Our bank no longer carries traveler checks. Will ship office cash personal checks or.

[Bowie MeMe]

Right. Just asked for and received Amex, Visa, and MC cards with chips. Simple.

 

I think that now some American banks have started giving cards with "chip technology" the dam might break and the market place will force them to have it available. The chip might still not be what is used abroad because my new card states carefully that it also takes a signature. It is a start but US banks reluctant because the computer upgrades are going to be expensive and the large majority of people do not go to other countries very often and the US card works fine for them.

[Jade13]

My understanding is that soon all Credit Cards issued by US banks with have chips and pins.

[rbuenger]

My understanding is that soon all Credit Cards issued by US banks with have chips and pins.

 

That is correct....The huge Date Breach at Target had forced the banks to move up their timeline for the conversion to Pin and Chip technology. The US has been way behind when it comes to using this technology, which mostly stems from the cost of the conversion; Merchants need new terminals, banks need to add technology to the existing ATM's or replace them altogether, etc....

 

Sometime in 2015, all newly issued cards will come with the chip and many backs and CC issues have already started to offer them on certain cards.

[scapel]

That is correct....The huge Date Breach at Target had forced the banks to move up their timeline for the conversion to Pin and Chip technology. The US has been way behind when it comes to using this technology, which mostly stems from the cost of the conversion; Merchants need new terminals, banks need to add technology to the existing ATM's or replace them altogether, etc....

 

Sometime in 2015, all newly issued cards will come with the chip and many backs and CC issues have already started to offer them on certain cards.

 

What is this about some individuals having a machine that can pass close to a chip card and read the info to use illegally?

[Bowie MeMe]

Scapel you can see the chip on the card. It is silver grey and about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch and on the left hand side of the credit card front. It seems to me in most other countries the credit card scanner is brought to table -- small hand held and you run the card through and punch the number on the keypad. Your card never leaves your sight -- better than sending it away with the waiter for swiping. I'm sorry that I do not know the answer to your other question of having someone get your card number without you knowing. I see in travel shops/on-line a metal lined card holder that keeps this from happening. More likely is the problem having in DC area right now of having skimmers installed on ATM machines. Warning to watch for anything sticking to ATM or feeling a resistance to the card etc. Much more likely is the big breaches like Target etc. :eek:

[Bowie MeMe]

For your passport the chip is located inside the passport cover. It is much like the systems of various kinds that are used in the spines of books to protect from theft in your public libraries. Work well and can not be taken off the book (or from the dress etc in stores) without it showing on the item. The chip on my credit cards is embedded in the card itself -- not attached to the card with glue like the other systems.

[rbuenger]

What is this about some individuals having a machine that can pass close to a chip card and read the info to use illegally?

 

This is the point to the PIN portion of the Pin and Chip technology, you need to enter the PIN for ALL transactions, so without the PIN, the info on the chip is useless

[scapel]

This is the point to the PIN portion of the Pin and Chip technology, you need to enter the PIN for ALL transactions, so without the PIN, the info on the chip is useless

 

Thanks, so the credit card needs a pin for all transactions. That would be good to pay the bill at the restaurant if they came to the table with the machine, but the restaurants I use don't do this. It does seem like a more secure method. Looks like none of my CC's have the chip.

[marinaro44]

Looks like none of my CC's have the chip.

Just call the issuing banks and ask for cards with chips.

[nonrev1]

We just returned from Europe and most places wanted the CC with a chip. Capital One does not have the chip technology, but upon our request, supplied us with a pin. This pin is not to use at an ATM, it is for the credit card readers that they bring to your table in a restaurant or when you slide it to pay at a store. You then put in your PIN number. I do feel better about requiring a pin for transactions. I am looking forward to the day that all banks issue cards with a chip. My cards were breached at Target and this would have prevented it. We also have the United card that supposedly had a chip......it did not work in most places. We even called in advance to verify if we needed a pin and were told no since it had a chip. We used the Capital one with the PIN number with no problems.

[Bowie MeMe]

So a chip and signature card will not work in Europe? I am fairly sure that because they say chip and SIGNATURE in the literature that came last month with the card it is not chip and pin. United Mileage Plus from Chase? anybody know for this one?

[mare s.]

So a chip and signature card will not work in Europe? I am fairly sure that because they say chip and SIGNATURE in the literature that came last month with the card it is not chip and pin. United Mileage Plus from Chase? anybody know for this one?

 

from what I've been reading in the discussion on the Italy Forum, you can use chip and signature at places where there is a human being....however, unstaffed ticket kiosks, etc. require the chip and pin. And you can't just call the issuing bank and request a chip and pin...they aren't widely available yet. Apparently, banks will be moving to this new technology by the end of 2015.

 

Nonrev1...how did the restaurants process your non-chip card? I thought their cc readers wouldn't read a magnetic strip? Did they manually have to enter the cc number and information?

[nonrev1]

The readers they bring to the table did read the magnetic strip....but, we needed to put in the pin number. There were two stores where they had to manually put in the information.