Lloyds offers plastic to children
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Lloyds TSB is sending children debit cards without asking their parents' consent, it has emerged.
The bank posts the cards directly to children as young as 11, enabling them to purchase goods on the internet without an adult's knowledge.
A father reportedly complained to the bank after his 15-year-old son used his card to buy cheap cigarettes, Viagra and a fake adult ID online.
Lloyds TSB insist it is up to parents to keep a check on how children use the cards and says there are safeguards to ensure they cannot be used on adult websites.
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable accused the bank of trying to 'seduce' customers at an early age, saying: 'It is deeply dispiriting. This is clearly motivated by short-term greed.
'You would have thought banks might have learned some lessons from their irresponsible lending on credit cards and mortgages.'
He added: 'But now they seem to be compounding the problems by adopting the grossly irresponsible policy of encouraging youngsters to spend on these debit cards.'
A bank spokesman said: 'We wrote to customers under the age of 16, who previously had a cash machine card, to let them know they could have a debit card.
'We made it clear that they should let their parents know. Parents or guardians can ask for the cards to be blocked.'
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