Originally Posted by
kebosabi
So is the Andrews FCU and SDFCU cards as well. Though they are prioritized to default as Chip-and-Signature, they do fall back upon true Chip-and-PIN to cover offline chip transactions.
Tester:
BeeNYC report,
RRossi report
Also, CUs have also started offering prepaid EMV Chip-and-PIN cards which offer far better rates than the Travelex solution.
Overall, I say the options and choices available today is whole lot better than two years ago when the only option to get one was working for the UN.
So, just to chime in as an Andrews FCU Chip card owner...
It is NOT chip-and-pin. Never. No matter what, at least in France. I spent the better part of a month and a half there trying it out in metro/train vending machines, tabaac stores, [, gas stations] restaurants, ATM's, etc -- you name it (I'm guessing at least 50 swipes of the card). It never, ever works when a PIN is required. It simply doesn't work.
Specific example: If you use an ATM or a metro/train vending machine, and your purchase is over a small amount (not exactly sure how much but something over 60 EUR is about right), it requests a PIN -- but NOT with the Andrews FCU card. It just rejects the card.
Another Specific Example: If you're at a restaurant and you try to use the card as a chip and pin card, the machines will reject it. You can of course use it like a regular card and sign. Except in places where they require the PIN. If a place requires a PIN with a CHIP card, the Andrews FCU card WILL NOT WORK.
I've seen a bunch of people saying it works fine -- and to address
BeeNYC report,
RRossi report
-- I strongly suspect that they're not using it in vending machines where the limit requires a PIN and/or they're always signing for things in restaurants/stores/etc., and they've never run across a vendor with a machine that doesn't permit a signature with a CHIP card. Again, if you have a CHIP and SIGNATURE card, it will work EXACTLY as described in the above reports. It is only when the amount you're spending is in excess of about 50 - 60 EUR that a PIN in a vending machine is required. The only way to KNOW the PIN is working is to have someone use the card and actually enter the PIN. I don't think I've seen a single successful report of that. If you read the two ones linked above, they pretty clearly say they were never asked for the PIN, or it just asked for signature.
So, not to hijack the whole thread on Andrews FCU CHIP card, but just to rebut the claim that they're are many good CHIP and PIN alternatives available -- this one IS NOT CHIP AND PIN (at least in France).
P.S. Really extremely disappointed with archaic customer service at Andrews FCU and would never recommend them for that reason.