Smart Chip Credit Card

Just called Citi to ask about swapping my card for their Global Chip one. Same account...does have 3% fee, but always did. Will arrive by mid-August. Also in application process with SDFCU. Had to become member of American Consumer Council first, $15 lifetime membership, plus apply for membership and deposit $100 at State Dept FCU. Got Citi anyway because it was easy...good backup...although it is chip/sign.

Originally Posted by Loganradio

Just called Citi to ask about swapping my card for their Global Chip one. Same account...does have 3% fee, but always did. Will arrive by mid-August. Also in application process with SDFCU. Had to become member of American Consumer Council first, $15 lifetime membership, plus apply for membership and deposit $100 at State Dept FCU. Got Citi anyway because it was easy...good backup...although it is chip/sign.

I have the option to get the Global Chip card online, through 'Order a Replacement' page. Getting one now.

EDIT: They sent me the normal cards even though I selected the Global Chip option. I had to call. The agent did not know about it and almost sent me a paypass. I had to escalate to the account manager and she hooked me up. I hope I get the correct cards this time.

Originally Posted by Meiac09

Never had a problem at an automated tollbooth in Austria or Italy with my AMEX. If you're going to France, you can buy a "Télépéage" or basically a French EZ-Pass before you go. You'll be glad you did, since the traffic at the frequent tollbooths is frequently awful.

Only U/S Bahn ticket readers gave me a problem, and that was a 50/50 success rate. The biggest problem I had were merchants who insisted that they had to stick it in the reader, and had no clue their machines were capable to swipe.

France is the problem, both motorways and train stations. I've had similar problems in Japan and China.

I like the idea of Telepeage, how do you get one if you're overseas?

The problem with the Citibank ones is that they are Chip and Signature only and will not work at unattended gas stations for example. There is no option for the PIN.

If anybody else has the Virgin-Atlantic BofA American Express card and does not have a chip on their card, just call Customer Service and request a replacement card. The replacement will be Chip and Signature automatically.

If you are looking for a true Chip and Pin US card I recommend the US Bank Flex Rewards Travel Rewards Visa. If you sign up you get a ton of bonus points and rewards work on basically every airline and are simply cash values towards tickets so you are not stuck with black-outs and sell outs. They are also a true chip-pin/chip-sig/magnetic stripe card so it can be used anywhere in the world! Annual fee is waived year one and $49 after that. Definitely worth it if you travel.

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

If you are looking for a true Chip and Pin US card I recommend the US Bank Flex Rewards Travel Rewards Visa. If you sign up you get a ton of bonus points and rewards work on basically every airline and are simply cash values towards tickets so you are not stuck with black-outs and sell outs. They are also a true chip-pin/chip-sig/magnetic stripe card so it can be used anywhere in the world! Annual fee is waived year one and $49 after that. Definitely worth it if you travel.

Unless something has changed in the past couple of months the US Bank Flexperks card (which I have) is NOT chip & PIN!! It is chip & signature.

As others here have posted, the Flyertalk thread and associated google doc is a great resource for anyone interested in this topic.

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Unless something has changed in the past couple of months the US Bank Flexperks card (which I have) is NOT chip & PIN!! It is chip & signature.

As others here have posted, the Flyertalk thread and associated google doc is a great resource for anyone interested in this topic.

I was told that you simply need to call the customer service line and you can have a pin connected to the account to allow for Chip and Pin in addition to the standard chip/sig.

I will let you know in 7 days when my card gets here...or you can try and let me know now

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

I was told that you simply need to call the customer service line and you can have a pin connected to the account to allow for Chip and Pin in addition to the standard chip/sig.

I will let you know in 7 days when my card gets here...or you can try and let me know now

Interesting. I will give them a call and let you know. The last time I asked them (~2 months ago) they admitted it was chip & sig only. You can enable a PIN for ATM withdrawals, just like most credit cards. Will let you know what I find.

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

I was told that you simply need to call the customer service line and you can have a pin connected to the account to allow for Chip and Pin in addition to the standard chip/sig.

I will let you know in 7 days when my card gets here...or you can try and let me know now

Well they just told me the same they told you - a PIN is being sent & I should be able to give it a shot in about 3 weeks on my next trip. If it really is chip & pin that would be outstanding since this is already my primary card. Thanks for the heads-up!

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Well they just told me the same they told you - a PIN is being sent & I should be able to give it a shot in about 3 weeks on my next trip. If it really is chip & pin that would be outstanding since this is already my primary card. Thanks for the heads-up!

GREAT NEWS!!!

I will cross my fingers.

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Others (like Chase, US Bank Flexperks, JP Morgan Signature, etc. are chip & sign).

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Unless something has changed in the past couple of months the US Bank Flexperks card (which I have) is NOT chip & PIN!! It is chip & signature.

I just received a US Bank "Global" VISA card that is both chip & PIN and chip & sign.

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

I was told that you simply need to call the customer service line and you can have a pin connected to the account to allow for Chip and Pin in addition to the standard chip/sig.

I will let you know in 7 days when my card gets here...or you can try and let me know now

Unfortunately, it didn't work. I called and specifically asked for a PIN to use the card for chip & pin transactions. The PIN they sent was the same I had set years ago for ATM cash withdrawals, so I was skeptical right away. I used the card for a couple of different transactions in Germany and Canada and in every case it behaved like a chip & signature. I also tried my shiny new Andrews FCU card and it worked as chip & pin.

It appears the US Bank card remains chip & signature only.

Did you have a chance to try it?

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Unfortunately, it didn't work. I called and specifically asked for a PIN to use the card for chip & pin transactions. The PIN they sent was the same I had set years ago for ATM cash withdrawals, so I was skeptical right away. I used the card for a couple of different transactions in Germany and Canada and in every case it behaved like a chip & signature. I also tried my shiny new Andrews FCU card and it worked as chip & pin.

It appears the US Bank card remains chip & signature only.

Did you have a chance to try it?

3 weeks from now

EMV push in the US
This year, some U.S. issuers tried to mitigate that annoyance for overseas travelers. Here is a list of credit card issuers that have recently introduced EMV-enabled cards:
U.S. Bank's FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa credit card.
Citi's Corporate Chip and PIN credit card.
Chase's J.P. Morgan Select Visa Signature credit card.
Chase's J.P. Morgan Palladium credit card.
Wells Fargo's Visa Smart Card (credit card pilot program).
North Carolina-based State Employees' Credit Union EMV debit cards.
The United Nations Federal Credit Union chip and PIN credit cards.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-cre...070057254.html

V/r, Tim.

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Unfortunately, it didn't work. I called and specifically asked for a PIN to use the card for chip & pin transactions. The PIN they sent was the same I had set years ago for ATM cash withdrawals, so I was skeptical right away. I used the card for a couple of different transactions in Germany and Canada and in every case it behaved like a chip & signature. I also tried my shiny new Andrews FCU card and it worked as chip & pin.

It appears the US Bank card remains chip & signature only.

Did you have a chance to try it?

Indeed it is chip and sig only. Shame on the first people giving us incorrect information. From the brochure included with the cards its states: I dont have a pin for my FlexPerks Visa Card. Do I need one? You need a pin only for cash withdrawals at ATMS.

That stinks.

I guess Travelex Chip and Pin it is. I lose about 50 bucks on a 500 dollar card, but hey at least I wont get stranded in France.

We just got back from a trip through Germany-Italy-France and here's what happened using our British Airways Chip card.

It did not work at any unattended gas station we tried.

It worked fine at gas stations during the day with attendants, worked fine at all toll booths, worked fine with merchants allowing us to type in our PIN number.

At attended stations, you fill up first and then go in and pay. We never got below a half a tank of gas so it wasn't an issue at night when the card wouldn't work at the unattended stations.

Chip and Signature cards are supposed to work at all UK locations where there is a human present.
Banks in the UK are required to provide a chip a signature card to anyone unable to enter a PIN number. (Visual impairment, mobility problems...) Retailers are obliged to accept the cards. There is an exception for self service terminals.

In practice some cashiers don't know what to do, since the chip and signatures cards are uncommon.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18886528

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

Indeed it is chip and sig only. Shame on the first people giving us incorrect information. From the brochure included with the cards its states: I dont have a pin for my FlexPerks Visa Card. Do I need one? You need a pin only for cash withdrawals at ATMS.

That stinks.

I guess Travelex Chip and Pin it is. I lose about 50 bucks on a 500 dollar card, but hey at least I wont get stranded in France.

Bummer. At least we really know what this card is now.

Originally Posted by aharding

We just got back from a trip through Germany-Italy-France and here's what happened using our British Airways Chip card.

It did not work at any unattended gas station we tried.

It worked fine at gas stations during the day with attendants, worked fine at all toll booths, worked fine with merchants allowing us to type in our PIN number.

At attended stations, you fill up first and then go in and pay. We never got below a half a tank of gas so it wasn't an issue at night when the card wouldn't work at the unattended stations.

Over in the flyertalk forums people have said that unattended gas stations will only accept cards issued by banks from that country (they were specifically talking about France, not sure about others). That may have been the problem since the BA card is true chip & pin, right?

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Bummer. At least we really know what this card is now.

Over in the flyertalk forums people have said that unattended gas stations will only accept cards issued by banks from that country (they were specifically talking about France, not sure about others). That may have been the problem since the BA card is true chip & pin, right?

I think it is PIN but there has been some Flyertalk/Bimmerfest suggestions that it is not.

At some retailers, they would have me enter my PIN # and then the transaction would go through. At other retailers, they would insert the card into the Chip reader, but a receipt would print out which they would have me sign.

Good to know about the gas stations not working unless the card is issued in the same country. I tried in St. Moritz and Milan at night and it did not work. Worked fine during the day in all countries with attended stations using their chip reader vs. swipe reader.

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Bummer. At least we really know what this card is now.



Over in the flyertalk forums people have said that unattended gas stations will only accept cards issued by banks from that country (they were specifically talking about France, not sure about others). That may have been the problem since the BA card is true chip & pin, right?

BA Card is a chip and signature. Any PIN you get is for cash from an ATM.

The CS reps at any bank in the USA generally have zero clue what a true Chip and PIN is so they keep confusing the issue.

Cheers

I am living in France for a short time now, and most establishments here (restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, person stocked gas stations) have dual machines, one with the slot to insert for Chip & Pin, and another to slide the card through for the stripe. The restaurants have portable wireless ones that are pretty cool - they bring the set out to your table to pay. I tried my US Bank Chip card at a automated gas station once, and it did not work. Wouldn't even let me try to enter its pin.

Let me know if you have other questions.

The primer I wrote about EMV/smart chip cards recently should be helpful in filling in some of the gaps...

Smarter Credit Cards Coming Soon: An EMV Primer

As cash becomes passé, new secure chip cards are taking its place and lowering credit card fraud. Here's what you need to know.
If you've ever tried to pay for fuel at a closed filling station or transit an unmanned toll booth in Europe and found that your credit card would not work, you are not alone – but you are probably a U.S. resident with a U.S.-issued credit card that …..

[/quote]

I just got back from European Delivery and had a Chase JP Morgan Chip and Signature Credit card and a local NC credit union Chip and Pin Debit Card with me and would recommend having one or both. It worked everywere accept in a gas station in France. Since it was a station with an attendant, I just had them read my chip card inside and it worked well. All merchants that accept credit cards seem to have the devices that read the chips and it is so much easier.

Originally Posted by cheezypoof

Over in the flyertalk forums people have said that unattended gas stations will only accept cards issued by banks from that country (they were specifically talking about France, not sure about others). That may have been the problem since the BA card is true chip & pin, right?

My UK chip and pin Visa Debit card mostly works in France and Belgium. I do have to tell my bank in advance to unblock foreign transactions.

I've read that UK pre-paid cards don't always work.


It might have something to do with the pre-autherization.

Originally Posted by mgthompson

I just received a US Bank "Global" VISA card that is both chip & PIN and chip & sign.

The chip and sign works OK. I haven't tried the chip and PIN yet.

Originally Posted by mgthompson

The chip and sign works OK. I haven't tried the chip and PIN yet.

Are you sure it's both? It was my understanding that, in terms of standards, it could be one or the other.