Uh OH, Pin Credit Card Requested

After several trips to Europe I was finally asked to provide a pin number at hotels and a restaurant in Budapest and Prague. Guess its time to get off my behind and start looking into one of these. I really dont know if they wanted a chip and pin card or just a pin card. Glad I brought plenty of foreign currency for wifes shopping.

After several trips to Europe I was finally asked to provide a pin number at hotels and a restaurant in Budapest and Prague. Guess its time to get off my behind and start looking into one of these. I really dont know if they wanted a chip and pin card or just a pin card. Glad I brought plenty of foreign currency for wifes shopping.

If they want a pin it's usually a chip as well. Only debit cards can be pin without a chip. Also check how many digits the pin has to be .

After several trips to Europe I was finally asked to provide a pin number at hotels and a restaurant in Budapest and Prague. Guess its time to get off my behind and start looking into one of these. I really dont know if they wanted a chip and pin card or just a pin card. Glad I brought plenty of foreign currency for wifes shopping.

Wow that was fast!! I was in both cities in August and wasn't asked for pin...I used chip and sign card (Cap One) everywhere and nobody asked. I did not use kiosks though and I understand that's where most problems arise.

In most of Europe they use Chip and Pin cards but will except Chip and sign as well. Eventually the US will catch up and make it more secure and easier for the card holders here as well.

Most cards with chips in Canada require a pin. debit cards are 6 digit and CC's are 4 or 6 digit.

Most cards with chips in Canada require a pin. debit cards are 6 digit and CC's are 4 or 6 digit.

Question for you Kamloops: I'll be visiting Vancouver in June....its been a couple of years since I was there last. Will I have a problem with my Capital One card in Canada? It's a chip and sign.

Question for you Kamloops: I'll be visiting Vancouver in June....its been a couple of years since I was there last. Will I have a problem with my Capital One card in Canada? It's a chip and sign.

You might have a problem. Many smaller business don't have the imprinting machine. Hotels will take an imprint of your card when you check in. They will swipe the card to put a hold on your card (equivalent to the room cost for the stay).

You might have a problem. Many smaller business don't have the imprinting machine. Hotels will take an imprint of your card when you check in. They will swipe the card to put a hold on your card (equivalent to the room cost for the stay).

Actually hotel isn't my main concern, we're at the Pan Pacific. What I'm most concerned with are places like restaurants and admissions to Capillano and Grouse Mt. My ATM will be ok as long as I'm in network, right??

We were in France in Sept, both traveling independently and on a cruise. We were told by several hotels and restaurants that they would no longer accept chip and sign after 12/31/15. Seems that unlike the very lack laws governing having sensitive personal information stolen in the US, the EU takes it seriously and have significant fines for those affairs. Chip and Pin is the most technological system currently existing so don't expect to us your swipe or chip and signature cards much longer in EU countries. Australia and NZ are now both chip and pin only.

Both Chase and CitiCard have told me they have no plans on releasing a true chip and pin card to American customers within the immediate future. Locally, we have zero retailers that have chip reading capacity. Companies, such as Penny's and now Staples would rather risk your personal info that spend to upgrade to a more secure system here in the US.

We were in France in Sept, both traveling independently and on a cruise. We were told by several hotels and restaurants that they would no longer accept chip and sign after 12/31/15. Seems that unlike the very lack laws governing having sensitive personal information stolen in the US, the EU takes it seriously and have significant fines for those affairs. Chip and Pin is the most technological system currently existing so don't expect to us your swipe or chip and signature cards much longer in EU countries. Australia and NZ are now both chip and pin only.

 

Both Chase and CitiCard have told me they have no plans on releasing a true chip and pin card to American customers within the immediate future. Locally, we have zero retailers that have chip reading capacity. Companies, such as Penny's and now Staples would rather risk your personal info that spend to upgrade to a more secure system here in the US.

Still have one full year before chip and pin will be required. Capital One and Amex are both hoping to have chip and pin by end of next year. Here's hoping.

Still have one full year before chip and pin will be required. Capital One and Amex are both hoping to have chip and pin by end of next year. Here's hoping.

I Canada most stores use only the pin & chip.

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We got the "chip & pin" this past summer with our Mastercard thru USAA,, Works fine both in US and abroad..Hoping for more "abroad"!!

For those of us eligible for USAA, they are an excellent source for a chip and pin card.

For HydroKitty. Ensure you take at least chip and sign cards to Europe. Many places of business no longer have the magnetic strip swipe card readers. Many have gone all chip and pin, but in the touristy areas, for the next year, they'll still do chip and signature. But, you have to have that chip.

My chip and signature cards, which have PINs (theoretically for ATM use) have consistently worked in unattended kiosks throughout Germany, Austria, France, Iceland, and Switzerland. On a few occasions they have asked for a PIN, and the ATM PINs have worked. Usually they do not ask for a PIN, though; they just work.

And yes, even though the banks specifically say that they are NOT chip and PIN, they do seem to work as one if needed. I've heard on other threads here that there's a difference between kiosks that are "online" vs. "offline" and that the true chip and PIN cards have the PIN burned into the chip vs. a chip and signature card which doesn't. So an online kiosk can access the network to verify your PIN, but an offline kiosk wouldn't be able to do that. Maybe that's why mine work. Whatever... If they work, I'm happy.

I have a BofA Travel Rewards Visa, a Merrill Lynch-issued AMEX Accolades, and AMEX Platinum, all with chips. My JP Morgan Signature Visa with a chip is now 3 years old and it was my first chip card, which I got because BofA wasn't making them in 2011 and I needed a chip card for use in Norway then.

Since the BofA cards consistently work, I will probably ditch the JP Morgan one next year when it comes up for renewal. Nice card but it has an annual fee - I've considered it a small price to pay for "insurance" that we don't get stuck somewhere with an empty gas tank, or no train tickets...

As others have said, and I agree based on my experience, this is mainly an issue with unattended kiosks. Most of the merchants I've interacted with expect me to have a stripe card (because I'm obviously an American) but they are happy, or even surprised, to see the chip.

That reminds me; I have to set a travel alert for our upcoming trip in a few days... :D Thanks for the reminder! Time to test the cards again...

For those of us eligible for USAA, they are an excellent source for a chip and pin card.

 

For HydroKitty. Ensure you take at least chip and sign cards to Europe. Many places of business no longer have the magnetic strip swipe card readers. Many have gone all chip and pin, but in the touristy areas, for the next year, they'll still do chip and signature. But, you have to have that chip.

Thanks pinotlover (I am too) my cap. one, Amex business and Visa are all chip and sign, so I'm really not worried and Cap One and Amex both assure me that when the cards renew in 2016, they will be chip and pin. Only one I really use in Europe is Cap One (no fees) with Amex as my back-up for the big stuff, like lost plane tickets or unexpected hotel bills...I really have to look into USAA. Both DH (Viet Nam) and Son (Afghanistan) are veterans. I've seen their ads on TV, just never really thought about them as a source.

Thanks pinotlover (I am too) my cap. one, Amex business and Visa are all chip and sign, so I'm really not worried and Cap One and Amex both assure me that when the cards renew in 2016, they will be chip and pin. Only one I really use in Europe is Cap One (no fees) with Amex as my back-up for the big stuff, like lost plane tickets or unexpected hotel bills...I really have to look into USAA. Both DH (Viet Nam) and Son (Afghanistan) are veterans. I've seen their ads on TV, just never really thought about them as a source.

Remember, USAA started out as an insurance company. Consider shopping your existing policies with them if you are eligible.

If they want a pin it's usually a chip as well. Only debit cards can be pin without a chip. Also check how many digits the pin has to be .

Hmm. My (Canadian) debit card is chip & pin. Everything is.

Most cards with chips in Canada require a pin. debit cards are 6 digit and CC's are 4 or 6 digit.

Debit cards in Canada can be 4 digits as well, which is useful in Europe, where some systems only accept 4 digits. My debit card is 4--I got tired of changing it when I travelled (previously 5 digits.)

We have been buying trip insurance from USAA's TI carrier via their USAA website for the past 5 years, to cover several cruises, air travel, house rentals (VRB0), and rental cars. Totally satisfied with coverage even though, fortunately, we have never had to exercise it. Their pricing is consistently below others we have checked out (airline and cruise companies included). Even our TA is amazed with our service.

My Canadian credit cards and debit cards are all chip and pin. Most retailers in Canada have switched over to chip and pin machines though some may still have multiple options available. I haven't signed for a couple of years here. If you are using a PIN in Europe and a number of other countries in the world, it is only 4 digits for the PIN as the machines won't accept longer PINS.

We have been buying trip insurance from USAA's TI carrier via their USAA website for the past 5 years, to cover several cruises, air travel, house rentals (VRB0), and rental cars. Totally satisfied with coverage even though, fortunately, we have never had to exercise it. Their pricing is consistently below others we have checked out (airline and cruise companies included). Even our TA is amazed with our service.

Ok I am definitely going to look into this...trip insurance is very costly...if I can save $$ there l'll be happy. Thanks for the tip.

When using our credit cards in Bucharest last June, we were asked to input our PIN. They swiped the card, but we did need to know our PIN. That would be the same # we'd need if we were taking a cash advance from an ATM.

Becki

...with Amex as my back-up for the big stuff, like lost plane tickets or unexpected hotel bills...

You should be aware that Amex, due to the relatively large fees they charge retailers, is much less accepted this side of the Atlantic than Visa and Mastercard.

You should be aware that Amex, due to the relatively large fees they charge retailers, is much less accepted this side of the Atlantic than Visa and Mastercard.

Oh I know that, I bring Amex in case of something BIG....like I need to replace my plane tickets or spend another week in a hotel..or can't access my ATM (which actually happened in Cairo), Amex provides the best on site assistance for its customers. For purchases outside the US I use my Cap One because they don't charge any foreign transaction fees. But thanks for the heads up....everyone does need to be aware of this.

 

Both Chase and CitiCard have told me they have no plans on releasing a true chip and pin card to American customers within the immediate future. Locally, we have zero retailers that have chip reading capacity. Companies, such as Penny's and now Staples would rather risk your personal info that spend to upgrade to a more secure system here in the US.

I just received a new Citibank card that is chip and PIN. Also, there is a page on their website to request a chip and PIN replacement for existing cards. Bank of America sent a chip and PIN replacement card 6-8 months ago. I have "tapped" rather than swiped with a couple of national retailers, but I think I still had to sign.

I tend to carry an over abundance of cards when traveling, so thanks for the heads-up on the 12/2015 deadline.

I just received a new Citibank card that is chip and PIN. Also, there is a page on their website to request a chip and PIN replacement for existing cards. Bank of America sent a chip and PIN replacement card 6-8 months ago. I have "tapped" rather than swiped with a couple of national retailers, but I think I still had to sign.

You still had to sign because this is NOT a Chip and PIN card. It is Chip and SIGN. That's made clear on the Citi website -- check out the video for buying a train ticket: they can't use the kiosk (which requires a PIN) and end up getting on line in the ticket office (where they can sign). That's how DW and I failed to see Avignon from Marseille on our first cruise [Long line at ticket office ;)] Even worse, if you're trying to get gas late at night at an unattended gas station -- you're out of luck.

Chip and PIN will come to the US, but so far there are very few cards that really work. USAA has apparently had them for a while now. We just got a Barclays Arrival + card that claims to have full Chip and PIN functionality, but the card is programmed to default to Chip and SIGN so we always ended up signing and never had a chance to test the PIN.