American Express USA to begin issuing EMV "chipped" cards in late 2012
Nov 28, 2012, 5:59 pm
#76
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Baltimore, MD
Programs: MileagePlus, AmxMR, SPG-Gold
Posts: 21
American Express USA to begin issuing EMV "chipped" cards in late 2012
Hmm, I am confused and here's why: I got my Chip card on Monday and I called Amex after activating it, asking where/how do I select my PIN and the CSR put me on hold for a few minutes then came back and said that my PIN will be mailed out separately and should receive it in a week. So this is not a Chip and PIN card?
Nov 28, 2012, 6:25 pm
#77
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,044
Hmm, I am confused and here's why: I got my Chip card on Monday and I called Amex after activating it, asking where/how do I select my PIN and the CSR put me on hold for a few minutes then came back and said that my PIN will be mailed out separately and should receive it in a week. So this is not a Chip and PIN card?
Nov 28, 2012, 9:09 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat, SPG Plat, AMEX Plat, Hertz PC, Travels too Much Platinum
Posts: 3,290
Got mine today after I called in a few days ago as the old Plat card wasn't reliably swiping. The CSR offered a chip & sig card, I accepted, and the flyer linked to the FAQ here:
http://chipandsignature.americanexpress.com/
http://chipandsignature.americanexpress.com/
Nov 30, 2012, 2:55 pm
#80
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
Assuming your chip and signature cards are the same as a disabled person's chip and signature card that is issued in the UK, on any automated machine it will fall back to PIN authentication and ask for the cash advance one (My grandmother has one).
Nov 30, 2012, 3:29 pm
#81
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,968
You can read kebosabi's post on another thread for more details.
As a side note, does anyone know if on Chip & PIN cards, can the purchase PIN be different from the cash advance PIN? If not, then this opens an additional gaping hole in security that potentially far exceeds what is fixed with EMV.
Dec 1, 2012, 2:24 am
#82
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
Great post. It answers the big question I had: what if the retailer is stuck on requiring a PIN? Apparently, this won't be a problem. Even if the retailer has an "EMV-only" policy (even if they're not supposed to - that's a separate issue), the machines are programmed to print out a signature slip if the the card is Chip & Signature without the operator having to do anything.
As a side note, does anyone know if on Chip & PIN cards, can the purchase PIN be different from the cash advance PIN? If not, then this opens an additional gaping hole in security that potentially far exceeds what is fixed with EMV.
As a side note, does anyone know if on Chip & PIN cards, can the purchase PIN be different from the cash advance PIN? If not, then this opens an additional gaping hole in security that potentially far exceeds what is fixed with EMV.
Dec 2, 2012, 8:12 am
#83
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, UA Platinum, others
Posts: 1,270
I received my new EMV-enabled Platinum, but noticed the magnetic stripe no longer is a hologram with AmEx logos on it, but just a simple silver stripe. I thought the holographic Amex stripe was a security feature?
Dec 2, 2012, 11:17 am
#84
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
Newer cards don't have it. It had a habit of being scratched up and damaged easily.
Dec 2, 2012, 1:06 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
+1. I got a new mag Platinum last Feb and it just had the silver stripe. I was surprised since my old Blue had the hologram, but it was completely beat up. Got a new Blue a couple months ago (just due to regular expiration), and it also had the silver stripe.
Dec 2, 2012, 4:08 pm
#86
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 493
I don't have a Platinum right now; decided it was too expensive for what I need. But I did get a Chase British Airways chip & signature card last March, and I love it. It worked great in the UK. Plus there are no currency conversion charges either.
Most likely we'll all be using the chip & pin though, eventually. It's just a more secure card, harder for crooks to use without the pin.
Most likely we'll all be using the chip & pin though, eventually. It's just a more secure card, harder for crooks to use without the pin.
Dec 2, 2012, 6:04 pm
#87
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3
Why no contactless?
Good to see AmEx crawling reluctantly towards the future here. I am really surprised that they continue to use signature and not the option of adding PIN.
Does anyone know when or if AmEx will add contactless (ie. PayWave) to their cards? I find this immensely useful and so frustrating that a card with a high annual fee won't offer it.
Does anyone know when or if AmEx will add contactless (ie. PayWave) to their cards? I find this immensely useful and so frustrating that a card with a high annual fee won't offer it.
Dec 2, 2012, 8:50 pm
#88
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,968
Dec 5, 2012, 12:59 am
#89
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Newport Beach / San Francisco / Seattle
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Amex Centurion, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 289
Just wanted to add my findings to this post.
My brother is an additional Platinum cardholder on my account - AmEx experienced some type of glitch and let his current card expire without sending a new one. He called in and they overnighted him a new Platinum card - no EMV chip (card was received last Friday 12/1).
I read this thread and called AmEx on Saturday 12/2 to request the chip + signature card for my upcoming holiday in Europe. The agent did some checking with his supervisor and came back and informed me that they would be able to issue me an EMV card. Card arrived today via UPS
So, it seems that unless you specifically request it at this point, renewal/replacement cards aren't automatically issued with the chip.
My brother is an additional Platinum cardholder on my account - AmEx experienced some type of glitch and let his current card expire without sending a new one. He called in and they overnighted him a new Platinum card - no EMV chip (card was received last Friday 12/1).
I read this thread and called AmEx on Saturday 12/2 to request the chip + signature card for my upcoming holiday in Europe. The agent did some checking with his supervisor and came back and informed me that they would be able to issue me an EMV card. Card arrived today via UPS
So, it seems that unless you specifically request it at this point, renewal/replacement cards aren't automatically issued with the chip.
Dec 5, 2012, 6:51 am
#90
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 75
I can absolutely confirm "immaculate's" posting.. just requested a new card since my card was used in fraud activity. I did request for a chip & signature card, however, the agent sent me a new card without... called back and requested again, this time it was correct and I did receive it with the Chip..
Card looks a bit different as posted earlier in this thread...
Card looks a bit different as posted earlier in this thread...
