Originally Posted by dulciusexasperis

The problem here ICEROCK is like many people, you assume people understand what you are saying because they have a card the same as your own. That's simply not the case.

When you bought the laptop from Costco, just exactly what did you do with your card? It certainly isn't clear to me. You took out your card and then....................? Specifically, physically, what did you then do with your card?

I live in Canada where we have true Chip and PIN cards like the rest of the world except for the USA. When using my card in Canada or in Europe, I either put the card in a slot in the merchants card reader or swipe it down the side for the magnetic strip to be read. THEN I enter my PIN number into the machine and the charge gets approved.

There are some US issued cards that are true Chip and PIN but most are CHIP and Signature. You need to understand the difference. Now what you appear to be saying is that signatures are being done away with as a means of verification. OK, what is the signature being replaced with?

I'm guessing you are just 'tapping' the card on the merchants card reader. We do that here in Canada for purchases up to $100 but must enter a PIN for all purchases over $100. If you are just tapping your card for a $1000 laptop purchase, that to me is yet another failing on the part of US card issuers. If you drop your card on the ground and I pick it up, can I just 'tap' it and buy myself a $1000 computer charged to your card? I certainly wouldn't want a card that would allow that to happen.

I'm wondering about the comment, "I never bought the signature against fraud, I always draw a circle on the pad". It sounds to me like your card issuer offers you a guarantee against fraud if you pay for it and sign for all purchases, in which case it implies that if you didn't, YOU are liable for any fraud, not the card issuer. Do you really understand what you are liable for or not with your card?