Credit card/ATM PIN numbers in Europe, Egypt,Oman, Dubaii, India

[lahore]

Hi everyone. I was just reading elsewhere on the board that we need to have a four digit PIN number to use ATM's in Europe. We currently have six digit pin numbers, so we will need to change at least one for Europe. Is that correct everyone?

 

Then we go to Egypt, Oman, Dubai and India. Anyone got any experiences with ATM's there? Am wondering if we need to take two cards -one with four digit PIN and one with six...:confused:

[LHT28]

Hi everyone. I was just reading elsewhere on the board that we need to have a four digit PIN number to use ATM's in Europe. We currently have six digit pin numbers, so we will need to change at least one for Europe. Is that correct everyone?

 

Yes you need 4 digits for Europe...we use 4 here in Canada so was not a problem for us.

Cannot help with your other Countries

[lahore]

Thanks LHT, that ticks one off the list. Any other comments folks?

[Aussie Gal]

Hi everyone. I was just reading elsewhere on the board that we need to have a four digit PIN number to use ATM's in Europe. We currently have six digit pin numbers, so we will need to change at least one for Europe. Is that correct everyone?

 

Then we go to Egypt, Oman, Dubai and India. Anyone got any experiences with ATM's there? Am wondering if we need to take two cards -one with four digit PIN and one with six...:confused:

 

Thanks for bringing that up. We have 4 number Pins so we will be fine but I didn't realize that in some countries there are maximum numbers.

 

Jennie

[Winner]

Call your bank. I had a problem a few years ago with my pin and questioned my bank as to why it didn't work. My pin began with an "0", which does not work in Europe. I've change it and have had no trouble. Your bank should also be able to tell you if you need 4 or 6 number pins in parts of the world other than the Americas and Europe. (You should also tell your bank what countries you will be visiting so there are no unpleasant blockings of your account while you are traveling)!

[lahore]

Hi Winner, yeah I have sent an email to my bank to check up on this, but getting the drum from experienced travellers is good too - God knows the banks here in Australia don't always give the correct info. Thanks.

[lovecruisingtoo]

At times when we have gone to Europe we have also had a problem at ATM machines. In one case, our bank would not accept foreign ATM withdrawals unless you told them before you went overseas. In another case, we only had a savings account linked to the ATM card. The system between Europe and the US automatically tied the ATM to a non-existent checking account. Not the savings account that we had at that bank. Lesson learned was to tell the bank before we left that we were going to make foreign withdrawals.

 

Another word of advise is to call your credit card companies and tell them the countries you will be visiting. Many countries are known for having links to credit card theft and so the banks are very cautious of charges from those countries.

[seasoned]

I've always used a four-digit PIN in Asia and Europe. I have an account with HSBC, which calls itself "your worldwide local bank" and have seldom been in a city without an HSBC ATM.

 

Egypt, Jordan and Oman readily take US dollars, but I don't know if they are as accepting of other currencies. Often the ship has a local rep come on board to exchange currency, or there will be an exchange desk in the port building.

 

I always carry lots of small bills, and a few larger ones; change will be returned to you in the local currency.

 

Absolutely inform your bank ahead of time about all the countries you'll be visiting.

[lilybud]

About your ATM issue, Dubai & Oman use 4 digits, as does all of Europe. To repeat others in this thread, tell your credit card companies before you go - where you are going, and the length of time. Before we learned this, we had our credit cut off while oversees. Also, several charges occured "after" our time of return from a stolen/highjacked cc#. You've got to take care of yourself!

[lahore]

HI, thanks everyone. My credit cards are used overseas a lot, so my bank is used to it but I will specifically let them know they will be used in those countries. As for the PIN numbers, I will definitely need to get mine changed from six to four then. Thanks again.

[conderost]

Took The Insignia Oct., And While In Florence We Went To The Atm, Although We Were Glad We Did The Four Digit, Our Money Was In Our Savings, But Our Primary Account Was Our Checking, It Took The Money From The Checking And Would Not Recognize Our Savings Account, So Make Sure You Put Your Money In Your Primary Account, Not The Linked Accounts.:(

[zu zu's petals]

Hi....just thought I'd add that when we were in Egypt this May, we used ATM's and they too accept only the 4 digit PIN.

 

Hope that helps some.

 

zuzu's petals

[ollienbertsmum]

HI, thanks everyone. My credit cards are used overseas a lot, so my bank is used to it but I will specifically let them know they will be used in those countries. As for the PIN numbers, I will definitely need to get mine changed from six to four then. Thanks again.

 

I think that it is not just the countries you are visiting, it is the sudden change in pattern of spending that red flag the card for the banks.

 

I found that when I was booking my flights for this holiday I also tried to buy something online and I was blocked. Even though I was at home I felt uncomfortable, :o as if I was a fraudster. Obviously by the next day it was fine.

 

In a way it is reassuring, you know that they are making sure you don't buy too many shoes online

[lahore]

Ha Ha Ollienbertsmum - you have no idea how true that is! I am a big ebayer, and much comes from USA. :)

[Jayayeff]

About your ATM issue, Dubai & Oman use 4 digits, as does all of Europe. quote]

 

Strange - as I live in Dubai and regularly visit both Oman and Europe/UK. I use HSBC as my bank, my PIN is, and always has been 6 digits, and to date I have never had a problem using it in Europe, USA, Far East, Middle East, South Africa and various other locations. Provided the ATM machines display symbols matching those on the reverse of your ATM card I don't think it matters whether your PIN is 4 or 6 digits. The only machines I have ever encountered that don't accept my bank card are those in public places (railway stations, motorway service areas, etc.) that are not affiliated to banks...

[lahore]

Thanks for that, I was - and remain really - confused. I was an expat in Singapore, had a four digit pin, came back to Aus and when got new card had six digit pin. But when i have travelled within Asia since then (regularly) my six digit pin has worked. So now I was going to change back to 4 digit having read on here, before I left. You have given me faith that I don't have to worry. Or maybe I will change on one card and not worry about the others.

 

On another topic - would you mind taking a couple of questions about Dubai? We have two days there in November and I am an independent soul and would like to ask a couple of questions about getting around - do you mind?

[Aussie Gal]

Jayayeff,

 

I too would love to know as much as I can about Dubai because after our 35 day cruise on the Nautica next April we are going to spend 3 days there on our way home and I would like to know what not to miss.

 

Jennie

[Ephraim]

From experience, many countries won't allow you to choose which account your withdraw from. They generally just use the primary account attached to the card which is usually your chequing account. I know that I have about 4 accounts associated with my card and in Europe I can only use my chequing.

[lahore]

Thanks, but the primary account thing doesn't worry me too much - if that proves a problem I can always go online and transfer money from one account to the other. I would never have money in one account and not the others when travelling. But the PIN thing was news to me.

[Jayayeff]

On another topic - would you mind taking a couple of questions about Dubai? We have two days there in November and I am an independent soul and would like to ask a couple of questions about getting around - do you mind?

 

Lahore & Aussie Gal

 

No problem at all, if I have the answers to your questions I'll be happy to give them. If you prefer to email me my address is jannefas@hotmail.com I met up with one of the Nautica cruisers for lunch on last years stop in Dubai and at the time we were in the midst of a wet spell but on her day in Dubai it was nice and sunny...

 

Anne

[maison09]

Hi everyone! I'm the newcomer here:)

 

maison de credit

[Leonid]

It can even be worst than just ATMs! There is an article on smartertravel.com, but for some reason, the CC web police won't let me post it. Contact me at leonid49r@gmail.com and I send you the complete URL.

 

Smartertravel.com has a basic newsletter & one geared to seniors.

[Leonid]

Ah yes! The CC web police are at it again. :confused: E-mail me at leonid49r@gmail.com and I will send you the complete URL for the article.

[LHT28]

This thread was over 2 years old

[Leonid]

The article which I cited was written by Ed Perkins and is dated 04/16/2009. Don't know to what article you are referring. There maybe another one, but this isn't the one nor would it be up to date..:p