Smart Chip Credit Card

I got the State Dept. FCU Visa Chip + Pin card (and in fact received a PIN# in the mail for it and a book explaning how chip+pin works) to use in my recent ED trip. I was all eager and ready to test the Chip+Pin function however, every time that I used the card where the chip was read (not swiped) it automatically printed the receipt for me to sign.

I'm not sure if the operator has the ability to select pin or paper, because at a gas station the person paying with CC before me had to enter pin, when I paid it print out a receipt... When I used it at a peage booth it didn't ask for PIN (or Sig, for that matter).

Unfortunately wasn't able to try it out in an automated station.

Originally Posted by mgthompson

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

Originally Posted by JSpira

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

I am 99% sure the US Bank card is only chip & signature, see below...

Originally Posted by 1STBimmer

I got the State Dept. FCU Visa Chip + Pin card (and in fact received a PIN# in the mail for it and a book explaning how chip+pin works) to use in my recent ED trip. I was all eager and ready to test the Chip+Pin function however, every time that I used the card where the chip was read (not swiped) it automatically printed the receipt for me to sign.

I'm not sure if the operator has the ability to select pin or paper, because at a gas station the person paying with CC before me had to enter pin, when I paid it print out a receipt... When I used it at a peage booth it didn't ask for PIN (or Sig, for that matter).

Unfortunately wasn't able to try it out in an automated station.

Same thing happened with my Andrews FCU card, any transaction that was handled by a person would go chip & signature. The only transaction that required chip & PIN was at an un-manned gas station. I tried using my US Bank Global card at the same gas station and it failed, only the true chip & PIN card would work.

It's all very confusing, but the bottom line is that a chip & signature card is well worth getting, and there are now plenty of them from US banks.

So far this week I have used my Chase British Airways Chip and Sign card in about ten different London locations form Marks and Spensers to my local pub. In every case, I got receipt to sign with no problems. No need to use any " Non Human" locations so far.

Cheers

Amex is replacing existing Platinum cards with chip and pin versions.
They are doing this on a rolling basis. New cards will be sent automatically before renewal time.
I do not know if they can or will honor requests for expedited changes.

Amex new card is chip and signature. Just got mine last week. Wish it were chip and signature.

A

Originally Posted by 1STBimmer

I got the State Dept. FCU Visa Chip + Pin card (and in fact received a PIN# in the mail for it and a book explaning how chip+pin works) to use in my recent ED trip. I was all eager and ready to test the Chip+Pin function however, every time that I used the card where the chip was read (not swiped) it automatically printed the receipt for me to sign.

I'm not sure if the operator has the ability to select pin or paper, because at a gas station the person paying with CC before me had to enter pin, when I paid it print out a receipt... When I used it at a peage booth it didn't ask for PIN (or Sig, for that matter).

Unfortunately wasn't able to try it out in an automated station.

I read on another forum that when a chip+pin card is used in a terminal that will also process chip+signature, it automatically defaults to chip+signature, and there is no way to override that. The poster reported he once encountered a merchant who refused to process a transaction requiring a signature, but I doubt that would happen very often.

PenFed customers can now request chip & PIN cards for their Visa accounts. Their online system prompts for a 4-digit PIN and a new account number will be issued.