Do I really need my credit card PIN?

[alyssamma]

1 minute ago, sverigecruiser said:

So Americans just have to choose, the easiest card to get or the card you know for sure that you can use. I know what I should choose.

Not at all, but what you said is not always possible, or the difficulty of getting it isn't worth it.

 

For example, if I travel with a debit card I can use in an ATM for emergencies, then I'm probably ok with a chip and signature card.

 

Or I might not have good enough credit to get one of the few chip and pin cards here...or I have too many cards so can't get another.

 

There are lots of reasons it may be too hard to do this.

 

I agree, perfect world, that is what you do. But the *easiest* is to do what I said. It may not be the *best*...you need to evaluate your specific situation.

 

[SirWolf]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

So Americans just have to choose, the easiest card to get or the card you know for sure that you can use. I know what I should choose.

Thanks for your advise but that doesn’t really help. I have credit cards with Chip-and-Pin but the Pin is only good for cash withdrawal. There are not many cards out there with Chip-and-Pin support which work in Europe. Some cards are from local credit unions or other institutions. I can not get these cards because of the requirements.

Which US credit card with Chip-and Pin technology would you recommend for a trip to Europe ?

[alyssamma]

8 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

Thanks for your advise but that doesn’t really help. I have credit cards with Chip-and-Pin but the Pin is only good for cash withdrawal. There are not many cards out there with Chip-and-Pin support which work in Europe. Some cards are from local credit unions or other institutions. I can not get these cards because of the requirements.

Which US credit card with Chip-and Pin technology would you recommend for a trip to Europe ?

See my comments above. You should be fine. Take a debit card for emergencies, but with just a PIN you should be fine anyplace where there is a person (i.e., automated kiosks might cause you problems...but there is almost always a person nearby so you should be good).

[sverigecruiser]

6 hours ago, SirWolf said:

 

Which US credit card with Chip-and Pin technology would you recommend for a trip to Europe ?

 

I would recommend a card which will work everywhere. Ask your bank and if they don't have what you need ask another bank.

[sverigecruiser]

8 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Not at all, but what you said is not always possible, or the difficulty of getting it isn't worth it.

 

For example, if I travel with a debit card I can use in an ATM for emergencies, then I'm probably ok with a chip and signature card.

 

Or I might not have good enough credit to get one of the few chip and pin cards here...or I have too many cards so can't get another.

 

There are lots of reasons it may be too hard to do this.

 

I agree, perfect world, that is what you do. But the *easiest* is to do what I said. It may not be the *best*...you need to evaluate your specific situation.

 

 

I don't know enough about the American system to respond to this post.

 

It sounds ridiculous that it should be complicated and difficult to get a card which work everywhere but I guess there is a reason for it.

[alyssamma]

21 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

I don't know enough about the American system to respond to this post.

 

It sounds ridiculous that it should be complicated and difficult to get a card which work everywhere but I guess there is a reason for it.

It's just 2 different systems. How hard is it to get a CC in Europe without a chip that just has the magnetic stripe? You can do that in the US.

 

In the US there are a zillion different credit cards, each with different rewards, fees, etc...and they work differently. For example, my main CC has a chip, but has a foreign transaction fee. So when I travel to Europe, I use my other card, which doesn't have a chip, but has no foreign transaction fee. If I'm someplace that can't use that card, I have a debit card without any ATM or foreign transaction fees.

 

It sounds complicated, but it is only that way when we travel out of the US.

 

It's no different than in Europe before the EU...or countries that aren't in the EU. Go to Albania...closed currency, Going to Netherlands and Denmark...two different currencies. Taking a day trip to London from Paris...two different currencies.

 

Just different ways of doing things.

 

I've traveled all throughout Europe and go there several times a year. The only place I ever had problems was the automated kiosks in the Copenhagen airport for the trains.

[sverigecruiser]

31 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

It's just 2 different systems. How hard is it to get a CC in Europe without a chip that just has the magnetic stripe? You can do that in the US.

 

When do you need a card without a chip? I have never had my card rejected because it has a chip.

[sverigecruiser]

40 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

 

 

40 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

 

It's no different than in Europe before the EU...or countries that aren't in the EU. Go to Albania...closed currency, Going to Netherlands and Denmark...two different currencies. Taking a day trip to London from Paris...two different currencies.

 

I do expect the US to be more modern than Albania.

 

Different currencies is not a big problem if you can use a creditcard. If you can't use a creditcard I understand that it may be a problem so maybe a card with chip and pin is a good idea.

Edited January 29, 2020 by sverigecruiser

[SirWolf]

7 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I would recommend a card which will work everywhere. Ask your bank and if they don't have what you need ask another bank.

You don’t understand the problem. U.S. banks issue a lot of Chip-and-Pin credit cards but they simply don’t work outside the USA because the PIN enables the user only to withdraw cash at a ATM. POS (point-of-sale) systems process U.S. credit cards as Chip-and-Signature. The problem will become imminent once POS systems in Europe will only accept Chip-and-PIN credit cards. I have 2 credit cards with Chip and both cards only work as Chip-and-Signature outside the U.S.  While traveling through Europe I could not get gasoline in a small town in Italy after hours by paying at the pump.

As stated above there are only very few credit cards with ‘real’ Chip-and-PIN technology available in the U.S. and they are difficult or impossible to get. 

With all respect but the U.S. banking system is at least 5 years in technology behind Europe.

I called the banks of my 2 cards and got the answer to “carry cash as backup” while traveling if my credit card doesn’t work.

 

[electro]

1 hour ago, SirWolf said:

You don’t understand the problem. U.S. banks issue a lot of Chip-and-Pin credit cards but they simply don’t work outside the USA because the PIN enables the user only to withdraw cash at a ATM.

 

That is not a chip and pin card. It is a chip and signature card. even with the old swipe cards you got a pin for cash withdrawls.

All Canadian Credit cards are also chip and pin. There is no reason the US can't have these, the banks excuse is that they don't want people to have another pin/password to remember.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, SirWolf said:

8 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I would recommend a card which will work everywhere. Ask your bank and if they don't have what you need ask another bank.

You don’t understand the problem.

Exactly. Doesn't understand the problem.

 

And not sure where the US vs. Albania "modern" comment comes from. My point was that Albania works differently from other places...like Denmark works differently, England works differently, and the US works differently.

 

Similarly my point about getting a CC w/o a chip was meant to explain how you can't just get a CC with whatever features you want...but I suspect you knew that and were just pretending to not understand.

 

It would be nice if the entire world used the same monetary system, including credit cards, but it doesn't.

[SirWolf]

2 minutes ago, electro said:

That is not a chip and pin card. It is a chip and signature card. even with the old swipe cards you got a pin for cash withdrawls.

All Canadian Credit cards are also chip and pin. There is no reason the US can't have these, the banks excuse is that they don't want people to have another pin/password to remember.

I have 2 cards with a chip physically embedded in the card and I have a PIN for cash withdrawal. This PIN does not work at POS systems in restaurants and stores in Europe. The PIN is strictly for withdrawing cash.

The cards are considered Chip-and-PIN but they are not compatible with European EMV credit card standard.

I am sure that all U.S. banks could offer real

Chip-and-PIN credit cards but they just don’t issue these cards as per today.

I really appreciate if somebody can name a U.S. credit card with real Chip-and-PIN functionality. 

Please, not USAA or PenFed. I am not in the military and I don’t work for the government.

Thanks for any suggestion.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, SirWolf said:

 

I called the banks of my 2 cards and got the answer to “carry cash as backup” while traveling if my credit card doesn’t work.

 

 

I think that cash is a bad backup when more and more places only accept card payments.

 

Of course I don't blame you for that.

 

[alyssamma]

5 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

I really appreciate if somebody can name a U.S. credit card with real Chip-and-PIN functionality. 

Please, not USAA or PenFed. I am not in the military and I don’t work for the government.

Thanks for any suggestion.

You will find them but they are rare. Again, you will be fine with just the chip (and signature).

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, SirWolf said:

You don’t understand the problem. U.S. banks issue a lot of Chip-and-Pin credit cards but they simply don’t work outside the USA because the PIN enables the user only to withdraw cash at a ATM. POS (point-of-sale) systems process U.S. credit cards as Chip-and-Signature. The problem will become imminent once POS systems in Europe will only accept Chip-and-PIN credit cards. I have 2 credit cards with Chip and both cards only work as Chip-and-Signature outside the U.S.  While traveling through Europe I could not get gasoline in a small town in Italy after hours by paying at the pump.

As stated above there are only very few credit cards with ‘real’ Chip-and-PIN technology available in the U.S. and they are difficult or impossible to get. 

With all respect but the U.S. banking system is at least 5 years in technology behind Europe.

I called the banks of my 2 cards and got the answer to “carry cash as backup” while traveling if my credit card doesn’t work.

 

 

I do understand the problem.

 

If someone say that it's impossible to get a chip and pin cards in America I understand why you can't get that.

 

That it's difficult to get it is another thing.

[SirWolf]

11 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

It would be nice if the entire world used the same monetary system, including credit cards, but it doesn't.

You are so right !

It is difficult for the rest of the world to understand that Americans can fly to the moon but still use handwritten paper checks for business transactions and in supermarkets. 

I am getting my hope up that new cards, like ApplePay, will modernize the system eventually.

 

The logo of Wells Fargo has an stagecoach for a reason... welcome to the Wild West, we accept gold coins and take your horse for a loan.

[SirWolf]

7 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I think that cash is a bad backup when more and more places only accept card payments.

That is exactly why I am desperately searching for a real Chip-and-PIN card which can be used around the globe without restrictions.

But unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. 

[alyssamma]

1 minute ago, SirWolf said:

It is difficult for the rest of the world to understand that Americans can fly to the moon but still use handwritten paper checks for business transactions and in supermarkets. 

You keep saying you understand but your comments show otherwise. It is a *different* system, not better or worse.

 

I haven't written a check in over 20yrs for anything. I haven't used cash for anything (in the US) for over 5yrs other than tipping porters.

 

The comment is just wildly inaccurate. Just because something is *possible* to do, doesn't mean everyone does it. Yes there are the less than 1% of people who do this, but 99% do not and most don't even interact with a person at all in the store (they do self checkout).

 

The EU way of doing things isn't better than the US way and vice versa. Virtually everything in the US is different from the EU, and thank god it is, otherwise there would be no reason to travel and experience different cultures and customs.

 

The OP asked about using a CC with chip and pin...I think it has been fully answered. No need to lob insults at different countries.

[SirWolf]

8 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I do understand the problem.

 

If someone say that it's impossible to get a chip and pin cards in America I understand why you can't get that.

 

That it's difficult to get it is another thing.

Banks like USAA or PenFed issue real Chip-and-PIN cards but I am not in the military and I don’t work for the government.

Credit Unions in California issue real Chip-and-PIN cards as well but I don’t reside in California. 

You see the problem is more complex.

[alyssamma]

5 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

The logo of Wells Fargo has an stagecoach for a reason... welcome to the Wild West, we accept gold coins and take your horse for a loan.

I assume you know this is completely false. Otherwise, and based on your other comments, you have a very inaccurate view of the US.

[SirWolf]

1 minute ago, alyssamma said:

I assume you know this is completely false. Otherwise, and based on your other comments, you have a very inaccurate view of the US.

Sorry that you don’t get the joke...

I am Wells Fargo customer and have talked with the branch manager several times about this issue. He agrees and knows that U.S. banks are years behind in technology.

[alyssamma]

3 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

Sorry that you don’t get the joke...

I am Wells Fargo customer and have talked with the branch manager several times about this issue. He agrees and knows that U.S. banks are years behind in technology.

No one is disputing the EU banking technology is further ahead than the US tech...in fact other posters above have said this.

 

But in this specific case, the OPs question, the issue is one of differences and not which is better.

 

But the sarcasm doesn't help to answer the question.

Edited January 29, 2020 by alyssamma

[SirWolf]

18 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

You will find them but they are rare. Again, you will be fine with just the chip (and signature).

Please name just 1 card. Thank you.

 

According to the PSD2 Directive in Europe the Chip-and-Signature authorization will be replaced by other forms of identification.

[sverigecruiser]

4 hours ago, alyssamma said:

 

But in this specific case, the OPs question, the issue is one of differences and not which is better.

 

 

OPs specific question has been answered  but we can still discuss the differences and which is better.

 

I must say that the kind of cards we easily can get here with chip and pin are better because we can use them everywhere. 

 

If you can get a card with chip and pin which you can use everywhere that's the best thing to get if you shall travel to Europe. If you can't I'm sorry for you.

 

 

[alyssamma]

1 minute ago, sverigecruiser said:

OPs specific question has been answered  but we can still discuss the differences and which is better.

 

I must say that the kind of cards we easily can get here with chip and pin are better because we can use them everywhere. 

 

If you can get a card with chip and pin which you can use everywhere that's the best thing to get if you shall travel to Europe. If you can't I'm sorry for you.

OK, feel free to continue discussing...I am done with this topic.

 

If you need to feel your CC is better than everyone else's, then feel free to do so.

 

If we want to list the things EU feels sorry for about Americans and vice-versa the list will be very long. Both have their pros and cons. Not sure what at all that does to educate anyone. But feel free to continue the discussion with whoever wants to have it with you.

 

I feel sorry for you about that.