL CARD?
You can order an additional card by logging into your online account and requesting the additional card.
Managing your account
HOW DO I ACTIVATE MY CARD?
To activate the card you will need to call our automated phone service, choose option 2 and follow the instructions. Choosing this option means you can activate your card and retrieve your PIN at the same time.
HOW DO I SIGN INTO MY ONLINE ACCOUNT?
Once your account is open and your credit union has provided your email address, an email will be sent with your username and password. You can then login via the ‘login’ button on this website. If we do not have your email address please contact customer services and we will update your account.
WHAT’S INCLUDED ON MY ONLINE ENGAGE ACCOUNT?
• Change personal details
• Activate your card
• Retrieve PIN
• View and print statements
• Pay bills
• Manage your money with the envelope facility
• Transfer money to other accounts
• Check your balance
• Set up standing orders
• Set up direct debits*
• Request an additional card for a family member or friend
• Update your personal details
• View your terms and conditions
• Report your card lost or stolen
• Send & request money
• See where you can earn cashback
*only available on the Current and Business Account.
HOW CAN I CHECK MY BALANCE?
• Your free Engage app Google Play iTunes
• Your online account
• At an ATM (fees apply)
• You can call our automated phone line (press option 1)
WHAT IS THE ENVELOPE FEATURE AND HOW DO I USE IT?
The envelope feature is there to help you save your money for bills etc. You can set up an Envelope to ring fence money that comes into your account. Log in to your online account then click on the red “Manage Envelopes” button on the top right hand side. You will then see several “Envelopes” already set up. You can click on the “manage” button to rename the Envelope, set up the amount to go in and the date it should be allocated to that Envelope. You can also set up a standing order for the money to be paid out at the same time.
DO I NEED TO INFORM YOU OF CHANGES TO MY PERSONAL DETAILS?
Yes, please let us know as soon as possible if you change name, address, telephone number, mobile number or e-mail address. You can do this by logging into your online account and updating your personal details or by telephoning our customer services team. Evidence of a name change is required (e.g. deed poll).
HOW DO I CONTACT YOU?
• You can contact us by email at or +44 (0)333 202 3642*
• Customer Service is open 8:00am-8:00pm Monday to Friday & 8:00am-4:00pm on Saturday (excluding public holidays).
* Calls cost no more than calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02) and must be included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way. Calls from landlines are typically charged up to 9p per minute; calls from mobiles typically cost between 8p and 40p per minute. Calls from landlines and mobiles are included in free call packages.
HOW DO I MAKE A COMPLAINT?
You can make a complaint via email, in writing or over the phone. Regarding a complaint via email, we aim to reply to you within 2 days of us receiving the email.
WILL I RECEIVE INTEREST IF MY ACCOUNT IS IN CREDIT?
No, you will not earn interest on your account balance.
DO I RECEIVE A STATEMENT?
You do not receive a monthly statement in the post. However monthly statements can be viewed via your online account or mobile app. You can also save and print off a PDF version. Click on my “My Account” when you log in, then click on the red button on the right hand side.
CAN I USE MY CARD ABROAD?
Yes, your card can be used worldwide, wherever you see the Visa acceptance mark.
WHAT IF I NEED TO RETURN AN ITEM I BOUGHT USING MY CARD?
The retailer will use the same return policy they have for any Visa card – this could be crediting your card, providing a cash refund or offering a store credit.
Loading your account
HOW DO I ADD MONEY TO MY ACCOUNT?
• Bank Load – You can transfer money from another account, have your wages, benefits or a loan paid into your account. You will need to provide the following details to your employer or the company / person transferring the money:
Account Name: Name on the account Account Number: 8 digit account number
Sort Code: 62-30-53 Bank Name: Natwest Bank
• Credit union – Your credit union can load money into your account.
• PayPoint – You can load / top-up your account with cash at a PayPoint location, please take your card to any PayPoint retailer and hand it over along with the money you want to put on it. The retailer will swipe the card through their terminal and load your card with money. The cash will be on your card immediately. If you prefer, you can print out your PayPoint top-up slip (with barcode) from within your online account, take it to a PayPoint retailer and give the slip with your cash and your money will be in your account within 24-36 hours. You can give the PayPoint top-up slip to anyone as it is unique to you and can only be used to deposit money.
HOW QUICKLY ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE IN MY ACCOUNT?
• Bank transfers: For payments into the account we will load them on the day we receive the funds. Faster payments are received at four times during the day. They are 9am, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm. CHAPS are not accepted into the account.
• Paypoint: Funds loaded using your card are usually available immediately. Funds loaded using your unique bar code are usually available 24 – 36 hours after the transaction.
HOW QUICKLY ARE FUNDS TRANSFERRED FROM MY ACCOUNT?
• Future dated bank transfer – up to 3 working days (FREE)
• Next day bank transfer (request before 5pm) – next working day (fee applies)
• CHAPS (request before 2.30pm) – same day (fee applies)
Please note transfers are not processed on weekends and bank holidays.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN MONEY HAS BEEN RECEIVED INTO MY ACCOUNT.
• You can download our free mobile app to check your balance on the go. Google Play iTunes
• Alternatively you can set up SMS alerts to advise you when you have received a payment into your account. These alerts are instant; you will receive them as soon as funds go onto your account, however there is a fee for this service.
HOW DO I GET CASH OUT OF MY ACCOUNT? You can withdraw cash from an ATM using your card and PIN. Our fees apply and remember some ATM operators may add an extra fee for each withdrawal. It is always worth remembering that you can also get cashback from some retailers, free of charge.
Rewards and cashback
HOW MUCH CASHBACK CAN I EARN FROM EACH RETAILER?
You will earn a percentage of what you spend at the retailer as a cashback reward. Please refer to your online account for the rewards table percentages.
WHY IS MY CASHBACK REBATE GIVEN A MONTH IN ARREARS?
On the 28th of each month we calculate how much you have spent on your card from our partner retailers up to the 24th of the month. The percentage rebate is then transferred to your card on the 28th of the next month. This ensures that you receive the correct funds to your card on the same date each month.
HOW CAN SPEND MY CASHBACK REBATE?
Once the funds have been transferred to your account you can spend them however you wish. The money can be withdrawn from an ATM or spent via your Engage card.
WILL THERE BE MORE RETAILERS ON THE SCHEME?
Yes, we are continually updating retailers on our rewards scheme so that our cardholders get best value every time they use their Engage card. You will find the most up-to-date list in your online account.
I HAVE 2 CARDS ON MY ACCOUNT; DO WE BOTH RECEIVE ENGAGE REWARDS?
Yes, both cards will earn rewards and the cashback will be paid into the account.
HOW DO I GET THE ENGAGE ONLINE REWARDS?
All you need to do is have an active Engage card and funds loaded onto the account. Once you make a purchase with your Engage card through one of our reward partners the cashback reward will be logged.
CAN I EARN CASHBACK WITH ONLINE REWARDS?
Yes, many of our online partners offer cashback on their products and services. You could get a fixed amount paid back or a percentage of your purchases dependant on the retailer, just follow the instructions on the offer page and shop online as usual. The cashback amount will soon be displayed in your Online Rewards account. To view the latest online discounts, log on to your account and click on the red “online rewards” button at the top of the page.
WHERE WILL I FIND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ENGAGE ONLINE REWARDS?
They are located within your Engage account, just log in to your account and go to the rewards page.
Security, PIN and other card issues
HOW SECURE IS MY CARD?
Engage uses ‘Chip and Pin’ technology – which is one of the safest ways to pay for goods and services. Always make sure that you keep your card safe and do not let anyone else use it. Keep your PIN secret at all times and do not reveal it to anyone. It is also important to regularly check your account and if you notice anything suspicious, please contact us as soon as possible.
WHAT IF I THINK I HAVE LOST MY CARD AND NEED TO PLACE A TEMPORARY BLOCK?
Sometimes you may need to temporary block your card e.g. when you think you have lost your card. You can easily do this by:
• Your online account: go to www.engageaccount.comthen ‘My Account’ then ‘My Cards’ and click the block button next to the relevant card image.
• Telephone: +44 (0)333 202 3642, choose option 4 to speak to an operator. Please have your card and 8 digit account number handy. You can find this number when you log into your e-account or mobile app.
• Engage mobile app: by selecting the ‘Cards’ option, clicking on the relevant card image and selecting the ‘Block’ option.
WHAT IF MY CARD IS LOST OR STOLEN?
If you lose your card, it is stolen, or you suspect that your PIN or password is known to an unauthorised person, you must tell us immediately. You can do this on your online account, through the mobile app or by calling us.
HOW DO I RETRIEVE MY PIN FOR THE FIRST TIME OR IF I HAVE FORGOTTEN IT?
You can retrieve your PIN via:
• Your online account: go to www.engageaccount.comthen ‘My Account’ then ‘My Cards’ and click the Retrieve PIN button next to the relevant card.
• Telephone: +44 (0)333 202 3642, choose option 2 and follow the instructions. Please have your card and 8 digit account number handy. You can find this number when you log into your e-account or mobile app.
• Engage mobile app: by selecting the ‘My Cards’ option, clicking on the relevant card and selecting the ‘Retrieve PIN’ option.
I HAVE BLOCKED MY PIN, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you block your PIN in a shop you can unblock it at an ATM machine by selecting the ‘PIN Services’ option. If you block your PIN at an ATM, please contact Customer services on +44 (0)333 202 3642 who will unblock it for you. Please remember that if
you block your card when abroad, you will have to wait until you return home to unblock it.