Tintin

Thanks everyone for posting very valuable information. I like to resolve this issue once and for all, and so, I decided to look into the cardpeek data of the EMV chips in my credit cards. I purchased the following card reader from Amazon (worked in Windows 10 laptop) and used the following wiki page to decode my EMVs. EMV data of my credit cards are after the links.


https://www.spotterswiki.com/emv/cardpeek.html


Barclay's AA Aviator Silver Master Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Signature - if supported
CVM 3: Online PIN - if supported
CVM 4: Enciphered Offline PIN (ICC) - if supported
CVM 5: Plain Text Offline PIN (ICC) - if supported
CVM 6: No CVM - Always

Comment (1): There are 2 sets of identical CVM lists/files in the card. Why???
Comment (2): This is the most comprehensive CVM among my cards. Barclay's card support both online and offline PIN. Offline PIN (ICC) is supported in both encrypted and plain text modes. So the transaction will be authorized even when the self-service terminal cannot handle encryption. Signature has higher priority (US convention). So PIN will not be asked in the attended terminals.
Comment (3): This is why my Barclay's PIN always worked throughout the world without any issue. Now I am not sure if it is a good idea to cancel the card. Is it enough to justify the $195 annual fee?

Citibank AA Executive Master Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Signature - if supported
CVM 3: No CVM - if supported
CVM 4: Online PIN - if supported

Comment (1): Online PIN supported. No offline PIN. tmiw is correct in his/her post.

Citibank AA Platinum Master Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Signature - if supported
CVM 3: No CVM - if supported
CVM 4: Online PIN - if supported

Comment (1): Online PIN supported. No offline PIN. tmiw is correct in his/her post.
Comment (2): CVM list is identical to the Excutive card.

Chase Amazon Prime Visa Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Online PIN - Manual cash
CVM 3: Signature - Manual cash
CVM 4: Fail - Purchase with cashback
CVM 5: Signature - Always
CVM 6: No CVM - Always

Comment (1): Neither online nor offline PIN available for purchase.
Comment (2): Chase did not mail me a PIN. I just called and requested a PIN. Don't know if the CVM list will change after activating my PIN.
Comment (3): Seems like Chase is very focused on cash withdrawals. Not so much for purchases. Strange???

Elan Fidelity Rewards Visa Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Signature - Manual cash
CVM 3: Fail - Purchase with cashback
CVM 4: Signature - Always
CVM 5: No CVM - Always

Comment (1): Neither online nor offline PIN available for purchase.
Comment (2): CVM list is very similar like Chase. But Elan is the card issuer. Is Elan a subsidiary of Chase?

American Express Hilton Aspire Card:

CVM 1: Online PIN - ATM cash
CVM 2: Signature - if supported
CVM 3: No CVM - if not attended cash and not manual cash and not purchase with cashback

Comment (1): Neither online nor offline PIN available for purchase.
Comment (2): There are 2 sets of identical CVM lists/files in the card. Why???

So here we have the full comprehensive conclusion. If we need unrestricted Chip-and-PIN functionality (online, offline, with-and-without encryption) then we must carry Barclay's AA Aviator Silver MC. It is possible that other cards issued by Barclay's, such as, their no annual fee cards (for example, Jet Blue), have the same CVM structure and priority, but I cannot verify this assumption. Citibank's AA cards will work if and only if a self-service terminal supports online PIN. Chase Amazon Prime VC does not support PIN transactions at all (unless the CVM list in my card updates after I receive and activate my PIN). Elan/Fidelity VC and AMEX Aspire card also do not support PIN transactions.

Your thought? Thanks everyone.

tmiw

I'm fairly sure that all Barclays cards are set up the same as the Aviator, at least according to the database at the link I posted earlier. In fact, in general, issuers tend to set up all cards in a given class similarly (for instance, all AmEx personal/small business cards are signature-only but it is possible to get a Corporate card that has PIN). One exception is Andrews FCU, where the cards are signature-preferring by default but it is possible to call in and request the PIN-preferring version.

ellinj

You can also check your cards at the database of cards site.

https://www.spotterswiki.com/emv/index.php

For example the free Apple Barclays Rewards card lists, same as the Aviator.

1: Signature (paper)
2: Enciphered PIN verified online
3: Enciphered PIN verified by ICC
4: Plaintext PIN verified by ICC
5: No CVM required

Tintin

I tried my Citi AA Executive Card and Chase Amazon Prime card everywhere in Amsterdam. The result is exactly what we expected.

(1) Citi AA Executive card worked everywhere. Self-service terminals, such as, those in the NS train stations, asked for PIN. PIN accepted and the transaction was correctly processed (I think these are all online terminal). Store terminals asked for Signature.

(2) Chase Amazon Prime card only worked in stores with attended cashiers. Signature required. I tried it multiple times in the NS self-service terminals. Terminals displayed "Technical Problem". Did not ask for PIN.

jtav559

Maybe I missed the 1st chapter of this saga, but on the Citi AA Exec Card - where might one find their PIN? I don't recall receiving a slip in the mail with the PIN, nor do I see a link on the "Card Services" webpage on my Citi acct to set a pin?

Tintin

It is your cash/ATM PIN for the card. Citi always used to mail you a default Cash/ATM PIN separately from the card. If you don't have it, call the number on your card and request one (just ask for a PIN for your card). I don't know whether you might be able to request an expedite delivery. Normally it may take as long as 2 weeks to receive the PIN-letter in USPS mail.

PIN has 4-dights. Once you receive your PIN, you can change it to a more desired number (if you prefer) by calling the number specified in the letter.

Note: Citi cards are online PIN only. Barclays is the only bank in the US who issue online and offline and plain-text PIN hard-coded on the chip of your card. That means, you may run into some self-service terminal overseas (which are not connected in the network in real-time) where the card will not work.

teemuflyer

Great info Tintin. Thanks for the research and sharing!

tmiw

Not exactly true. There are a few others with both online and offline PIN as well. Granted, some of the options might be difficult for OP to sign up for.